When I shared the guest bathroom ideas we incorporated into our makeover, I got a lot of questions about using wallpaper in bathrooms and whether it was a good idea. I totally understand the hesitation because I had the same concerns about whether a bathroom was a wisest spot for me to fulfill my wallpaper dreams when I first started thinking about doing it!
But after doing my research, I found some great answers that led me to feel comfortable moving forward with my bathroom wallpaper plans. Today I’m sharing everything I learned about wallpaper in bathrooms so you’ll know the answers too! (post may include paid links; for more information, see my full disclosure statement available {here}).
We’ll kick the questions off with the one I got the most…
Are You Sure It’s OK to Use Wallpaper in Bathrooms? Really sure?
In most cases, yes! The biggest factors to consider are whether it’s a bathroom where a lot of water is going to get splashed on the wallpaper and (if it’s a full bath) whether the bathroom has a good fan.
If it’s in a kids’ bathroom and your kids are notorious for getting water from one end of their bathroom to the other, you might want to skip using wallpaper. And if it’s a bathroom with a frequently used shower but a poorly working fan or no fan, that would be another reason to say no to wallpaper. Otherwise, you should be in good shape and can totally make wallpaper work, especially with the secret weapon that I learned about (read on for more on that!).
We installed this black and white lattice wallpaper (unfortunately no longer available) in our guest bathroom and it’s held up beautifully!
Guest Bathroom Sources: Vanity faucet | Faucet handles | Chrome towel ring | Gray vanity (similar) | Brass and pearl vanity knobs | Brass flush mount light | Black marble toilet tray (similar) | Toilet seat with night light
Is There A Way to Seal Wallpaper or Prevent Damage Due to Moisture?
Yes! There’s a secret weapon to use on wallpaper in areas of high moisture that my wallpaperer clued me into – it’s called Decorators Varnish (available {here}) – he swears by it and after seeing it in action, now I do too!
You brush a thin coat on the wallpaper after it’s hung and it protects and seals without adding shine like most varnishes do. I was pretty hesitant about using it because one thing that I love about the wallpaper I chose for our bathroom is that it’s cork-based and has a really cool texture with no sheen. But my wallpaperer is very experienced and has used this product for years so I trusted him and gave him the go-ahead.
He was right! This stuff is truly dead flat and the finish on my wallpaper looks the same after applying it as it did before. It does come in other sheens so if you have wallpaper with a sheen or if you want to add sheen to your wallpaper, you could go with satin or gloss.
My wallpaperer also uses it on wallpapered light switches in rooms all over the house because it keeps them from getting dirty over time – smart! No matter what you use it on, just be sure to test it on a wallpaper sample before applying it to your wallpaper – it’s always good practice to play it safe and be 100% sure you’re happy with the product before applying it to a whole room.
What Kind of Wallpaper is Best to Use in a Bathroom?
If you’re worried about how wallpaper will fare in your bathroom and/or you don’t want to use Decorators Varnish, you might want to stick with vinyl wallpaper. It’s the most durable, washable type of wallpaper and a great choice for spaces with high humidity.
But my wallpaperer has successfully hung all kinds of wallpapers that you might think would be no-no’s in a bathroom (like my cork wallpaper or grasscloth wallpapers) and said almost any wallpaper is fine to use as long as it’s coated with the varnish and isn’t in a room where it’s getting directly splashed with water or constantly exposed to high humidity.
Just keep in mind that certain wallpapers like grasscloth are not very cleanable, regardless of what room they’re used in. So personally, I wouldn’t want to use grasscloth in a bathroom where it would be near the toilet (gross!) unless it was just on the upper half of the wall.
Why Would You Want to Use Wallpaper in Bathrooms?
Because it makes such a HUGE impact! A small bathroom is the perfect spot to use a wallpaper that’s on the pricer side and would be outside of your budget if you were doing a larger room. It’s also a fun place to go a little bolder than you might in a larger space!
For example, I used {this indigo wallpaper} in the bathroom of our current home. It would be a bit overwhelming on all four walls of a bedroom but it definitely works in this small space:
Check out my post on Serena & Lily wallpapers to see some other beautiful wallpaper options!
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Still not sure you want to use wallpaper in your bathroom? Consider stenciling! It’s a great alternative that mimics the look of wallpaper at a fraction of the price. I stenciled the walls of the powder room in our previous home as part of our budget bathroom remodel and it looked just like wallpaper! Get all of my stenciling tips in my how-to post on wall stencils.
If you still have questions that I didn’t answer, leave them in the comments and I’ll get back to you! I’ll see you guys back on the blog this weekend but until then, hope you have a great week!
Tracey says
I was planning on painting my bathroom cabinets with chalk paint. Would I be able to use this varnish on the cabinets to seal them? And if I’m adding a palletwall to my bathroom could this be used on that as well??
Kris Jarrett says
I’ve never tried it for that before – I would probably either wax it or use a polyurethane finish instead.
David Westfall says
Should I remove old wallpaper before applying new? If so, HOW?
David
Kris Jarrett says
Yes, you should definitely remove the old wallpaper – my favorite way to do this is with a steamer!
Angie Millner says
I would like to know if wallpaper can be put on a bath tub, like wall uninterrupted?
Kris Jarrett says
I wouldn’t recommend wallpapering a bath tub – I think the water and humidity would be too much for it.
leora Schachter says
Hi Kris. I have a question about your sink/vanity. When I click on the link to source it, the original one seems to have a back splash attached. How did you remove yours? Thanks!
Kris Jarrett says
Good question – it comes with the backsplash but it’s actually unattached so you can choose to use it or not!
Terraine says
I so want to do a wallpaper accent wall in the master bath. I am in love with a bold black and white lattice print from Wayfair, but I am having difficulty in executing because I then have to consider a rug style/color; shower curtain style/color and window treament style/color. I will also have to paint the walls. Additionally, my countertops are a speckled creme/beige; walls are the “knock-down” texture; trim is stained wood; faucets are oil rubbed bronze. Help!!! ????
Kris Jarrett says
The good news is that some of the most gorgeous rooms are the ones where there’s a mix of different finishes! Good luck with your space!
Mark H. says
Thank you for sharing this tip! I had used a clear lacquer to seal my wallpaper. It does show as shiny, but I used painter’s tape on the wallpaper and wall to at least make sure that the shine is just one stripe. I guess with this lacquer I won’t need to!
Rosa says
What a wonderful blog! So nicely put together with really great ideas!
Rosa + Eugenie Bellemaisonmagazine.com
Kris Jarrett says
Thanks Rosa!
Kathy says
Love it!
Kris Jarrett says
Thank you!
Susie says
Your stenciled bathroom is one of my all time favorite walls. You did a great job picking paint colors and a design that work so well together. I’ve lived in too many old houses where wallpaper was hard to remove, so I think I’m jaded against it,
Kris Jarrett says
Susie you’re too sweet – thank you!! And I her you about being jaded because of having to remove wallpaper in the past – I said I’d never wallpaper again after I took it out of our hall bath but them here I am a few years later jumping right back in! 🙂
Brenna@ Domestic Charm says
Great tips, Kris! I am hoping to wallpaper my powder room sometime soon. I just love how a wallpapered bathroom looks. Yours came out fantastic!
Kris Jarrett says
Can’t wait to see it! It’s a fun spot to splurge on something that would be megabucks in a normal room!
classic • casual • home says
Your guest bath is so lovely, Kris!
Kris Jarrett says
Thank you! Come visit and check it out for yourself! 🙂
Missy Harris says
Does the wall need to be retextured to a smooth finish before wallpapering? My husband insists all walls must have a smooth surface for wallpaper.
(Please help say it isn’t so)
Kris Jarrett says
Well…. shoot. Unfortunately, yes I would say that the wall should be smooth underneath wallpaper. You’ll see those lumps and bumps otherwise – even with grasscloth. For walls that are hard to get smooth, you can use an underlayment under wallpaper but I think that’s more work than just doing good wall prep.
Haneen says
Great tips, Kris! You know I love wallpaper!
Kris Jarrett says
Thank you Haneen! XOXO
Toni says
I had similar wallpaper in the 70s…just goes to show you that good design lasts the test of time, huh?
How do you like the big mirror going straight across? Would be nice element maybe in our tiny guest bathroom
Joanna says
Hi Toni,
I have a big mirror in my guest bath that the builder installed. At first, I wanted to remove it but then I realized that it made the room appear bigger and brighter. I had it framed and now I love it!
Kris Jarrett says
Joanna I thought about framing mine too – I still might in the future. Good to hear you love yours that way!
Kris Jarrett says
Toni that’s pretty funny! I was initially thinking about removing that mirror in favor of a smaller decorative mirror but decided I liked how it opened up the space. It’s also nice for two people to be able to use it at one time so I think it’s there to stay!
Joanna says
Will the varnish make it harder to remove the wallpaper at a later date?
Kris Jarrett says
Joanna I can’t say for sure but I doubt it because you just put a thin coat on the surface – I don’t think it penetrates to the back of the paper where it would affect its removal.
Monique Lawson says
Thank you for the tip about protective varnish! Good to know! Love the gray tones!
Kris Jarrett says
Thank you so much Monique!