16 Creative Ways to Use Wallpaper in the Kitchen

Go bold with all-over kitchen wallpaper designs that bloom with a garden motif. Traditional white cabinetry, marble countertops, and open upper shelves prevent the bright blue backdrop from overwhelming visitors. A painted green island and fun fruit artwork pick up the colors of the floral pattern.

An unexpected design detail, this romantic gray kitchen wallpaper ushers in an expensive baroque look for less. The shapely swirled pattern, which resembles marble from a distance, echoes the flourishes in the room's chandelier and wall sconces, as well as the curved quartzite backsplash. Crown molding distinguishes the kitchen borders. 

More pretty Parisian kitchens that will transport you straight to France.

Continue the pattern of your kitchen wallpaper into surrounding accessories, fabric, and artwork for a cohesive design. The black and white kitchen wallpaper that surrounds this space's cottage cabinetry continues in the cushion of a curved banquette and highlights oil-rubbed bronze hardware. Brown kitchen tiles on the floor bring a welcome neutral to the patterned space. 

White and gray surfaces fill out this kitchen, but a splash of blue kitchen wallpaper brings contemporary character to the space. The charming pattern ties together the wallpaper hues and blue shade found on nearby island stools. The kitchen wallpaper accent wall also visually heightens the space, drawing the eye upward toward a lofted ceiling.

Shake up Shaker-style open cabinets with a pretty wallpaper backdrop or backsplash. Cut and measure your favorite design to fit the length of your cabinetry before installing the shelves. The rich espresso detail of this wallpaper increases the depth of the room and emphasizes neutral dishware.

Learn how to wallpaper the back of a cabinet.

White countertops and kitchen cabinetry can quickly overwhelm a room and make it feel cold. Warm it up in a jiffy with high-contrast kitchen wall coverings that surround the cabinets with inviting color. Small details, like gilded hardware, also elevate the look. 

Wallpaper with a whimsical food theme adds charming detail to an otherwise neutral space. Apply it to a single accent wall, create kitchen borders, or wrap it around a butler's pantry for a bit of hidden pizazz. The present-day print helps modernize this kitchen's salvaged steel cabinets and milk-glass panes.

Check out our most beautiful butler's pantry ideas.

Play up big scale in a small space to create energy in a room. Wallpaper borders for the kitchen make an impact without going overboard. In this space, a fun oversize zebra wallcovering drives the neutral palette in this fun and fresh wet bar area, while an oversize chandelier adds formality.

Just because you've featured kitchen colors elsewhere in your space doesn't mean your walls have to play it safe. Upgrade from boring white paint to shiny, metallic, modern kitchen wallpaper for a look that complements the sleek style of a back-painted glass backsplash. Neutral white cabinets prevent the color from taking over. 

Make the area behind your island pop with a vibrant floral wallpaper. Buttery-yellow cabinets play off the rich red kitchen wallpaper and cool blue island in this historic home for an eclectic look in which each color stands out without clashing. A hardwood floor adds warmth. 

Create a kitchen desk area that is equally convenient and whimsical with the help of a colorful wallpaper-covered bulletin board. Unlike kitchen wall tiles or kitchen paint, this colorful idea is easy to update. Look for discounted styles and change with the season; the easy revision won't fade and is simple to secure.

See more tricks for turning a kitchen area into a workstation.

Show off exactly where you found inspiration for your kitchen design. Here, Parisian character comes from a vintage map that was applied with wallpaper paste and covered with polyurethane. 

Editor's Tip: This ideas works in other personal spaces, too. Try the trick for your next bathroom wallpaper or bring it into the bedroom. 

Unite the past and present with modern kitchen wallpaper ideas. Here, a contemporary geometric design balances a retro pendant light and old-school vinyl bar stools. Pops of cherry red unite all of the kitchen colors. 

Wallpaper isn't just for kitchen walls. Papering a nearby staircase with grass cloth wallpaper infuses an open kitchen plan with organic texture. The neutral backdrop allows custom woodwork and little pops of color to shine.

Kitchen wallpaper with a sophisticated Moroccan pattern adds visual interest to this monochromatic butler's pantry. The fresh stencil helps modernize a soapstone countertop and backsplash with authentic period charm.

Pass up the geometry of tile or paneling—go for a fluid or organic look with a patterned wallpaper backsplash. Added to this contemporary kitchen, the damask design of the paper brings sinuous elegance to the hard edges of stainless steel, lacquered cabinets, and tempered glass. Add a panel of clear glass over the wallpaper for extra durability.

Our favorite kitchen backsplash ideas.