Choosing pastel wallpaper — the softest shades and dreamy designs, room by room

Pastels are having a real moment, and it's easy to see why. Soft, gentle and endlessly calming, pastel shades bring warmth and personality to a room without the intensity of stronger colours — which makes them just as at home in a grown-up bedroom or living room as in a nursery. Because every design is a made-to-measure mural, printed and sized to your exact wall, a pastel design turns a single wall into a soft, restful feature. This guide covers the shades, the designs we make, and where pastels work best.

Choosing your pastel shade

Pastels are simply softened, milky versions of brighter colours, so you get all the personality with none of the punch.

Pastel pink is the warmest and most popular — soft blush tones that feel cosy and gentle, lovely in bedrooms and nurseries.

Pastel blue is fresh, airy and calming, perfect for a restful bedroom or a bright, breezy bathroom.

Pastel green (soft sage and mint) is the natural, grounding choice, especially in botanical and leafy designs.

Pastel lilac and purple bring a soft, dreamy quality that feels calm and a little magical — a favourite for children's rooms.

Pastel yellow is the sunniest, most uplifting choice — a soft, warm butter tone that brightens a room without overwhelming it, and works beautifully as a plain feature wall.

Multi-pastel and rainbow designs combine several soft shades at once, for a joyful, playful wall that still feels gentle rather than loud.

Pastel wallpaper designs

Rainbow and gradient designs blend soft shades across the wall — a pastel rainbow or gentle gradient adds colour and movement while staying calm and cheerful.

Dreamy cloud and sky scenes in soft pinks and blues bring a sleepy, soothing feel, ideal above a bed or cot.

Pastel botanical and leaf designs mix soft foliage tones for a fresh, natural, grown-up look.

Pastel watercolour florals are gentle and painterly — soft blooms with blended edges that feel light and modern.

Checkerboard and geometric pastels bring a more playful, contemporary edge, balancing the softness of the colours with a bit of structure.

Where pastel wallpaper works

Bedrooms are a natural home — pastels create a restful, enveloping calm, especially soft pinks, blues and greens behind the bed.

Nurseries and children's rooms are the classic setting, and pastels are perfect here: gentle rainbows, clouds and soft shades that soothe rather than stimulate.

Living rooms can absolutely take pastels — a soft botanical or watercolour on a feature wall feels light and sophisticated, balanced with neutral furniture.

Bathrooms suit fresh pastel blues and greens; just choose a water-resistant or waterproof material for the steam.

Hallways are a great place for a cheerful pastel rainbow or gradient to lift a transitional space.

Styling with pastels

The easiest way to use pastels is against plenty of white and natural materials — pale wood, rattan, linen — which keep the look fresh rather than sickly. Pastels also layer beautifully with each other: a soft pink with a gentle sage, or a pale blue with lilac, feels considered and calm. Keep larger furniture neutral and let the wall bring the colour.

Choosing your finish

Every pastel design can be printed on a choice of four materials:

Traditional and Removable (paste-the-wall and peel-and-stick) super-matte papers suit dry rooms like bedrooms, nurseries and living rooms — and peel-and-stick is ideal for a nursery, going up mess-free and peeling away cleanly later.

Heavy-Grade (water-resistant) and Removable Vinyl (waterproof) suit bathrooms and kitchens.

You choose your material — and see the price for your exact wall size — on each product page.