Wallpaper can completely change the character of a room, but choosing a design you love is only one part of the decision. Before ordering, it helps to think about where the wallpaper will be used, how the pattern will look at full scale, how much material you will need, and what the installation will involve.
Taking a little more time at the planning stage can prevent common problems such as ordering too little, choosing a pattern that feels overwhelming once it covers a full wall, or discovering that a particular wallpaper is not well suited to the room. If you are starting your search, exploring Randall’s wallpaper selection can help you compare patterns, textures, and styles before making a final choice.
Where Will the Wallpaper Be Used?
Start with the room itself. A wallpaper that works beautifully in a dining room may not necessarily be the best choice for a busy hallway, bedroom, bathroom, or large open-concept living area.
Think about both the practical demands of the room and the atmosphere you want to create. A bedroom may call for something calm and understated, while a powder room or dining room can often carry a stronger pattern. Entryways and other frequently used spaces may benefit from a surface that is easier to maintain.
It is also worth deciding whether you want to wallpaper the entire room or create one focal wall. Covering four walls can create a more immersive look, especially with a subtle texture or smaller-scale repeat. A feature wall gives you more freedom to choose something dramatic without asking the pattern to carry the whole room.
For more guidance on scale, colour, and placement, see Randall’s guide to choosing the right wallpaper pattern and colour.
Should You Choose the Wallpaper Before the Rest of the Room?
If you are decorating a room from scratch, choosing the wallpaper early can make the rest of the process easier. A distinctive wallpaper often contains several colours that can guide decisions about paint, upholstery, window treatments, rugs, and accessories.
If the room is already furnished, work in the opposite direction. Look at the permanent or expensive elements that are staying, such as flooring, cabinetry, furniture, countertops, and large textiles, and choose wallpaper that works with them rather than trying to redesign the entire room around one new pattern.
You do not need every element to match exactly. Rooms often feel more natural when the colours relate without being identical. The goal is to create a connection between the wallpaper and the rest of the room so that the paper feels intentional rather than added as an afterthought.
If adjacent walls will be painted, you can also explore Randall’s paint collection while planning the overall palette.
How Important Is It to See a Wallpaper Sample?
Very important. Wallpaper can look quite different in a sample book or online compared with how it feels across several feet of wall.
A small sample can show colour and texture, but it may not give you a complete sense of the pattern repeat or overall scale. Large botanical designs, geometrics, stripes, and highly detailed prints in particular need to be considered from a little distance.
Whenever possible, look at the sample in the actual room and check it in morning, afternoon, and evening light. Place it beside your flooring, furniture, trim, and other finishes. A colour that appears neutral under one type of lighting may reveal warmer or cooler undertones at home.
You can browse the Ottawa wallpaper collection for additional inspiration before narrowing down your options.
What Type of Wallpaper Should You Buy?
Wallpaper is available in different materials, textures, finishes, and application styles, so it is worth looking beyond the pattern itself.
Traditional wallpaper remains popular because it offers a finished, permanent appearance and is available in everything from understated textures to detailed designer prints. Textured wallcoverings can add warmth and depth, while smoother papers are useful when the pattern itself is intended to be the main feature.
The best choice depends on the room, the condition of the wall, the desired appearance, and how long you expect the wallpaper to remain in place. Instead of assuming one material is right for every project, compare options based on the actual space you are decorating.
Randall’s article on the beauty of traditional wallpaper takes a closer look at traditional styles, textures, and where they work well.
Does Pattern Repeat Affect How Much Wallpaper You Need?
Yes. The dimensions of the walls are only the starting point when calculating how much wallpaper to order.
Many wallpapers have a repeating design. During installation, neighbouring strips need to align so that the pattern continues correctly across the wall. The larger or more complex the repeat, the more material may be required for matching and trimming.
That means two rooms with the same wall area could require different quantities of wallpaper depending on the design selected.
Before ordering, you will generally want to know:
- The width and height of each wall
- The dimensions of doors and windows
- The roll width and length
- The pattern repeat
- Whether the pattern uses a straight or offset match
- How much additional material is appropriate for trimming and matching
It is usually better to calculate the quantity for the exact wallpaper you have chosen rather than relying only on a general square-footage estimate.
Should You Order Extra Wallpaper?
In most projects, ordering some additional material is sensible. Extra wallpaper gives you flexibility for pattern matching, trimming, mistakes, unusual wall conditions, and possible future repairs.
A simple design with a small repeat may create less waste than a large or complicated pattern. For that reason, the amount of extra material you need should be based on the specific wallpaper and room rather than one fixed percentage for every project.
Keeping some leftover wallpaper after installation can also be useful if a section is damaged later. Matching a replacement years afterward may be more difficult if the design has changed or is no longer available.
How Should You Think About Colour and Pattern Scale?
The size of the room matters, but there is no rule that small rooms require tiny patterns or large rooms require large ones. A bold design can look excellent in a compact powder room, while a quiet texture can make a large living room feel warmer and more finished.
What matters more is the effect you want.
Large-scale patterns tend to attract attention and can become a feature of the room. Smaller repeats often create a more continuous background. Vertical designs can emphasize height, while horizontal movement can make a room feel wider.
Colour also changes the visual weight of a pattern. A dramatic motif in two closely related neutral tones may feel calmer than a smaller pattern with strong contrast.
If you want to compare different pattern styles and scales, the York Wallpapers collection offers a useful range of examples.
What Condition Should the Walls Be In?
Wallpaper gives a beautifully finished result, but it is not a substitute for proper wall preparation.
Walls should generally be clean, smooth, dry, and structurally sound before installation. Cracks, loose paint, damaged drywall, heavy texture, or other imperfections may need attention first.
Proper preparation helps the wallpaper sit evenly and makes it easier to achieve clean seams and consistent pattern alignment. If you are planning to install the paper yourself, make sure you understand the preparation and adhesive requirements for the particular product before beginning.
Randall’s guide to wallpaper installation in Ottawa covers preparation and installation considerations in more detail.
Should You Install Wallpaper Yourself or Hire a Professional?
That depends on the wallpaper, the room, and your level of experience.
A straightforward wall with a forgiving pattern can be manageable for an experienced DIYer. More complicated projects become less forgiving when you are working with large repeats, corners, uneven walls, multiple doors and windows, expensive wallpaper, or highly visible seams.
Professional installation may be worth considering when the wallpaper itself represents a significant investment or when accurate pattern matching is especially important.
Before deciding, look at the room honestly and consider how comfortable you are with measuring, cutting, adhesive application, seam alignment, and working around architectural details.
Is It Better to Buy Wallpaper Online or See It in Person?
Online browsing is useful for discovering styles and narrowing down possibilities, but wallpaper is one product where seeing a physical sample can make a real difference.
Texture can be difficult to judge on a screen, and colours vary between displays. A pattern may also appear much smaller online than it will once repeated across a full wall.
A practical approach is to use online browsing to create a shortlist and then compare the strongest options in person before placing a larger order. You can visit Randall’s showrooms to continue the selection process.
If you want additional help coordinating wallpaper with the rest of the room, you can also book a décor consultation.
What Questions Should You Ask Before Ordering?
Before placing the order, make sure you are comfortable with both the design and the practical details. Useful questions include:
- Is this wallpaper appropriate for the room where I plan to use it?
- Have I seen a large enough sample to understand the pattern?
- How large is the pattern repeat?
- How many rolls will the project require?
- Should I order extra material?
- What wall preparation is required?
- What adhesive or installation method does the manufacturer specify?
- Will I install it myself or use a professional?
- Does the wallpaper coordinate with the finishes already in the room?
Working through these questions before purchasing is much easier than solving them after the rolls arrive.
If you still have questions about the project, you can contact Randall’s before ordering.
Final Thoughts
Buying wallpaper is about more than finding a pattern that catches your eye. The best results come from considering the room, existing finishes, material, pattern scale, quantity, wall condition, and installation before placing the order.
Take the time to see samples in your own space and calculate the project around the exact paper you choose. A little planning at the beginning makes it much easier to end up with wallpaper that feels right in the room and continues to look good long after installation.
Plan your wallpaper project with Randall’s: