image of a kitchen with a marble wall mural

Kitchen Wallpaper Ideas for 2020

By Zoe Taylor-PhilpottJan 10, 2020

Affordable whilst not holding back on 'wow-factor', we've compiled our 10 kitchen wallpaper ideas.

The myriad of kitchen inspiration out there completely blows our socks off, but one of the biggest issues is that the trends often involve expensive materials that take time to source. An easy and inexpensive alternative to this problem is using wallpaper in the kitchen instead! Incredibly impactful, realistic and versatile too, keep on reading to discover our top 10 ideas for using wallpaper in the kitchen.

Idea No.1. Marble Effect

We've seen it all over our Instagram feeds - big slab splashbacks are a thing! Now firstly, whilst it's undeniable that marble looks spectacular in the kitchen adding class, sophistication and beauty to the room there are some drawbacks. Namely, marble costs a small fortune, it's porous by nature meaning that it can stain easily and it's prone to scratches and chips. Not ideal! So, whilst it's hard to beat the real-deal a more cost-effective and lower maintenance option is marble wallpaper.

The best thing about wallpaper designs in 2020 is that the sheer range and variations out there are endless. Plus, there are so many realistic options too! So, if you want to save on costs or want a lower-maintenance option to marble kitchen splashbacks then marble effect wallpaper should be your go-to. If you are using marble wallpaper as a splashback then we recommend opting for vinyl wallpaper because it's easy to clean (or 'hinch' via the fabulous Mrs Hinch Home). If you want more choice then another option is to stick to a paper-based marble wallpaper and then laminate it with clear glass to make it wipeable.

2 Colourful Tiles

Image: Mind The Gap Empire Emerald Metallic Edition Wallpaper £175.00 | Solera Chess Wallpaper £147.00

Kitchens are one of the best rooms in the house to make a statement with colour.

A room that is typically used for cooking, entertaining and hanging out with your loved ones, you want your kitchen colour choices to enhance this feeling. A top interior design trend that we've seen a lot of over the past couple of years is colourful kitchen tiles. Now, most importantly, we think that the reason colourful kitchen tiles make such a splash in the interior's world is because of it's combined practicality and impact. A genius combination, colourful tiles not only look amazing but are great at concealing day-to-day wear and tear compared to white or black kitchen tiles.

However, if you love the look of colourful kitchen tiles but want to do something different with your kitchen decor then you may be hesitant to follow this big trend. The alternative, you ask?! Tile effect wallpaper! Tile effect wallpaper looks incredible in the kitchen and with the plethora of art deco designs, antique mirror tiles, mermaid scale tiles and more, you are completely and utterly spoiled for choice. To ensure the wallpaper is hard-wearing protect it with a sealant such as a transparent wall protector or a decorators varnish.

Discover unique colourful kitchen tile wallpaper at Rockett St George.

3. Wood Effect Wallpaper

Image: NLXL Framed Webbing Wallpaper By Mr & Mrs Vintage £175 | NLXL Wainscoting Panel Border Wallpaper By Mr & Mrs Vintage - Various Colours Available £95.00

Warm wood finishes in the home are hard to beat. A timeless interior design, wood is incredibly versatile and looks fantastic with a variety of colours and pattern choices.

Interestingly, over the past few years we've seen an increase of wooden walls in the home, but perhaps what's most noteworthy is that wood effect wallpaper is on the rise too. Why is this? We would put this down to the fact that wood-effect wallpaper is certainly easier to maintain than wooden panelling. This is particularly true of the kitchen. In 2019 we've started to see a rise in timber wood wallpaper and woven cane effect wallpaper. Both options are bang on trend and are perfect for anyone looking to create a modern kitchen. What's more, you don't just have to wallpaper the walls. Why not wallpaper your cupboard doors?! A great option for renters who are restricted to by their kitchen cabinet choices, stick on wallpaper for your kitchen cabinets can look super realistic. Not forgetting, of course, that wallpapering your kitchen cupboards is an incredibly cost-effective makeover option.

If you've decided to go for a non-stick wooden effect wallpaper in the kitchen, then be sure to protect it with an adhesive guard. This will make it last for years and it's easy to clean too!

4. Metal Tin Tile Effect Wallpaper

Image: The home of Lucy St George as featured in Extraordinary Interiors In Colour by Jane Rockett & Lucy St George. Publishers: Ryland Peters & Small. Photographer: Catherine Gratwicke. | Five Point Star Tin Tile £24.00

Option 4 of our 10 wallpaper ideas for the kitchen is metal tin tile effect wallpaper!

Giving your kitchen a super chic industrial edge, metal tin tiles never go out of style. A timeless look, you can create the most amazing kitchen designs with tin tiles. In fact, co-founder Lucy St George has created a tin tile ceiling in her dark kitchen and Instagrammer Suszi Saunders has created a tin tile kitchen island. The impact of both kitchens is downright incredible.

Metal tin tiles look great in the kitchen and we highly recommend checking out our tin tile guide if you want to do it in your home. However, tin tiles do require robust sealing methods to ensure that they stick to your walls. Namely, glueing and nailing. So, if you're not looking for a full-on DIY project or if you rent your home then a metal tin tile effect wallpaper is a fantastic alternative.

Metal tin tile effect wallpaper ideas include our distressed Brooklyn Tin Tile wallpaper and our Copper Tile Effect Wallpaper. When choosing where to hang your wallpaper don't be afraid to experiment. Wallpaper your kitchen island, the ceiling or create a unique industrial splashback with your tin tile wallpaper.

5. Floral Wallpaper

two images of kitchens with floral wallpaper

Images: The Sunday Times Style | Sophie Robinson

Next up... floral print wallpaper. We don't think that anyone can argue with the fact that Sophie Robinson is the QUEEN of colourful, floral print wallpaper. Just take a look at her amazing kitchen above (right-hand image) to see what we mean.

In Sophie Robinson's Holiday Let Update blog, she discussed the idea of how in small spaces it's worth going 'all-out' with your decor and making it joyful and fun to be in. We couldn't agree more. So whether you have a big kitchen or a small kitchen, colourful floral wallpaper is always a great idea.

Feature walls can look dated so don't be afraid to wallpaper the whole kitchen with a floral design. Then, to create a cohesive aesthetic colour match your wallpaper with a complementary colour for your cupboards and walls. For ultimate impact, you could even wallpaper your ceiling with large punchy floral wallpaper as in the top-left image above. If you're lucky enough to have high-ceilings then the effect can be really spectacular.

6. Inspired by nature

Image: The home of Whinnie Williams of Poodle and Blonde as featured in Extraordinary Interiors In Colour by Jane Rockett and Lucy St George. Publishers: Ryland Peters & Small. Photographer: Catherine Cratwicke

A top trend prediction for 2020 nature and natural elements in the home is a style that we will be seeing a lot of this year.

The 21st Century has seen technology transform the way we work, play and rest. But, like all things in life, it has its pitfalls. Crucially, that it can create a divide between us and nature. So it comes as no surprise that nature is being embraced in the home. From the growth of biophilia and garden rooms to the incredible growth of Instagram accounts like @hiltoncarter and @claptontram, the divide between nature and our homes is being eroded. And, we're all for it!

So, how do we take nature and transfer it to our interior design? Well, as Jane Rockett and Lucy St George aptly put it in their book, Extraordinary Interiors In Colour:

'From the dazzling plumage of a tropical bird to the red earth of the Atlas Mountains, colour in nature provides an endless source of ideas'.

So who wouldn't want a slice of nature's incredible colours in their home?! Whether you opt for a jungle or forest theme wallpaper or a dainty floral or a dreamy Chinoiserie Tree Wallpaper, natures endless inspiration means there's something for everyone. For ultimate impact pair your nature wallpaper with complementary natural colours such as mossy greens, earthy terracottas and spring pinks and yellows.

7. Wallpaper Murals

two images of nature inspired wall murals

Images: Edo Mural Design Wallpaper Panel - Mint Green £470.00 | Twilight Garden Wall Mural As Seen At Our Liberty Concession £295.00

If you want to make jaw-drop as soon as your house guests enter the kitchen then wall murals are the way to go.

Head-turning, showstopping and incredibly Instagrammable Wallpaper Murals can transform any interior from ordinary to extraordinary. What's more, there are so many mural choices to choose from. Think striking copper effect wall murals, night sky wall murals, large floral wall murals and traditional nature wall murals.

In the kitchen, there are a few clever options that you can utilise to make your wall mural really work in the space. Firstly, customise your measurements to the room. Did you know that murals are customisable so you can make them work around your kitchen walls, doors, cupboards and units for ultimate impact? We've seen some really amazing wall murals above kitchen countertops that look fantastic. Next, we recommend highlighting the mural with beautiful lighting. After all, a wall mural is there to be shown off. So consider investing in some fantastic uplighting or kitchen pendant ceiling lights. Finally, accessorise. Pick a few colours in your mural and match a few of your accessories in the space to create striking colour pops in the room.

8. Ultra Modern

two images of modern wallpaper in the kitchen

Image: Mind The Gap Shibui Wallpaper - Copper £150.00 | @peacockfinds amazing kitchen

Too glam to give a damn, modern kitchens simply sing when enhanced with incredible modern wallpaper.

A great choice for the style-savvy person who loves to push the boundaries when it comes to interior design there is so many wallpaper prints out there for your modern kitchen.

If you're stuck for ideas a good place to start is to think about your base or foundation colour for the room. For example, if you have a black kitchen, consider a striking monochrome zig-zag wallpaper or a contrasting pink floral wallpaper. Alternatively, if you have a brightly coloured kitchen such as green or blue kitchen then why not pair it with a contemporary botanical wallpaper or the Anna Hayman Designs Siouxsie Wallpaper.

Some of our most daring customers have even gone for a wild leopard print wallpaper in their kitchen. Because ultimately your kitchen and in fact all of your home decor should reflect your unique personal style.

9. Unexpected places

two images of wallpaper behind shelving.

Images: Pinterest.

Our penultimate wallpaper idea for the kitchen is to do the unexpected.

If you're not looking to wallpaper the entire kitchen then wallpapering behind your open cabinets, units, alcoves, ceilings or as an alternative splashback is a great way to create an impact. What's more, it's a particularly great idea if you have any leftover wallpaper. A few words of advice. If you're planning to create a wallpaper splashback we strongly recommend that you cover non-coated wallpaper with glass. Or alternatively, invest in washable wallpaper that will survive any kitchen nightmares!

One of our favourite lifestyle bloggers, Liz Karamul (read her 10 Minutes with blog here), made her wallpaper work in a small RV kitchen by wallpapering the ceiling. It turned an ordinary van into something spectacular and it just shows how wallpaper can make an impact in small rooms and homes too.

10. Brick effect

industrial kitchen with black brick wallpaper

Image: The 2017 home of Lucy St George as featured in Extraordinary Interiors by Jane Rockett & Lucy St George. Publishers: Ryland Peters & Small. Photographer: Debi Treloar.

Finally, our number 10 wallpaper idea for the kitchen is to fake it... trompe l'oeil style!

Exposed brick walls hits all the right places for us. It gives your kitchen a raw, industrial edge that's hard to beat. But it's not always a feasible project to strip back your kitchen walls to expose the brick. Fortunately, there is a perfect alternative to this interior design problem and that is trompe l'oeil Brick Wallpaper.

Another great idea for renters, the range of brick wallpaper out there is extensive and so there will most certainly be a style for you. Some of our favourite examples include Black Brick Wallpaper, Moss Brick Wallpaper and Concrete Wallpaper.

As with every other wallpaper idea in this blog, it's helpful to opt for a washable wallpaper or seel your wallpaper with a protective varnish to ensure it's longevity. We'd also recommend ensuring that your kitchen has plenty of ventilation to prevent moisture from damaging your beautiful wallpapered walls!