Choosing a mural is often less about the subject and more about the colors. The same forest can feel fresh in green, calm in grey or cozy in sepia. Here is a simple guide to choosing colors that work for each room and for your existing furniture.

Start with what you cannot change

Your floor, sofa, kitchen cabinets and curtains are the hardest things to change, so they should guide your wallpaper colors. Choose a mural that contains at least one of their colors. You can browse murals by color using the color filter in our catalog.

What colors do

• Beige, cream and taupe: warm, calm and easy to live with. They suit almost any interior.
• Green and sage: natural and restful, great with wood and plants.
• Blue: cool and calming, popular in bedrooms and bathrooms.
• Blush and pink: soft and romantic, lovely in bedrooms and girls' rooms.
• Terracotta and rust: warm and earthy, ideal for kitchens and boho living rooms.
• Black and deep tones: dramatic and cozy, best on one feature wall.

Room by room

Living room

Choose colors that work with your sofa and floor. Neutral landscapes, soft abstracts or marble create a versatile backdrop; bold florals or deep greens make a statement. See living room murals.

Bedroom

Muted, low-contrast colors help you relax: beige, sage, dusty blue and blush. Dark florals or forests can feel cozy in a larger bedroom. See bedroom murals.

Kitchen and dining room

Warm terracotta, olive and mustard make a space feel welcoming; fresh greens and botanicals feel bright and clean. See kitchen murals.

Bathroom

Blue, green and soft neutrals create a spa feel; dark tropical or floral designs can turn a powder room into a statement. Read can you put wallpaper in a bathroom or kitchen.

Kids' rooms

For nurseries, soft pastels are the calmest. Playrooms can take brighter colors. Read our nursery mural ideas.

The 60-30-10 rule

A simple rule from interior design: about 60% of the room in a main color, 30% in a secondary color and 10% in an accent. A mural can supply all three, and you can pick your cushions, throws and accessories directly from it.

• Blue and Cream Abstract Waves Wallpaper
• Lilac Wisteria Wallpaper
• Terracotta Vases Pattern Wallpaper

Light matters

North-facing rooms get cool light, so warm colors like beige, peach and terracotta help balance them. South-facing rooms get warm light and can handle cooler blues and greens. Colors also look different on screen than on the wall, so we always recommend ordering a sample set and checking it in your own light.

Warm vs cool colors

Warm colors such as beige, terracotta, mustard and peach make a room feel cozy and inviting, and they visually bring walls closer. Cool colors such as blue, green and grey feel fresh and calm and visually push walls away, which helps small rooms feel larger. Many of the most livable murals mix both, for example a cool sage forest with warm beige mist.

Neutral does not mean boring

If you are unsure, start with a neutral mural: soft landscapes, limewash, marble or grasses in beige and grey. Neutrals give you texture and depth while leaving you free to change cushions, rugs and art with the seasons. Read our guide to Japandi wallpaper for calm neutral ideas.

Color checklist

• Note the colors of your floor, sofa and curtains.
• Decide on the mood: calm, cozy, fresh or dramatic.
• Check which way the room faces and how much daylight it gets.
• Shortlist two or three murals and order a sample set.
• Look at the samples in the morning and in the evening before deciding.

FAQ

How do I choose a wallpaper color that matches my furniture?

Pick a mural that contains at least one color from your sofa, floor or curtains, and repeat another color from the mural in accessories.

Which wallpaper colors make a room feel calm?

Muted, low-contrast colors such as beige, cream, sage, dusty blue and soft pink.

Will the colors look the same as on my screen?

Screens vary, so we recommend ordering a sample set to see the colors in your own light before you order.