But when you do find that perfect paper to compliment a bathroom, entryway, or dining room, it can be home design magic. Tempted by the gorgeous designs available everywhere from your local paint store to sites like Anthropologie, Walls Republic, and Farrow & Ball? According to experts, there’s one secret to committing to a pattern you love: Go big. “A lot of homeowners choose a wallpaper scale that’s disproportional to the size of the wall or room,” says Erin Gates, Massachusetts-based founder and principal designer of Erin Gates Design, and Elements of Style blogger. The tendency is to paper a tiny powder room in a dainty, minuscule print. While that might look nice, Gates says a sizable pattern not only looks especially striking in a smaller room, but it also visually widens the space. “A big palm leaf print or a sprawling abstract motif in a tiny room can trick the eye into thinking the room is larger.” Go ahead and choose an oversize pattern for a spacious bedroom or living space, too, Gates suggests. In fact, in these spaces, don’t even think about choosing a small-scale pattern. “Tiny prints have the ability to get lost on a large wall,” she says. “More important, they can be very dizzying, especially when executed in graphic designs.”
