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A few years ago, installing wallpaper to refresh a room might have seemed like a stuffy or dated idea. But thanks to devotees of grand-millennial style, wallpaper has successfully been made over as a worthwhile investment. Sure, paint is easier to apply, but wallpaper provides more personality. Pick, stick, and done. Right? Well, not exactly. Wallpaper can create a mood, but when you end up picking one that seems wrong, that mood might be described as defeated.
A repeating graphic that feels dizzying when extended from floor to ceiling, a wraparound scene that feels too strong for a small enclave, or even a color that doesn’t exactly charm on a large scale can be a few of the countless reasons why a wallpaper may not work out. In The Office actor Jenna Fischer’s case, it was because her green-vined panels felt more granny than chic.
“We picked this clover wallpaper thinking it would be whimsical and quirky. Lived with it for a few weeks and it feels more ‘grandma-who-loves-Ireland’ to me,” Fischer wrote on Instagram, describing Josef Frank’s classic pattern Klöverblad, available at Svenskt Tenn. “Thoughts? Keep? Replace? I think replace.”
Fischer’s willingness to open her home to debate created a silver lining, since so many followers shared their advice for living with the look. “I am cracking up because I love it. My taste is clearly grandma decor,” said her Office costar Angela Kinsey. Actor Amy Sedaris chimed in with, “I think it will be fine once you add artwork,” while another follower added, “Reminds me of the English ivy wallpaper my mom had in our living room in the early ’90s.”
Wallpaper Klöverblad
Svenskt Tenn
Actor Zooey Deschanel seemed to be in agreement with Domino’s digital director, Lindsey Mather, when she posted this comment: “Change your trim color.” Coincidentally, Mather has the exact same wallpaper in her home, and painting the trim a blue-green was the key to a space that looks less granny and more modern.
Another follower took the trim color concept a bit further, writing: “Color-match the deepest green in the wallpaper and paint the trim. Get a deep green chair. Find ways to add dark green punches of color to even out the color story of the rest of the room.” In other words, make it moody.
As it turns out, maybe the secret to choosing wallpaper is also prioritizing the paint color of the trim that surrounds it—both work together to pull off a distinct style. After all, Fischer knows that sometimes it’s an ensemble cast that makes a project have lasting appeal.