Wallpaper is making a huge comeback and no wonder – it’s an easy way to dress up a room, a focal wall, or even just a wall panel. And the leftovers can be used as framed art, wall decor collages, wrapping paper, greeting cards – any creative paper craft you can think of.
In any given category, there is a myriad of designs and styles to choose from, as we have seen in some of my previous posts (decorating with black wallpaper, wallpaper borders, blue wallpaper and green wallpaper). While those posts all focused on traditional wallpapers, in today’s post, I’ve put together a collection of some really creative, unusual and cool wallpaper designs from around the globe.
Off The Wall
Created by the incredibly talented Swedish designer Kicki Edgren Nyborg, these 3D non-woven wallpapers come with acrylic shelves. What started out as her thesis at HDK (The School of Design and Crafts at the University of Gothenburg) is now an acclaimed product available in 15 different patterns and with three different types of shelves. The shelves include a handy bookstand for displaying your favorite books, and some that go on the wall horizontally and can be used as built-in wall sconces.
Photos: Kredema Design
Moss Wallpaper
When Japanese architect and designer Oki Sato was asked to renovate an old house on the banks of Tokyo’s Shibuya River, he was inspired by the moss on the riverbank outside the house and decided to incorporate that feature indoors too. He applied dried moss in patterns all over the house, which resulted in this amazing wallpaper-like design.
Photos: nendo
Magnetic Wallpaper
The magnetic wallpaper by British designer Patricia Adler of Pepper-mint, Ltd. has tiny embedded iron particles which makes it an instant bulletin board anywhere in the house. They come in two different magnetic strengths and several designs, including plain white, which is great if you want to use magnets to create your own pattern (I love the vintage/retro design in the photo below). According to the company, it is safe to use around office equipment, people and pets because it is not magnetically charged. They also sell magnets for use on the wallpaper, both ready-made and custom designs.
Photos: MagScapes
Glowing Wallpaper
Those of you who follow this blog know that I adore Scandinavian design, and here is another one from Sweden. Award-winning designer Camilla Diedrich created the luminescent “Nature Ray Charles” wallpaper. The original Ray Charles does not contain any light sources, but the design and colors makes it look like it is glowing. However, Camilla also recently developed a new version of this wallpaper with actual lights built in (photo #1 below).
The wallpaper comes in several colors, and I especially love the “Glittery” (#3 below), made with mother of pearl.
Photos: Camilla Diedrich
Air-Purifying
Last, but certainly not least, the air purifying Saratech Permasorb Wallpaper from German Blücher Technologies actually absorbs and removes toxins from your indoor air. According to the EPA, indoor air is many times more polluted than outdoor air, due to building materials, paint, and furnishings that offgass a variety of chemicals, so this is a pretty fabulous and useful invention. The wallpaper is made from polyester/glass fiber and has tiny porous charcoal-like particles distributed throughout, which absorb and hold the toxins.
Photos: Blücher Technologies
