A conservatory is often a summer room; you might not use the space all year round, but it’s likely that it’s your pride and joy in the summer months, so you want it to look perfect, especially if you’re using it for entertaining.
Conservatory decor has traditionally been about wicker furniture, and using white paint to give the illusion of a much bigger space, but using some well-chosen conservatory wallpaper can really transform the room.
But how does wallpaper cope with the sometimes-freezing, sometimes-boiling-hot nature of the typical conservatory? And which wallpaper designs work best in a conservatory? Let’s take a look…
1. Can You Even Put Wallpaper In A Conservatory?
Many people wonder ‘can you put wallpaper in a conservatory?’, but the answer is yes, as long as you make sure the space is adequately prepared for wallpaper.
If you’re using wallpaper in a conservatory, you need to make sure the space is properly insulated to help prevent it getting too cold or damp. It’s also important to ensure the room is well-ventilated to reduce the risk of high levels of humidity creating extra moisture and dampness that could damage your wallpaper.
Unsure about how well-insulated your conservatory is? Speak to a professional before you start redecorating, so you have time to address any issues, to help keep your conservatory wallpaper in the best possible condition.
2. Make Sure You Use The Right Wallpaper Paste
Using the right kind of wallpaper paste or adhesive is another way to ensure your conservatory wallpaper stays in good condition. As conservatories can be prone to additional moisture, it’s recommended that you use a wallpaper paste that contains fungicide to reduce the risk of any damp-related damage and to discourage mould from growing.
If you mix a little bit of PVA glue with your fungicide-based wallpaper paste, this can help it to stick to the wall better. This can be especially beneficial in a conservatory where the temperature can fluctuate so dramatically, increasing the risk of your wallpaper becoming unstuck.
3. Consider The Seasons
When choosing a conservatory wallpaper, think about when you tend to use the room most – for many people, the answer will be in the summer.
If this is the case, decorating your conservatory provides a great opportunity to go all out with bold, summer-inspired wallpaper that you wouldn’t use elsewhere in your home. For example:
- We love the Arthouse Copacabana Pineapple Pattern Wallpaper (£14 per roll) with its golden tropical-inspired pineapple motif
- Opt for a truly eye-catching design with the Holden Decor Toucan Trail Jungle Wallpaper (£13 per roll), featuring majestic toucans on a bright, ochre background
Bring additional summer vibes to your conservatory with vases of sunflowers, bright yellow soft furnishings, and sunshine or holiday-inspired motifs and slogans.
4. Make The Most Of Natural Light
Conservatories are typically smaller than most other living spaces, so it’s important to make the most of natural light to make the room feel as big as possible. Dark wallpaper can make a space feel smaller, so opt for light, bright colours and patterns that aren’t too busy to prevent the space feeling too crowded or claustrophobic.
Natural light can illuminate your conservatory wallpaper beautifully, so think carefully about which wall(s) you’re going to paper based on where the light falls. Bear in mind that your wallpaper design may fade in time due to sun exposure, so try to make sure the light shines evenly across the space you’re papering to keep the colour and pattern as even as possible.
These are two of our favourite conservatory wallpaper options for making the most of natural light:
- The soft, buttery yellow florals of the Arthouse Opera Chinoise Floral Pattern Songbird Wallpaper (£11 per roll) would look beautiful illuminated by natural sunlight
- A.S. Creation’s Non-Woven Floral Beige Green Metallic Wallpaper (£12 per roll) features gorgeous golden leaves that will bring a fresh, bright look to your conservatory, even on a dull day
5. Think About The Size Of The Space
If your conservatory is on the smaller side, try to avoid choosing a wallpaper that’s too dark or that has a busy pattern.
Steer clear of dark florals and go for a pattern with a light background instead – or to make the space look even bigger, go for a light, bright conservatory wallpaper. Lighter colours and patterns with a little more distance between each motif will help to create the illusion of a bigger, airier space.
To make your conservatory feel bigger, opt for:
- A classic cream wallpaper, like the Arthouse Stardust Plain Pattern Cream Wallpaper (£16 per roll), which has a subtle hint of texture running through it
- A plain wallpaper in a bright colour, like the wonderfully sunny Arthouse Linen Texture Effect Wallpaper in Yellow (£16 per roll)
6. Consider Your Conservatory’s Purpose
Think about what you use your conservatory for most – is it an extension of your garden? Do you allow your pets in there? Do your children use it as a playroom? Would you like it to be a relaxing, snug-like space? Take this into account when you’re choosing a conservatory wallpaper to make sure it serves the space well.
Here are our top recommendations for each of these types of space:
- Choose a leaf print wallpaper to create synergy with your garden. We recommend the A.S. Creation Leaf Trail Multicolour Wallpaper (£23 per roll), which has multi-coloured leaves that will continue to look gorgeous as the seasons change
- If children or pets spend a lot of time in your conservatory, go for a busy pattern that will help to disguise any knocks and scuffs. We love the Arthouse Jungle Mania Animal Pattern Wallpaper (£13 per roll), which is ideal for children, but features plenty of green leaves to create the feeling that the space is an extension of the garden
- Turn your conservatory into a snug that’s perfect for curling up in with plenty of cushions and throws, and the Rasch Study Book Shelf Gold Picture Frame Damask Pattern Wallpaper (£14 per roll), which features motifs of globes, books, and rustic shelves for a cosy study vibe
7. Create A Feature Wall
Using wallpaper on every wall in a conservatory carries the risk of making the space feel smaller than it is, which is why a feature wall or even a mural can be a great alternative. If you like the ideal of a wall mural but aren’t sure where it could work in your home, using it in the conservatory could be a good option.
For a conservatory feature wall, we love:
- Erismann’s Bohemian Imitations Mosaic Chic Tile Geometric Pattern Wallpaper (£15 per roll) in teal, white, and grey – a conservatory provides a great opportunity to use this wallpaper that could feel a little too much if used on multiple walls
- The 1 Wall Paris Eiffel Tower Wallpaper Mural (£17 per roll) – this black and white Parisian wall mural is the perfect way to make a statement in a minimal space
8. Extend Your Home’s Aesthetic Further
Some people like their conservatory to feel like an extension of their main living area and want their decor to flow between the rooms. Conservatories are usually attached to the living room, kitchen, or dining room, so you may want to use the same wallpaper that you have in these spaces into the conservatory.
Alternatively, go for the same colour scheme as your living space, but in a different pattern, or pick out one shade from the rest of your home to incorporate into your conservatory decor. This can be a great way to create synergy between the different rooms, while still keeping your conservatory space a little bit separate.
9. Complement Your Home’s Exterior
Replicate the style of the outside of your home with a stone or brick effect wallpaper. This can be an ideal way to make sure the aesthetic of your conservatory blends in with the rest of your house, especially if you plan to spend a lot of time sitting in your garden with the conservatory in full view.
Mimic your home’s exterior with these wallpaper designs:
- Grandeco Vintage Pattern Brick Wallpaper (£13 per roll), which has a classic, rustic, red brick effect
- Recreate a weathered stone effect with the Grandeco Chalet Stone 3D Effect Realistic Slate Smooth Pastel Wallpaper (£14 per roll)
- Add trailing ivy to your bricks with the A.S. Creation Ivy Leaf Pattern Red Brick Wallpaper (£15 per roll) – a great way to bring a touch of greenery to your conservatory
10. Link The Outside With The Inside
If you want your conservatory to feel like a summer house or an extension of your garden, choose a conservatory wallpaper inspired by your outdoor space; think leaves, flowers, or jungle-inspired designs. We recommend:
- Create the illusion of extra height in your conservatory with A.S. Creation’s Leaf Trail Wallpaper (£23 per roll), which features a repeating leaf design in different shades of green. The columns of leaves create an almost tree-like effect, making a space feel much taller than it is
- If you grow flowers, bring them indoors via your conservatory wallpaper. We love this rose-patterned Arthouse Highgrove Floral Roses Bouquet Wallpaper (£16 per roll), but you could find a design that compliments the flowers in your garden
- Bring a little sunshine indoors all year round with the A.S. Creation Floral Sunflower Navy Blue And Yellow Wallpaper (£20 per roll)
You can bring even more of the outdoors indoors by picking fresh flowers from your garden to place in vases or even empty bottles for a more rustic feel, and do some research into the types of plants that will thrive best in the light that comes into your conservatory.
Conservatory Wallpaper Dos And Don’ts
Choosing a conservatory wallpaper is a completely different decision to selecting a wallpaper for your living room, bedroom, or even kitchen. To summarise, here are our top dos and don’ts when shopping for a new conservatory wallpaper:
Dos
- Make sure your conservatory is properly insulated before applying wallpaper
- Ensure the space is well-ventilated at all times
- Make the most of natural light coming into the space
- Bring the outdoors indoors with plenty of greenery
- Go for light, bright colours to make a conservatory feel bigger
- Take advantage of being able to try out a design you wouldn’t use elsewhere in your home
Don’ts
- Steer clear of dark wallpaper to avoid making the space feel too small
- Avoid wallpaper with a busy pattern, as this could make a small space feel crowded
- Try not to crowd the space with patterned wallpaper on every wall – create a feature wall or go for a wall mural instead
If you have any questions about how much wallpaper you need for your conservatory or about any of our designs, please don’t hesitate to contact us here.