Choosing the Best Wallpaper for a Bathroom

Wallpaper is one of the easiest ways to give a bathroom personality. It just needs to be the right kind of wallpaper for the amount of moisture and splashing the room sees.

Full bathrooms: choose vinyl

In a bathroom with a shower or tub, steam and splashes are part of daily life. Vinyl wallcoverings handle that best.

• Type II vinyl is scrubbable and the most durable choice. Thibaut's Under the Sea, Santorini and Canary Trellis are all Type II vinyls with designer patterns.
• Type I vinyl, such as St. Kitts, is washable and a good fit for bathrooms with good ventilation.

Powder rooms: almost anything goes

A powder room has no shower, so humidity is low. That opens up the full range: bold non-woven prints, murals and even grasscloth. Powder rooms are small, too, so a dramatic pattern doesn't take many rolls.

Tips for wallpaper in a bathroom

• Ventilate. Run the exhaust fan during and after showers. Good airflow is the best thing you can do for any wall finish in a bathroom.
• Keep it out of the splash zone. Don't paper inside a shower or directly behind a sink without a backsplash.
• Let it cure. Give the paste time to dry fully before the room sees steam again. Your installer can tell you how long.
• Use the right paste. Ask your installer about a mildew-resistant adhesive for full bathrooms.
• Check the specs. Every product page lists the construction and properties, such as washable, scrubbable or Type II vinyl.

Avoid in full bathrooms

Grasscloth, paperweave and linen are beautiful but not washable, and moisture can stain or loosen them. Save them for powder rooms and dry rooms.

Find your bathroom wallpaper

Our Contract Approved Wallpaper collection includes our most durable vinyls, along with many washable prints. Order samples to see how the colors look in your bathroom's light, and contact us with any questions.