2026 Wallpaper Trends: Why Designers Are Choosing Artist-Made Patterns

TL;DR — The 2026 wallpaper trends designers keep naming are texture and dimension, big botanicals, stripes, marbled and organic movement, and a quiet metallic sheen — all pointing the same direction: walls that feel hand-made and singular rather than mass-printed. Artist-designed wallpaper sits squarely in that shift, because the pattern starts as a real painting before it ever becomes a wall.

Angela Simeone is a Nashville-based contemporary abstract painter whose boutique luxury wallpaper line is created from her own paintings and composed — through her artistic and editorial eye — into layered, original, chic patterns, printed on a single luxurious 20 oz vinyl that looks like raw silk with a glimmering sheen, sold direct and to the trade.

What are the biggest wallpaper trends for 2026?

Designers point to five: textured, dimensional papers; large-scale botanicals; stripes in more varied, detailed forms; marbled and organic movement; and soft metallic sheen. Underneath all of them is one idea — the wall should feel considered and human, not flat. The forecast is also simply for more wallpaper, used more boldly and in more rooms.

“We're predicting more wallpaper in 2026. Everyone loves it and wants to add it to their homes, in as many ways as possible.”

Linda Eyles, interior designer, Houston (to Veranda)

Why is textured, hand-made-feeling wallpaper trending?

Because rooms are reacting against digital flatness. The most-cited 2026 direction is wallcovering with real depth — paper that shifts with the light and reads as crafted. Angela's line answers this with a single substrate chosen on purpose: a 20 oz Type II vinyl that looks like raw silk with a glimmering sheen, so the pattern carries warmth and movement instead of a printed-flat surface.

“After so much digital flatness, there's a renewed craving for imperfection and materials that feel human. These walls have soul, they shift with the light, they age beautifully, and they remind us that design can be deeply sensory.”

Anu Jain, designer, Atelier Oleana, San Francisco (to Veranda)

“Texture and depth instantly make a space more inviting and considered: they add soul. These wallpapers bring warmth, artistry, and a quiet sense of luxury that feels timeless rather than trendy.”

Kelly Ventura, designer and artist, Michigan (to Veranda)

How do artist-designed patterns fit the 2026 botanical and marbled trends?

Naturally — because they begin as paintings. The big-botanical and marbled-movement trends both reward patterns with a real hand behind them, and Angela's Flourish family is composed from her own florals and mark-making, then scaled into a layered repeat. The result is the "organic movement" designers are after, drawn from an original rather than a stock motif.

“They bring energy and color back into a room, but in a way that still feels edited. It is that mix of risk and refinement that design has been missing for a while.”

Janine Carendi MacMurray, AREA Interior Design, New York (to Veranda)

“I love the organic movement and artistry in marbled papers. Each swirl feels alive and expressive. It layers beautifully with other textures, patterns, and artwork to create depth and character without overwhelming a space.”

Killy Scheer, interior designer, Austin (to Veranda)

Are stripes really back for 2026 — and what about color?

Yes. Designers expect stripes to return in more varied, detailed forms, alongside strong color and a soft metallic sheen. Angela's Chic Stripe reads as a painter's stripe rather than a hard graphic line, and the silk-like vinyl carries the gentle sheen the season is chasing. Browse the full range in the wallpaper collection.

How can designers use these trends on a project?

Start with the wall, then build the room — and lean on patterns with a real point of view. Through Angela's trade program, designers get 20% trade pricing, up to five samples, and custom colorways and scale, so a 2026-forward pattern can be tuned to a specific room instead of pulled off a shelf.

Frequently asked questions

What is the biggest wallpaper trend for 2026?

Texture and dimension — wallcovering that feels hand-made and shifts with the light — alongside big botanicals, varied stripes, marbled movement, and a soft metallic sheen. The throughline is walls that feel crafted, not flat.

Why choose artist-designed wallpaper over a standard pattern?

Because the pattern begins as an original painting, so it carries real movement and a singular point of view. That suits the 2026 appetite for human, layered, considered walls rather than mass-printed repeats.

What material is Angela Simeone's wallpaper printed on?

A single luxurious 20 oz Type II vinyl that looks like raw silk with a glimmering sheen — embossed and durable, sold 24 inches wide, pre-trimmed and unpasted, with a 52-inch option for commercial use.

Can designers order custom colorways or scale for 2026 projects?

Yes. Through the trade program, designers receive 20% trade pricing, up to five samples, and custom colorways and scale tuned to the room.

Further reading: the 2026 forecast from Veranda and trend coverage at Architectural Digest.

Bring a 2026-ready, artist-designed wall to your next project at angelasimeone.com.