Checkered Wallpaper

What is a checked wallpaper?

A checked wallpaper is built on repeating lines or blocks that form checks, plaid, windowpanes or mosaic-like patterns. Shipley Windowpane Wallpaper, Egarton Plaid Wallpaper and Mosaic Wallpaper show how the category can be both textile-like and distinctly geometric. Look at several repeats at once, as the rhythm of the check becomes clearer across a larger expanse of wall.

Which checked wallpapers are the most popular?

Popular checked wallpapers often have a clear repeat and colours that are easy to combine. Deerpath Trail Plaid Wallpaper, Piastrella Wallpaper and Bazaar Wallpaper represent three expressions: classic plaid, tile-like geometry and a more decorative check structure. Look at several repeats at once, as the rhythm of the check becomes clearer across a larger expanse of wall. Compare, too, how the check meets mouldings, door architraves and the other lines in the room.

Where do checked wallpapers work best?

Checked wallpapers suit hallways, studies, bedrooms and dining rooms where the walls need order and character. A smaller check works well behind bookcases and artwork, while larger blocks call for more open wall space. Chameleon Wallpaper and Antique Mirror Wallpaper can give different degrees of depth. Look at several repeats at once, as the rhythm of the check becomes clearer across a larger expanse of wall.

How do I choose the right scale of checked wallpaper?

Choose the scale according to the size of the walls, the interruptions in the room and how much of the pattern is visible. Small checks can become intense across large areas, while a larger repeat often feels calmer. Wilhelmina Wallpaper and Pure Scroll Wallpaper show more organic interpretations of ordered repetition. Look at several repeats at once, as the rhythm of the check becomes clearer across a larger expanse of wall.

How do you combine checked wallpaper with furniture and textiles?

Combine the check with plain or softly textured textiles and let one colour reappear in the furniture or the rug. Avoid using several checks of the same size at the same time. A narrow stripe, a botanical motif or a quiet weave can give better balance than another plaid at the same scale. Look at several repeats at once, as the rhythm of the check becomes clearer across a larger expanse of wall.

Can I get help choosing a checked wallpaper?

Yes. Start with the visualisation on the product page when you are logged in, to judge repeat and colour. Then visit the showroom at Sturegatan 20 in Stockholm with your measurements and photographs. There you can compare samples and get advice on wall divisions, pattern matching, mouldings and combinations with textiles. Look at several repeats at once, as the rhythm of the check becomes clearer across a larger expanse of wall.

The check as an architectural tool

Checked wallpapers can do more than decorate. Vertical and horizontal lines help the eye read the proportions of the wall. A windowpane can lend height and steadiness, while a mosaic gives a denser movement. See Ralph Lauren Home wallpapers and Cole & Son wallpapers for two different ways of working with the check.

In a study or a hallway, a regular repeat works well behind furniture and pictures. In the bedroom, softer colours can create calm, especially when the bed textiles are kept plainer.

Tartan, windowpane and mosaic

Tartan and plaid bring woven textiles to mind and sit beautifully with wood, wool and leather. Windowpane is airier and more graphic. Mosaic and tile-like patterns can give a more decorative or urban expression.

Compare classic elegant interiors – wallpapers, Morris & Co wallpapers, Morris Wallpaper Compilation and Osborne & Little wallpapers to see how the check can meet both ornament and botanical forms.

Colour and pattern matching

Always check how the lines meet corners, doors and windows. A checked wallpaper quickly reveals whether the wall beneath or the first drop is out of true, so careful hanging is important. In rooms with many interruptions, a smaller, regular check can be easier to handle.

On the wallpaper page you can compare more types of pattern. Then match with fabrics, furniture and rugs that repeat one of the colours without competing with the rhythm of the check.

Try it in the right light

A dark line on a light ground becomes more pronounced in daylight, while close tones give a softer expression. Look at the sample both close up and from a distance. The scale of the check can feel entirely different when you see several repeats at once.

If you need help with a cohesive scheme, made-to-order may be relevant for curtains and furniture. Complete it with lighting that lets the texture of the wall show in the evening too.

The direction of the check makes the preparation work especially important. Walls that lean or corners that are not quite square can make the pattern look skewed. Start on the wall that is most visible and plan where whole checks or clear lines should fall. An experienced paperhanger can help when the room has many angles or alcoves.

Colour contrast affects how strong the check feels. Dark lines against a light ground give a graphic expression, while neighbouring tones create a softer, more textile surface. In a smaller room a low contrast can be easier to live with, but a pronounced check can also give the room a deliberate identity.

The furnishing should not hide all the structure. Do leave some open wall where the repeat can be read. At the same time, the check works well behind bookcases and artwork because it provides an ordered backdrop. Choose frames and shelves that do not create too many competing lines at exactly the same scale.

If you want to combine checked wallpaper with other patterns, vary the scale clearly. A large plaid can meet a small-scale botanical fabric, while a small windowpane can be combined with a broad stripe. Shared colours hold the whole together, but leave plain surfaces as well to give the eye somewhere to rest.

Checks can also be used to create zones. In an open-plan layout, a checked wallpaper can mark out the dining area, the working part or a reading corner without building a physical wall. Choose a palette that still keeps contact with the rest of the room. In that way the area gains its own identity while the whole is held together by the floor, the furniture and the lighting.

In older rooms the check can sit beautifully with panelling, a dado rail or tall skirting boards. The wallpaper does not have to cover the whole wall to have an effect. A clear division can make the pattern more architectural and easier to combine with art. In modern rooms the same idea can be translated with simple mouldings and a more graphic colour scheme.

Always order with a margin for pattern matching and any future repairs. Checked patterns often require more precise cutting than irregular motifs, especially around windows, doors and sloping ceilings.