I LOVE wallpaper- I’ve used it in my house a bunch. I’ve used affordable wallpaper and expensive brands too. And guess what? They both look great! I love how wallpaper adds such personality and color and pattern to a room! So I thought I would share my favorite places to find affordable wallpaper.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF WALLPAPER?
Wallpaper comes in a few different options. Knowing these will help you pick the correct the right option for your project and house.
- Traditional Wallpaper: Wallpaper with no paste. This type of wallpaper is when paste is purchased and you roll it onto the wall before applying the paper. This type of wallpaper usually feels like paper to the hand and looks more high end in my opinion. (This wallpaper is removeable with a little work).
- Pre-Pasted Wallpaper: Wallpaper that has a paste already applied on the back and requires water to be activated. Pre-pasted wallpaper is my least favorite because I’ve found it messy to put up and have had problems with the seems showing when installed. (This wallpaper option is also removeable).
- Peel and Stick Temporary Wallpaper: Wallpaper that has an adhesive on the back- it’s like a big sticker- that allows quick application and removal. This feels more like plastic to the hand and isn’t quite as luxurious as peel as traditional wallpaper (This is temporary and great for renters or beginners or for a quick makeover).
WHAT IS THE PRICE RANGE FOR WALLPAPER?
Wallpaper prices vary. It depends on the company who makes it, the application, and the technique with how it’s proposed.
High end hand-painted wallpaper can go for $600-$1000 per panel! Making it $20,000 for a room. That’s obviously not “budget friendly” though it is beautiful.
Recently, printers have gotten more advanced so it’s WAY more affordable to get beautiful wallpaper! Now you can buy a strip of paper for under $20.
Below I’ll share my favorite budget friendly wallpaper sources listed from least expensive to most expensive.
As a side note, just know that peel and stick wallpaper is usually more expensive than traditional wallpaper that is applied with paste. But it is easier to apply and take down, so for most people it might be worth it.
the best sources for affordable wallpaper
Wallpaper comes in rolls, strips, murals and lots of different sizes. So to simplify things, I thought I’d share a price per square footage so you can compare apples with apples (price wise).
This is the best way to look at the price of wallpaper because wallpaper is sold in such a variety of sizes. Wallpaper might look affordable when you look at the roll price, but it isn’t really when you consider how far that goes. Hence, why I’m only discussing price per square foot.
Note, I included images of my favorite wallpaper. It might not necessarily be the most affordable option on the site, more a representation of style.
Second note, these are listed from most affordable to most expensive.
Wayfair
Starting at $0.21/ square foot for traditional wallpaper. This is the cheapest I’ve found wallpaper! Not everything on Wayfair’s site is as inexpensive, but there’s lots of beautiful options that are! Plus I love that their site shows price per square foot!
All Modern
Starting at $0.43/ square foot for traditional wallpaper. Who would have guessed All Modern would have such budget friendly options?! They’re modern and contemporary and really beautiful. They also show price per square foot (I think they’re in the same parent company as Wayfair).
Total Wallcovering and Decor
pink teal stripes / abby rose / mint dots
Starting at $0.46/ square foot for traditional and $1.30/square foot for peel and stick wallpaper. This is a new site to me, but I was super impressed by the price point!
Amazon
grey geometric / abstract pink and teal / gray woods
Starting at $0.59/ square foot for traditional and $0.89/square foot for peel and stick wallpaper. Amazon has some really cheap options! Its a little hard to sort through all they have, but it can be worth it!
Steve’s Wallpaper
navy chinoiserie / peony / woodland fox /
Starting at $0.81/ square foot for traditional and $1.50/square foot for peel and stick wallpaper. I’ve used their site countless times for wallpaper on a budget! If you have a wallpaper on another site, it’s worth it to check if Steve’s carries it to save money. Sometimes they have big sales and their wallpaper just gets cheaper!
Home Depot
watercolor check / taupe floral wallpaper / white and gold hexagon
Starting at $0.85/ square foot for traditional and $1.62/square foot for peel and stick wallpaper. I bought the wallpaper for my son’s nursery at Home Depot and have continuously surprised at the beautiful (and affordable) wallpaper they carry!
Target
black speckle / pink and gold weave / pink floral
Starting at $1.06/square foot for removable wallpaper. Target is the place for the least inexpensive peel and stick wallpaper! The variety isn’t huge, but there’s some cute options.
rifle paper co
garden party / hydrangea / camont
Starting at $1.11/square foot for peel and stick wallpaper and $1.81/square foot for traditional wallpaper. I’ve loved Rifle Paper Co for ages so when they came out with wallpaper I was thrilled! It’s whimsical and unique and surprisingly affordable (especially for the peel and stick)!
muse wall studio
climbing bird / moth museum / materiel minerals
Starting at $1.80/square foot for peel and stick wallpaper. I love this shop for unique and really beautiful wallpaper! I have their chinoiserie wallpaper in a few spots in my house and really appreciate the quality and design.
Wallshoppe
Starting a $2.26/ square foot for traditional and $5.72/square foot for peel and stick wallpaper. I am in love with that lemon wallpaper! Again, this is a new company for me, but I’ve heard great things about them!
anthropologie
octopus / palm leaves / city maps
Starting a $2.49/ square foot for traditional wallpaper. The prices go much higher, but if you love the Anthropologie look, there’s some affordable wallpaper options.
uniQstiQ
black cats on pink / leaf Scandinavian/ vintage floral
Starting at $2.50/ square foot for peel and stick wallpaper. This is a site that sells on Etsy. They have come cute and unique wallpapers!
Carter and main
boho floral / gold vines / jungle leopard /
Starting at $3.20/ square foot for peel and stick wallpaper. This is an American ran company that makes affordable wallpaper that’s super unique. It feel upscale, but isn’t too big of a splurge.
Spoonflower
gem mineral / floral sprigs / unicorns and rainbows
Starting at $2.50/ square foot for traditional and $3.75/square foot for peel and stick wallpaper. I love Spoonflower because you can buy the wallpaper in a huge variety of sizes! It’s a great option when you don’t want to buy a bunch of wallpaper.
Anewall
clementine and tigers / oh deer / honey bloom
Starting at $3.90/square foot for peel and stick wallpaper. I’ve used Anewall’s wallpaper twice and will be putting the tigers up in my playroom soon. Its thick and amazing! Plus their styles are so gorgeous!
p.s. I have way more sources for Chinoiserie wallpaper here.
1. Anewall / 2. Amazon / 3. Home Depot / 4. Spoonflower / 5. Steve’s Wallpaper / 6. Target / 7. Total Wallcovering and Decor / 8. uniQstiQ / 9. Wallshoppe
For a quick recap, the least expensive wallpaper places are Wayfair, All Modern, Home Depot, Amazon and Total Wallcovering and Decor. There are so many beautiful options on these sites- the samples I share here just scrape the surface!
I hope this list is helpful to you as you shop for wallpaper!
can you wallpaper over texture?
As you read this, you might wonder- can I wallpaper over textured walls? I have slight texture in my house and it’s been totally fine.
I have a whole guide on which wall textures will work for wallpaper here. It shows when it’s worked for me and when it’s been a fail.
If in doubt, buy a wallpaper sample and text it out.
10 IDEAS TO CREATIVELY USE LESS WALLPAPER
If you’re on a super tight budget, try one of these options to get the beautiful look of wallpaper, but not have to cover an entire room. You can save money and still have a space look amazing!
1- Frame a smaller section of wallpaper. Wallpaper can be expensive, but by buying enough for one section of a wall to be framed, it gives an elegant look and saves a lot of money.
2- Wallpaper just the ceiling. In our playhouse, I wanted the fun look of wallpaper, but didn’t want it ruined by little hands. By just wallpapering the ceiling, I got a bold look, but only had to buy a fraction of the wallpaper.
3- A closet or inside a cabinet is a great spot for a bit of wallpaper. How fun is it to open a door and have the surprise of wallpaper?! It takes patience to do, but not a lot of wallpaper ;).
4- Wallpaper just one wall. An accent wall (like behind a bed or a sofa) is a great way to make a big impact, but buy much less wallpaper than for a whole room. This is what I did in this guest room and love it!
more ideas
5- Use wallpaper on the doors of a dresser or nightstand. For a project like this IKEA hack, you only need a little bit of wallpaper but you get a lot of pattern and it’s such a unique look! Hint- Spoonflower sells wallpaper in tiny amounts and is the best source I’ve found for small projects like this.
6- Wallpaper a canvas or piece of wood for wall art. In my living room, I used thrifted art and plain canvases and covered them in leftover wallpaper. It looks so pretty on the wall, but was definitely not expensive! Framed wallpaper samples would be pretty too!
7- Consider wallpapering above the chair rail only. In my main bedroom, I added wallpaper to the top 2/3rds of the room. This saved money and was a fun way to incorporate beautiful molding on the bottom part of the wall.
8- Looking for a renter friendly option?! Wallpaper a piece of foam insulation and you can move it with you when you change addresses. This also works as a way to make oversized art with wallpaper on a little budget.
9- Wallpaper closet doors. Do you have boring closet doors? Just add some wallpaper! It makes them much more interesting!
10- Last, in a bathroom, wallpaper the top of the wall where there’s not tile. I think wallpaper really makes a cold bathroom cozy!
OK! That was a lot of ideas! I hope this helped you find some wallpaper you love and a way to apply it. You can have the look of wallpaper, even on a budget!
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I really appreciate all your research, Ashley, and I love all these budget friendly areas to use less wallpaper – exactly what I was looking for! Thank you! I love your blog so much!!
Thanks Tracey! I so appreciate you reading! And I’m really happy it’s helpful. Have a nice weekend!
This is a wonderful resource for finding beautiful wallpaper – I’m going to be a while just browsing through them all – thanks!
Very informative, thanks for all the great info. Pinned.
I’m finding I am loving wallpaper these days and I especially love a dark, moody wallpaper the most! I found you through Morning cup of Joe! Thanks for you post.