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How Do I Choose the Best Doll House Wallpaper?

Sherry Holetzky

Last Modified Date: March 06, 2024

Decorating a dollhouse can often be much like decorating a real home. Some of the same tips apply. Color, tone, brightness, scale, and many other characteristics of doll house wallpaper will be similar to the issues that arise when choosing wallpaper for an actual living space.

When choosing a color, keep in mind that just as with real rooms, dark colors make small spaces look smaller in dollhouses as well. When going for the illusion of greater height or width, stripes or other elongated designs help create more depth.

Wrapping paper can be used as wallpaper for a doll house.

One important thing to keep in mind when choosing doll house wallpaper is scale. You do not want to select overly large prints that will overwhelm tiny spaces. There is dollhouse wallpaper available that is created with the small scale of the rooms in mind. There are also several other sources you can consider for papering your dollhouse walls but the design of the doll house should play a role in your choices.

Also, keep in mind that prints that are too large may get cut off on small walls, diminishing their effect. Half a sunflower may not look as great as a whole sunny yellow flower, which you envisioned livening up the tiny space. You can make your own doll house wallpaper either by using your own designs or scanning a design to your computer to re-size it or recolor it to fit in with your doll house décor. Generally, the scale is one inch to one foot (2.54 centimeters to .30 meters). There are also websites available that offer free doll house wallpaper patterns to print.

Wrapping paper or shelf paper, the latter of which is also sometimes known as contact paper, can also be good choices for doll house wallpaper. Contact paper has an adhesive backing covered by paper. You can loosen one corner of the backing and begin applying the contact paper, pressing the adhesive to the wall, as you slowly peel away the rest of the backing. Always make sure the wallpaper is right side up before placement. This may sound silly, but many dollhouse decorators have found themselves replacing paper that somehow got turned the wrong way during the application process.

Some doll house wallpaper options may require glue. This can be messy and may not be the best option for inexperienced crafters. Doll house wallpaper with a self-adhesive backing may be simpler and neater, although spray adhesive is an option as well.

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Discussion Comments

croydon

August 22, 2011

I remember the dollhouse my grandmother had when I was a child and I'm pretty sure it had tiny stripes for the wall paper. I think that's probably the best solution for people who don't want to be too innovative with their choice. It's nice and simple, easy to line up and will go with a lot of things, especially if you get it in neutral colors.

My grandmother had small blue and silver stripes in most of the rooms I think and even had a tiny blue and silver arm chair to go with the paper.

I think you might be able to get away with other kinds of doll house miniatures if you planned carefully though.

browncoat

August 21, 2011

Contact paper is a good choice but you do have to be meticulous when you place it. Doll houses often have funny corners and things and it's not like a real house where you have a bit of leeway with the fit.

Plus you have to be careful not to let bubbles come up. With glue, you can press them out of the paper before it dries. But, with contact paper if you don't press it flat while you are putting it on, the bubble will always be there, and they can be quite large and get bigger over time.

So, yeah, if you want to use contact paper make sure you plan it out and maybe even practice a bit before putting it up.