What colour walls and curtains to go with this (feature wall) wallpaper?

[Boonlark]

I'm starting with a blank canvas and I really liked this wallpaper as a feature wall type thing for the chimney breast. I'm just not sure what colour walls to paint the rest of the room, and what colour curtains?

The room has a bay window (so need curtains that will cover the 3m width of window) but is a bit dark overall, so I'm not sure about going with dark walls.

The sofa is grey, the small dining table is light oak, the rest of the furniture is white (Kallax and Billy bookcases).

Anyone got any inspiration?

Just in case you can't see the picture, the link to the wallpaper is here https://www.wickes.co.uk/Arthouse-Deco-Tropical-White-Multi-Wallpaper-10-05m-x-53cm/p/232989

I would colour match the white background and for the curtains pick out a colour to match the blue/green of the birds head

Ooh, nice idea about the curtain colour.

I'm a bit worried about having white walls in the lounge. Do you think it would get grubby?

We have Valspar Blanc de Blanc in our bedroom and no issues.

I was reading a really interesting article about how to make a feature wall work just yesterday Mad About the House

Basically she's saying pick up a colour for the walls that are in the print of the wallpaper, there's some good pictures too.

So many options to choose from!

Now I've looked at things a bit more, I'm having second thoughts about a feature wall. Especially as the chimney breast merges into a short of arch over the alcove to the right of the fireplace.

So the lounge looks like this, except I've stripped all the paper off and the fireplace has been bricked up. There's going to be a new white vertical radiator to the left of the door to the kitchen, at 90 degrees to the arch alcove.

What do you think?

And this one

Its's a gorgeous design! I'd put on all the walls. Feature walls feel a bit dated.

I'd go for lightish green curtains with it.

I need to be honest that I really prefer paint on walls. Having just stripped all the walls and now going to need them skimmed, I just can't cope with the idea of having to keep doing that everytime I want to redecorate. That's why I was thinking about a feature wall...much less work

This is how it all looked before

And I'm going to get a bay window curtain rail/pole as the dining table will go in the bay.

Can I make a suggestion then if you're not a massive fan of feature walls (me neither), do the wallpaper if you love it either side of the chimney and have a big mirror on the chimney breast. Do white or oak floating shelves then in the alcoves and maybe some low level cupboards. You get the wallpaper but it doesn't take over

I'd put the wallpaper in the two alcoves. It would still look great but more subtle iykwim.

I think using it behind shelves or as a backing to a cupboard works really well. Obviously not if you use the shelves as a bookcase but for ornaments, it’s great.

Shame about not having a decent feature fireplace. They are always attractive. Also I would rewire. The surface mounted socket with surface mounted wiring is pretty awful.

Yes, it's being rewired...the whole house has been stripped right back.

The plan is to have kallax in the left alcove all filled up with games, and a billy bookcase filled with books. I like the idea of just in the alcoves but probably not with what I'm planning

Are you wanting it as a playroom or more of an adults room?

It's the only room downstairs apart from the kitchen, which is too small for a table etc.

So it needs to be for the dc and I. (One is in secondary and the other is in year 6). They share a room so there's not much space in our house.

I was thinking more along the lines of the Billy bookcase rather than fitted cupboards and shelves. Could cupboards hide toys away?

I have cupboards below and shelves above in my alcoves. Cupboards hide “stuff” and shelves display my nicer things! My shelves have glass doors but you don’t need them.

Could you find something similar in a fabric and have it as curtains, with walls in a toning colour?

Look at Emma Shipley for fun fabrics.

Thanks 🙂

I had a thought....maybe I should put the wallpaper on the wall opposite the chimney breast, and then stick a big mirror on the chimney (as pp suggested) to reflect some of the design and bring the room together? Then have accent cushions etc picking out some of the colours in the wallpaper.

I have a feature wall of bold print paper in my bedroom, I put the paper on the wall my head board is against. That way I see it when I enter the room but not I’m my face. Is that what you mean ? I painted the other walls with a the neutral background colour from the paper

I am attaching a few schemes with wallpaper used on one wall. I think if it’s on a chimney breast it is in your face. If also makes the chimney breast look bigger. In a small/medium room, this can be overpowering.

The pics attached show less dramatic wallpaper but you can hang pictures and mirrors over the pattern without deflecting from the wallpaper or the picture. So best of both worlds. All the wallpaper manufacturers will have ideas about using their products. Plus Houzz of course. In your case I would go less bold in wallpaper but have cushions and accents in brighter colours which bring the scheme together. Also consider texture.

The schemes have lighter coloured painted walls which I think gives light to a room and again is a backdrop to more interesting curtains or blinds and your sofa/cushions and rug/carpet.

A couple more.