Why I'd choose paint over wallpaper every time

Black mantlepiece topped with striped vase of flowers, diffuser, candle and round wall mirror — (Image credit: Natalie Jahangiry)

Interior designer Natalie Jahangiry is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on decorating a home to suit a busy family life while sticking to your aesthetic values, too. See the rest of her articles here.

This is going to cause a stir, but it might come as a shock to hear that I have no wallpaper in my home. Not a single sheet (apart from an excessive amount of samples for our client work). And I have to say, I like it that way. There, I’ve said it… don’t come for me!

I know wallpaper is very much having a moment currently, but for me, nothing beats the versatility and transformative power of paint. Don’t get me wrong, I can appreciate a beautiful wallpaper, and I’ve seen some incredible designs that can completely transform a space. But when it comes to my own home, and what works for our family life, I always find myself reaching for the paint tin.

I prefer my walls to be the backdrop, not the main event

Round textured vase of foliage on round dark wooden dining table in neutral room with framed art prints and two glass fronted storage dresser units

Styling, ornaments, artwork, the little nuggets of memorabilia and nostalgia dotted around the house… these are the things that sing to my soul. I have a lot of ‘stuff’ that plays a big part in the look and feel of each room, so I prefer my walls to be the backdrop to this rather than the main show piece.

Of course, paint colour and the technique have a huge impact, but it’s the layers of texture, furnishings and collected treasures that really make our house a home. Our walls are covered in artwork, our shelves are curated with meaningful pieces, and most things have their place, whether that’s for a functional, sentimental or simply joyful reason.

Living room with pink walls and terracotta coloured built in bookshelves beside black fireplace topped with round mirror

My worry is that the wallpapers I’m naturally drawn to, the colourful, heavily patterned designs, would compete with everything else in the room, changing the balance from layered and full of character to a little too busy and chaotic for me.

The thing is, I like my stuff, but I also like a sense of calm. My style sits somewhere between minimalism and maximalism. Someone once described it as ‘midimalism’, and I think that sums it up perfectly!

Finding a wallpaper I truly love is harder than you’d think

Small square samples of colourful patterned wallpaper against spotted background

I’m picky, so finding a wallpaper that I truly adore is easier said than done. Even though I live and breathe interiors day in and day out, I still find it a challenge.

I've seen plenty of wallpapers I think are beautiful, but very few that I've actually wanted to live with. It’s rare that I’ll come across wallpaper and think “That’s the one!”, yet I could look at 100 paint colours and very easily fall in love with 20 different combinations.

I’m an avid DIYer

Woman using extended roller to paint ceiling above staircase

I like to do the work myself, and the thing about wallpaper is that, in my opinion, if you are going to hang it, you need to know how to do it properly. And if I’m honest, do I actually have the time or patience to master the art of wallpapering? No. Would I rather transform a room in a day or two by colour drenching the space in something dramatic? Absolutely!

Paintbrush covered in pale blue paint held up in front of pink room being painted

There’s also the cost to consider. A beautiful wallpaper can end up being expensive… and what can I say, when it comes to patterns I have expensive taste. Whereas with paint, you can completely transform a space for little more than the cost of the paint itself and a few decorating supplies. That’s not to say that this is the deciding factor, but it’s certainly something I consider when looking to make a big impact without spending a fortune.

It’s easier to change when I want a fresh start

Pink bedroom with wall panelling, artwork of woman's face on wall, floating shelves and red throw on bed

Imagine me telling Tom I was going to redecorate a room a year after we’d splashed out on luxury wallpaper. Because, let’s face it, that could well be the reality! I’m a designer, and I like to change things up, experiment with colour, play around with styling, artwork, furniture… and I do it all the time! I’ve decorated our master bedroom four times since we moved in three years ago (although I think I’ve finally got it right, you can see my bedroom reveal here).

Does my husband care if I spend £100 on paint and get stuck in? No. Would he care if I had splashed the cash on beautiful wallpaper and probably hired someone to hang it, only to change my mind a year later? 100%.

Small labelled glass jars of paint in front of large paint tins

And then there’s the kids, running around with their sticky fingers, doing handstands against the walls and tempting fate with felt-tip pens. As a busy family, I always opt for scrubbable paint that I can easily wipe down, and when that fails, I simply grab my touch up pots and give the walls a quick refresh. It's not quite so straightforward with wallpaper.

Ultimately, the way we live as a family makes paint the more practical choice for us. And I’d much rather enjoy our home than spend my life worrying about keeping small hands away from the walls.

Although, having said all that, I may be temped…

Downstairs bathroom painted green with open shelving

Now, after everything I've just said, you may be surprised to hear that I am actually considering using wallpaper… but in the smallest room in the house, our downstairs WC.

The next room on my decorating agenda is our downstairs bathroom. It’s sandwiched between the living room and kitchen and is crying out for a little love, especially now that the surrounding spaces have been decorated.

My vision is to transform this small but perfectly formed space by panelling the lower half of the walls and painting them a dark burgundy to tie in with the adjoining rooms. And then… da da dahhhh, wallpaper above the dado rail! I may even go one step further and carry the wallpaper on to the ceiling.

Obviously, the design I have my eye on is dramatic and colourful (sneak peak here), but I firmly believe small spaces are the perfect place to create that unexpected WOW factor as you walk in. And yes, despite everything I just said, this WILL be a DIY job, so I just hope I can do it justice.

It's not that I don’t like wallpaper, it's just that it doesn’t quite work for our home and the way we live, work and play as a family. For now anyway. Watch this space…

Natalie is a designer through and through, with over 15 years of experience. She began her career in graphic and web design and has explored a wide range of industries along the way. These include advertising, of which she worked in some of the top agencies in London, creating an award-winning Persian food company (based on her family heritage) and building a renowned wedding stationery company pre-pandemic.

However Natalie’s real passion lies with interiors. She currently is the co-founder of Design & Refine Interiors, a London-based studio she runs with her friend and fellow wedding contractor, Jenna Hewitt. Natalie also heads up a design offering (Nat’s Design Studio), helping small businesses stand out and grow their brands through strategic, tailored design.