September Trend Update – Wallpaper in Bathrooms

Wallpaper in the bathroom is emerging as a surprise trend of 2021, according to some recent jwc research.

Google searches across the entire Home & Garden category shows searches for ‘wallpaper in the bathroom’ reached an all-time high this summer.

We spoke to luxury wallpaper designer Elizabeth Ockford about this emerging trend.

Elizabeth said: “I think a bathroom is a great space in which to use a wallpaper.

“Something fun or interesting to look at in the bath is such treat. And right now we all need a bit of escapism – so why not make that your bathroom?

“You can use wallpaper to create many moods, from bold and sassy to characterful and adventurous, simply by picking a brave choice of wallpaper.”

Of course, hanging wallpaper in a bathroom does bring with it some specific challenges, mainly the humid surroundings. But according to Elizabeth, choose the right wallpaper and the right tools and it won’t be a problem.

She said: “People often falter at using wallpaper in a bathroom, because they are afraid of how the dampness or steam will impact the paper.

“However, most modern bathrooms are far better ventilated these days than they used to be – and if hung well, it’s not really a problem with a non-woven paper.

“But, if you are concerned, apply a coat of matt water-based varnish over all the wallpaper once its hung and dry. Make sure to ‘seal’ all the edges and joins, and this will make your wallpaper more ‘waterproof’ than traditional vinyl papers.”

We carried out research using the Google Trends platform which takes account of over 3.5 billion searches a day.

While Google Trends doesn’t show exact search volumes it shows increases in interest by providing a ‘normalised’ score of between 0 and 100 against particular terms and categories.

Image Shows: Sadie in Indigo, by Elizabeth Ockford, £145 per roll