Can you wallpaper a bathroom? Yes — if you pick the right material
Wallpaper transforms a bathroom, taking it from purely functional to genuinely styled. The old worry — that steam and splashes will ruin it — is easily solved by choosing the right material. With a water-resistant or fully waterproof finish, wallpaper holds up beautifully in a bathroom, giving you a designer look for far less than tiling. This guide covers which material to choose, where to use it, and the designs that suit a bathroom best.
Choosing the right material
Material is the single most important decision for a bathroom, and it matters more here than in any other room. Every design can be printed on four materials, and two of them are made for damp spaces.
Heavy-Grade Wallpaper (water-resistant)
A paste-the-wall paper with a textured vinyl coating that is extra-durable and water-resistant. It handles the steam and humidity of a normal bathroom well and wipes clean, making it a solid choice for most bathroom walls away from direct water.
Removable Vinyl (waterproof)
A peel-and-stick material that is fully waterproof and durable, with a wipe-clean crystal-matte finish that even works on lightly textured walls. This is the one to choose for the dampest spots and for a genuinely waterproof, low-fuss finish — and being peel-and-stick, it goes up without paste and comes away cleanly later.
If you search for vinyl or waterproof wallpaper for a bathroom, these two materials are exactly what you are looking for.
Where to use it in a bathroom
You have more freedom than you might expect, as long as you match the spot to the material. A feature wall away from the bath and shower is the easiest and most popular choice, and works with either water-resistant or waterproof materials. Around a sink or a half-height wall suits a wipe-clean finish. For areas that get direct, regular water contact, such as inside a shower enclosure or directly behind a bath, wallpaper is not a substitute for tiling or glass — keep those zones tiled and bring the wallpaper to the surrounding walls. Good ventilation, an extractor fan and an open window all help any bathroom wallpaper last longer.
Design ideas for a bathroom
Marble effect is the classic bathroom look, giving you the spa-like feel of stone without the cost or weight of tiling. Grey and neutral marbles suit almost any scheme, while black and gold brings drama to a cloakroom.
Coastal and seascape designs feel fresh and natural in a bathroom, playing to the watery theme with calm blues and soft light.
Botanical and leaf designs bring a green, spa-like calm and work beautifully with natural materials and plenty of plants.
Floral murals soften a bathroom and add colour and personality, especially in a guest bathroom or cloakroom where you can afford to be a little bolder.
Dark and moody designs turn a small bathroom or WC into a jewel-box — a rich, dramatic space you pass through rather than linger in.
Tropical designs bring a lush, holiday feel, ideal if you want your bathroom to feel like a retreat.
Small bathrooms and cloakrooms
A downstairs loo or small bathroom is the perfect place to be brave. You only spend a short time there, so a bold marble, a dark floral or a dramatic mural makes a real impression without you having to live in it all day. In a small bathroom, a pale or scenic design can also make the space feel bigger and brighter.
Choosing your finish
Every design is a made-to-measure mural, printed and sized to your exact wall, on a choice of four materials. For a bathroom, choose the water-resistant Heavy-Grade or the waterproof Removable Vinyl. You select your material, and see the price for your exact wall size, on each product page.