As a master interior designer, I have been developing colour and wallpaper schemes for many years – for individual rooms as well as for entire properties. I am often asked which wallpapers I particularly like to use myself and what, for me, makes a wallpaper truly good. The answer to this rarely has anything to do with colour or pattern alone. I’m always interested in how it interacts with the interior, the scale of a pattern, the effect of a surface in the light and, last but not least, the atmosphere it creates in a room.
For this article, I’ve selected ten wallpapers from our latest collections that I frequently use for mood boards in 2026. Some are understated and draw their appeal from their materiality, whilst others are designed to deliberately define a space. The key question for me has always been: what does this wallpaper do to the room, and why would I choose to use it? I have also put together a suggestion for each room, featuring complementary colour shades from the range of our English paint manufacturers that pair well with the wallpaper.
Harlequin Tidam
I like wallpapers that don't reveal their quality right away. This one falls exactly into that category for me. From a distance it almost reads as a calm, subtly tinted wall surface; only up close do you discover the small, finely placed ornaments and the rhythm they lay across the wall. I find this understatement very appealing. The pattern demands no attention, yet it noticeably transforms the room all the same. Paired with sculptural furniture, metal, natural stone or dark wood, it takes on a very cultivated form of restraint.
Tres Tintas Planet Statement
What appeals to me here is the irreverent treatment of something ostensibly precious. A classical landscape that could just as easily have come from a historic collection is painted over with text and intense fields of colour. It is exactly this contradiction that makes the mural interesting to me. It moves somewhere between decorative wall design, street art and large-format artwork. In an otherwise pared-back room, I would give it plenty of space and as little competition as possible. It is allowed to irritate — and that is exactly why it stays in the memory.
Coordonné Florentine Stripe
A block stripe is actually a thoroughly classic thing. What makes it interesting to me here is the hand-painted surface. The lines aren't perfectly clean, the colour fields carry subtle nuances, and suddenly the geometric grid loses its rigidity. It is exactly these small imperfections that bring a room to life. I find the dialogue with historical architecture particularly beautiful: stucco, natural stone and old wood meet a pattern that feels familiar yet surprisingly modern. To me, that is a very natural, effortless form of elegance.
Omexco Elemental
Here I don't really need a pattern at all. The surface is enough. I love this soft, matte materiality that seems to almost absorb the light. Up close it recalls textile, while from a distance it becomes a calm, almost mineral surface. It is exactly this ambivalence that I find exciting. The wall itself becomes a material within the room, rather than merely a backdrop. For me, luxury often comes about exactly this way: through surfaces you only understand on second glance and instinctively want to touch.
Sandberg Alba
What first appeals to me here is the scale. The treetops are laid out so generously that you perceive the pattern less as a classic wallpaper and more as part of the architecture. Then there is this lovely balance of cool blues and greens against warm, earthy tones. Nothing feels too perfectly matched, and that is exactly why it works. I also like the timeless naturalness of the pattern. It has presence without being fashionable, and can define a room completely without overwhelming it.
Eijffinger Felt
What interests me most about this wallpaper is that it cannot be clearly categorised. Is it textile? Stone? An aged wall? It is exactly this ambiguity that makes the surface so appealing to me. The cool colouring stands in wonderful contrast to its soft, almost fabric-like appearance. It reminds me of urban spaces, of lofts, of materials that develop a patina over time — yet it still feels warm and inviting. I would use it anywhere a wall needs depth, without an actual pattern dictating the room.
Osborne & Little Xanadu
When it comes to colour, I am either very restrained or very committed — and this wallpaper is wonderfully committed. I love the interplay of turquoise, green, pink, orange and yellow. By rights this combination should be loud and exhausting, yet to me it feels remarkably natural. Perhaps it is the softly blurred contours that give the geometric pattern something textile, almost ikat-like. The colours carry energy, but also warmth. For me, this is one of those rare colourful wallpapers where I wouldn't want to take anything away. The mix is exactly right.
Sandberg Nico
This mural has a calm that I find very beautiful. The blossoms and branches concentrate on the upper areas of the wall, deliberately leaving plenty of open space below. This gives the composition air — and lets the room keep breathing. I really like this principle, because the wallpaper does not try to decorate every last centimetre. The muted greens and natural tones reinforce this almost poetic effect. To me, this is a very elegant way of bringing nature into a room without turning it into a classic floral interior.
Little Greene Lily Pads
This wallpaper simply makes me happy. At first you see a lush water-lily landscape with large green leaves and delicate pink blossoms. Then you discover dragonflies, birds — and finally the otters peeking out between the leaves. I love this slightly eccentric sense of humour. The pattern does not take itself too seriously and is, at the same time, beautifully composed. I also love the colour mix: many different shades of green, the dark ground, and in between the bright pink of the water lilies. A room instantly gains a story with this.
Little Greene Moon Daisies
I have a real soft spot for this deep, slightly muted green. It has something very reassuring about it and forms a wonderful backdrop for the almost naively drawn daisies. It is exactly this contrast that appeals to me: the base colour is rich and elegant, the blossoms are light, charming and a touch carefree. This gives the pattern a freshness that stops the dark green from feeling heavy. I could particularly imagine this wallpaper in a smaller room that you deliberately wrap in colour — intimate, full of character, and with a little wink.
Author: Kai Bergen