Decorating with Moody Wallpapers for Winter

Some spaces call for bright, clean, minimal design; others call for something darker and more dramatic. If your space yearns for a cozy, moody vibe (and if spooky season, pumpkin spice lattes, and rainy days make your heart sing), we have some decorating tips for you! Light a candle, grab a mug of hot chocolate or tea, and settle in to start planning your dream reading nook, cozy bedroom, or academia-inspired home office or study space. Below, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite dark, moody, dramatic wallpaper designs to help you get started!

Papaver

The sunny Citrus colorway is a favorite for summertime decorating, with its fresh, tangerine-hued blooms. But this Crimson colorway brings the drama in a big way. Use this romantic wallpaper as a backdrop to late movie nights and cozy morning coffees in the living room, or dress up a powder room with poppies to match your dinner party guests’ lipstick. This versatile design works well with traditional furniture and decor styles, but also feels contemporary enough to play well with ultra-modern clean lines and neutral tones (just be sure to have a cuddly throw blanket somewhere in the mix).

Termeh

Our Termeh wallpaper is intricately detailed and delightfully elaborate, much like its Persian textile namesake. The rich navy, brick, and ochre colors depict illustrative birds, branches, and flowers in an ornate style, dancing across your wall and adding a traditional touch. Here, we’ve styled it with a classic tufted headboard and coordinating accent pillow, but we could see it working just as well in a vanity area or powder room with an ornate mirror.

Botanique

All three colorways of this vintage-inspired floral design definitely lean towards the moodier side, and each lends itself well to a cottage-inspired space. Peonies, poppies, foxgloves, and marigolds weave together a midnight garden that blooms all year round, no matter the weather. Pairing this wallpaper with coordinating neutral tones is a good bet, and we love seeing a dark accent color pulled from the background of the wallpaper and used in an adjacent space.

Lafayette

Lafayette is delightfully Art Deco without screaming “Gatsby,” and was made from real vintage wallpaper, carefully scanned, digitized, and prepared to print by our creative team. The tone-on-tone design subtly adds pattern and interest to your space, and the combination of geometric, symmetrical lines and organic flower-like shapes means it’s versatile enough to coordinate with a variety of furniture and design styles. This wallpaper doesn’t mind playing second fiddle to your houseplants or terrariums, and would love to be the backdrop to your gallery wall with vintage frames.

Trash Panda Party

A slightly unconventional pick, our bestselling Trash Panda Party wallpaper by Astek Home x Andrew Alford Creative is dark enough to earn its place on this list, but playful enough to spark joy at every turn. At first glance, this wallpaper looks like a classic chinoiserie-inspired tree pattern, but upon closer inspection, it’s obvious that these raccoons have been up to no good. Luckily for them, they look adorable doing it– which is why they’ve invaded homes everywhere, ready to wreak havoc and win the hearts and minds of your houseguests.

Isabelle

This wallpaper is full of Art Nouveau-inspired botanical flourishes. Isabelle’s jewel-tone colorways are ready to add depth and drama to your space, especially when paired with luxurious textiles (hello, velvet!) and gold accents. Dress up a bedroom or powder room with undulating curves and rich hues, or create a moody living room perfect for a glass of wine, late-night conspiratorial whispers, and plenty of giggles. We could also see this wallpaper working as a maximalist accent wall with curated artwork from your travels in vintage frames. The sky (well, the ceiling) is the limit!

Soar

Let your imagination take flight with our Soar wallpaper, perfect for dressing up a gothic reading nook. Grab your next great read (or your next binge-able series) and settle in with dark wallpaper that won’t cause a glare. This wallpaper can be styled in a variety of ways; here, we’ve paired it with a cozy chair, blanket, and throw pillow in coordinating hues, along with a marble side table that's just big enough for your book and a mug of your favorite hot beverage.

We hope you’ve found some inspiration for decorating with moody, dark wallpapers! These designs can work in a variety of spaces and can be printed on both classic paper and peel-and-stick wallpaper. Happy decorating!