Trendy or Timeless? Vol.4 - Wallpaper
For this week’s Journal, I’ll admit I’ve had a little AI assistance. I asked Chat GPT “what were the five biggest trends in wallpaper in the year 2000?” as I was interested to see what was trendy and what has proven to be timeless…
Here are the answers from my mate GPT:
In the year 2000, popular wallpaper designs reflected a mix of traditional, floral, and modern styles, often with a focus on bold patterns and textures. The five most popular wallpaper designs during that time included:
01. Floral Patterns: Classic floral motifs often in large, bold designs or softer, more delicate styles were highly popular. These included traditional roses, peonies, and other garden-inspired prints.
02. Striped Wallpapers: Vertical or horizontal stripes were a staple for adding height and a sense of order to rooms, available in various widths, colours, and textures.
03. Textured Wallpapers: Materials like embossed, flocked, or grasscloth wallpaper added tactile interest and depth to interiors.
04. Geometric and Abstract Patterns: Bold geometric shapes, such as squares, circles, and zigzags, gained popularity for a modern look, especially in more contemporary homes.
05. Country and Cottage Styles: Designs featuring rustic, vintage, or country- inspired motifs, such as plaid, toile, or pastoral scenes, were favored in home decor emphasising comfort and tradition.
So, in 2025 what of the above list is still current? (this is me writing now BTW)…
01. Floral Patterns:
I love a good floral and actually had a floral print in the main bedroom of our last house with Hygge & West…and it made me feel cheerful daily. I’ve seen large floral prints used incredibly well, particularly in bedrooms, primarily behind beds, and strangely enough, they look amazing in toilets! If only the floral scent was also captured
02. Striped Wallpapers:
Stripes are back in a big way. I’ve been seeing them all over my Pinterest and Instagram feeds and although on paper I would consider stripes to be a little hard to work with, when I see them in the right context and with the right colour palette, it looks as timeless as can be! I think the key is using vertical stripes in spaces like hallways or rooms with some ceiling height, to really accentuate the scale of the space and then keep everything else around it relatively simple, sticking to a strong colour palette that brings you joy.
03. Textured Wallpapers:
As a current occupier of a grasscloth wallpaper living room I can honestly say the textured theme is timeless for me. Once we changed from off white walls to a golden grasscloth our living area was transported to an entirely different vibe. It’s a look I love so much that I can imagine this is a wallpaper I will use again. Flocked wallpaper is also very beautiful and can give a sense of luxury to a space – another one that looks epic in a guest w/c.
04. Geometric and Abstract Patterns:
I’m going to go out on a limb and say that I think geometric patterns are truly timeless. Whether you are looking at Art Deco, Modernist or naughties design, geometric patterns are a strong feature. I think what has proven to be the trendy aspect of geometric designs of 25 years ago are the colours rather than the shapes. Bold and slightly garish colours were used liberally in the 2000’s but in 2025 your geometric patterns are decidedly more earthy in tone.
05. Country and Cottage Styles:
Mmmmmm, I think this might be the trendiest of the bunch as I don’t come across many country styled wallpapers in 2025. That said, the use of plants remains timeless whether it’s Cole & Son Woods or the iconic Martinique Banana Palm print, we love to feel surrounded by nature, even if it’s just an image of nature. In our home we have used Cole & Son Palm Jungle wallpaper in a bathroom and it utterly transformed the space. I’m a firm fan of bringing the outdoors in through wallpaper, but I might leave the Country charm prints to the early 2000s.