Wallpaper is designed to go on the walls but that doesn't mean you must use it there exclusively. I love using wallpaper in unexpected ways, where an extra splash of color or pattern will really liven up a space. Here, some ideas that might inspire you to look at wallpaper in a whole new way.

• The kitchen is one of my favorite places for a splash of color, but in a controlled way. Apply wallpaper to the back wall of glass front or open-fronted cabinets, for example. Coordinate the paper with your glassware or china to create some really striking designs. This is also a perfect spot for vintage wallpapers such as those offered by Second Hand Rose (examples above and below), one of my favorite vendors for this type of look.
  
  
  


• Try using a single pattern in different colors, as we did in the Nursery below (wallpaper from Designers Guild) to create a striped effect. Experiment with variations of this idea. Try going for horizontal stripes or use one color on one wall and another on a different wall. Just remember to keep the same pattern.
  
  
  


• Another favorite technique is to wallpaper the ceiling. For the project shown below, which had more of an Asian flair, I applied heavily textured wallpaper—grass cloth—to the ceiling for a dramatic effect. A big challenge when using grass cloth, of course, is that the seams always show because of the random nature of the wallpaper. To combat this, I cut the sheets into squares and laid them in a basket weave pattern, using the seams as a decorative element. The wallpaper is by Larsen, but most manufacturers have a wide range to choose from.
  
  

Good luck with your projects!

Mark Cutler
Interior Designer,
MarkCutlerDesign.com