Finding affordable chinoiserie wallpaper that can fit into a modern space can be a challenge, but a few years ago I collaborated with Rebel Walls to create the perfect ‘Chinoiserie Chic’ wallpaper with that exact challenge in mind.
Inspired by traditional chinoiserie scenes I set out to design a wallpaper that is strong yet elegant and can easily bring a sense of luxury and opulence into the room.
I started my design process by sketching out my initial idea on a smaller scale. I created a sketch featuring intertwining branches, blossom flowers, fruits, and exotic birds to really capture the essence of a traditional chinoiserie scene.
I scanned this design in digitally to ensure I perfectly captured the wallpaper dimensions, before projecting it onto the wall and tracing it onto a full size wallpaper panel.
Left: My design projected onto a wall with a wallpaper panel. Right: Digital scan of the 'Chinoiserie Chic' design with the wallpaper dimensions
Bringing My Design To Life
Once I had my design sketched out onto my wallpaper panels it was time to get painting! I started by painting the base colours of my leaves and flowers as they helped to guide the rest of the design.
Chinoiserie leaves and flowers on silk wallpaper panel
After I had my initial colours down I moved on to painting the beautiful birds and fruits, using chinoiserie brushes to add the fine line details onto the leaves and flowers.
My chinoiserie Brushes were designed with this exact style of painting in mind, ensuring you can achieve a smooth blend and exquisite levels of detail!
As I was designing a wallpaper mural I had two separate wallpaper panels to work on, so I had to ensure the design matched up perfectly!
Painted wallpaper panels
I did this by periodically hanging my designs up as I worked to ensure everything was aligned and to also add any more shading or detail where necessary.
Diane Hill adding details to one wallpaper panel for her 'Chinoiserie Chic' design
The Final Result
The final design is a perfectly modern adaptation of a traditional chinoiserie wallpaper mural, I absolutely love it!
When I first painted the design I had no idea how big it would become (especially as this was my first ever collab!), the response it has received is just incredible!
I love seeing how you all style this design, so if you’ve used this wallpaper in your own home I would love to see it. Make sure you tag me in your beautiful home decor photos on Instagram @dianehilldesign!
‘Lush Foliage’ is another dreamy feeling chinoiserie wallpaper mural featuring wispy willows, winding flowers and tendrils, and of course, hanging foliage! This design is perfect for framing a room and giving it a little extra height.
‘Brushstrokes’ is a lot more modern and minimalistic. This design is all about texture and adds depth in a stunning and simple way when used on its own, or it can serve as an add-on to compliment other chinoiserie wallpaper designs.
These chinoiserie wallpaper murals are super easy to install yourself (I’ve tried and tested it in my mum's bedroom!). Each order comes with powdered wallpaper paste or there is a peel-and-stick option too.
Peel-and-stick chinoiserie wallpaper is a great choice for those that are renting, or for decorating children's rooms (because we all know how quickly they need to be redecorated!).
Each length of wallpaper is numbered so you can simply hang them in order from left to right, it really is a breeze!
This wallpaper is printed completely on demand so you can scale it up or down to perfectly fit your space (top tip: if you have extra high ceilings you can combine your chinoiserie wall mural patterns with 'Brushstrokes'!)
If you love these designs but would like something even less permanent than the peel and stick wallpaper option, then creating wall art panels from this wallpaper is a great option!
Chinoiserie wall art panels are perfect for creating that deluxe and wordly feel in your home without committing to one pattern or design in just one place. This is also a super fun way to give the room a more affordable refresh!
This affordable chinoiserie wallpaper is an easy and gorgeous way to bring a touch of luxury to your home, with such a wealth of colour and scale options it's sure to suit any home style!
If you love chinoiserie home styling then be sure to sign up to receive tips and tricks, plus receive a free set of mini art prints when you spend £50 on art!
I love your work! Are you planning to include this in your upcoming online course ? I would love to learn the technical part of how to design wallpapers+murals using Photoshop, including how to create the repeats. This part I am not so clear. Using two wallpaper panels and then create an entire mural on the wall. I hope you will create a detailed step by step video course soon…I would be the first one to sign up! Thank you.
Thanks for sharing your fascinating design process!