Article: Should Wallpaper Cover the Whole Wall or Only Part of It?
Should Wallpaper Cover the Whole Wall or Only Part of It?
Last updated: 17 October 2026
In short: Wallpaper does not have to cover the whole wall. MV Architects' Lauren Williams recommends wainscoting on the bottom of the wall with wallpaper only on the top, which puts the pattern at eye level and gives it a clear edge. A pattern drawn from an original painting suits that arrangement, because its color and scale were decided on a canvas, and a half wall shows both at once.
How much of a wall should wallpaper cover?
Good Housekeeping's roundup of 2026 wallpaper trends quotes Lauren Williams of MV Architects on one answer: "We usually recommend applying wainscoting to the bottom of the wall and only applying wallpaper to the top."
The arrangement divides the wall into two jobs. The lower portion is paneled and painted, and the upper portion carries the pattern at the height where the eye settles when you sit down. It is a way to use a bold pattern without asking it to fill every foot of the room.
Why do some rooms feel unfinished without wallpaper?
Marjorie Smyth of Adorn Interior Design in Cincinnati told the Cincinnati Enquirer that clients in new houses once arrived wanting to strip wallpaper from every wall. Then, she said, "they would say some spaces just don't feel complete; what else can we do?" Her answer was to add it back.
Danny Russo of Daniel Russo Home in Columbus, Ohio, said in the same report that it is "not your mother's or grandmother's wallpaper" any more. Both comments point to a wall that wants one considered layer of pattern, chosen deliberately, rather than a room covered end to end.
What changes when the pattern comes from a painting?
John Ruskin wrote that "The purest and most thoughtful minds are those which love colour the most." A pattern drawn from a painting begins with colour that was decided on a canvas, one passage against another, by a painter.
The patterns in this studio's wallcovering line are drawn from Angela Simeone's original paintings. The wallpaper itself is not hand-painted: the painting is made by hand, and the wallcovering is printed by a manufacturer onto 20 oz Type II commercial-grade vinyl with an embossed face and a slight strié shimmer over a laminated fabric backing. Rolls are 24 inches wide, pre-trimmed and unpasted, with 52-inch rolls for commercial work. Custom colorways and scale are available to the trade, and where a pattern is offered in more than one scale, the choice matters most on a half wall, where the pattern is seen at close range.
How do you plan the line?
Decide where the pattern stops before you choose the pattern. Mark the line on the wall with tape, hang a sample against it, and look at the wall at nine in the morning and again at six in the evening. Check how the pattern behaves at the seam and at the edge where it meets the trim. Samples are available, and designers can use the Trade Program.
→ Browse the collection: Artist-designed wallpaper by Angela Simeone · For designers: Trade Program · Meet the painter: Angela Simeone
Frequently asked questions
Can you wallpaper only the top half of a wall?
Yes. Lauren Williams of MV Architects recommends wainscoting on the bottom of the wall and wallpaper only on the top.
Is artist-designed wallpaper hand-painted?
No. The painting is made by hand and the wallcovering is printed by a manufacturer onto commercial-grade vinyl. The patterns are drawn from Angela Simeone's original paintings.
What is the wallpaper made of?
20 oz Type II commercial-grade vinyl with an embossed face and a slight strié shimmer, laminated to a fabric backing. Rolls are 24 inches wide, pre-trimmed and unpasted, with 52-inch rolls for commercial work.
How do I choose where wallpaper should stop?
Mark the line with tape before choosing the pattern, hang a sample against it, and view it in morning and evening light.