The Once-Popular Wallpaper Trend That's Making A Comeback With A More Modern Look

If you've filed away wallpaper as a dated, old-fashioned interior design reference, you may want to reconsider this opinion for the coming year. With the maximalist decor trend sweeping the design landscape, designers and homeowners are embracing bold colors, luxurious textiles, and sumptuous design elements for their interiors — and that includes wallpaper.

The history of wallpaper can be traced back to China's Qin Dynasty in 200 B.C. when the Chinese used mere strips of rice paper to line a wall's surface. In 16th-century Europe, it was primarily used to line cupboard interiors or the walls of merchants' homes before appearing in both grand aristocratic houses and commoners' homes. In the 1960s and 1970s, the loud patterns and punchy colors gave wallpaper its reputation for kitschiness before mellowing down to subtler shades and patterns in the following decades.

After taking a backseat to minimalism these past few years, wallpaper is experiencing a design resurgence. Wallpaper brands and manufacturers are embracing and utilizing today's technology to rebrand the humble wallpaper into a design element that is fresh, exciting, and contemporary. Textured wallpaper is making designers particularly excited about its 2025 comeback. Featuring embossed patterns, natural fibers, and 3D designs that help improve a room's acoustics, textured wallpaper moves away from the background and into the spotlight.

Designers are noting a renewed interest in wallpaper made from natural materials like grasscloth, bamboo, jute, sisal, linen, or cork. Aside from their unique textures, their artisanal qualities offer warmth and authenticity to any modern space. The eco-friendliness of these materials also appeals to a consumer's commitment to sustainability. Some brands are even integrating metallic threads and strands of mother-of-pearl into their wallpaper and wall-covering creations, which add a layer of luminosity and depth to the organic materials.

Looking to improve your walls but also help the acoustics of your home? You may want to look into 3D wallpaper and wall coverings. Images and motifs can be embossed onto their surfaces to appear like paintings. The raised effect can mimic panel moldings or bas-reliefs, making the designs appear as parts of the architecture itself. The use of materials like linen, silk, fleece, or chenille helps absorb sound and decrease ambient noise.

If budget isn't a problem, go bespoke with artisanal hand-painted wallpaper. Artisans like the Italian company Fabscarte meticulously apply hand-painted details to their exclusive wallpaper creations, elevating Italian tradition into modern works of art.