Where wallpaper works in a kitchen and where it does not, which paper survives grease and steam, and why scale matters more here than in any other room
Yes, away from the hob and the sink. Use our heavy-grade paper, which is vinyl-coated and can be gently cleaned, and keep it off the immediate splash and heat zones, which want tile, glass or stainless steel. The dining end of a kitchen is where wallpaper does its best work.
Where it works
The dining end of a kitchen-diner, the single best use of wallpaper in a modern kitchen.
A wall with no units on it, or the wall a table sits against.
Above a picture rail or on a chimney breast in an older kitchen.
Inside a pantry or larder cupboard, which is a quiet pleasure every time it is opened.
The ceiling, which stays clear of everything that gets thrown at a kitchen wall.
Where it does not
Behind the hob. Heat and fat. This area needs a proper splashback.
Behind the sink. Constant water.
Between worktop and wall units, where every splash lands.
Immediately beside a hob, even to the side. Keep paper well clear and follow the appliance manufacturer's clearances.
Which paper
Heavy-grade, 300gsm. Vinyl-coated, so airborne grease can be blotted off rather than absorbed, and heavy enough to survive a kitchen wall's general life.
Our traditional paper is usable in the dining end of a large room, though it will show marks sooner. Removable peel and stick is not the right choice for a kitchen: steam from a kettle, hob and dishwasher works between the adhesive and the paint.
Extraction
A working extractor over the hob, used every time you cook, takes most of the grease and steam out of the air before it reaches any wall. It matters more for how a kitchen wall ages than the paper does.
Regular dusting
Kitchen grease settles as a fine film and gradually attracts dust. Dusted every few weeks it never becomes a mark; left for a year it becomes one that will not come off.
Preparing a kitchen wall
Degrease thoroughly with sugar soap, because kitchen walls carry more than any other room, including walls that look perfectly clean.
Rinse and let dry completely.
Fill and sand, then dust off.
Check for condensation staining, particularly on external walls and in corners.
Paste generously, right into the corners and edges.
Let it dry a full 48 hours before heavy cooking, with the extractor on.
A note on scale
Kitchen walls are broken up by units, appliances, shelves and doors, so very little uninterrupted wall is left. A large-scale design in those conditions shows only fragments of itself. Either give it a whole clear wall, such as the dining end or a chimney breast, or choose something smaller in scale for the broken-up walls.
Hold an A3 sample against the actual wall, with the units in shot, before ordering.
Can you put wallpaper in a kitchen?
Yes, away from the hob, the sink and the worktop splash zone. Heavy-grade is the paper to use.
Can wallpaper go behind a cooker?
No. That area needs a proper splashback, and paper should be kept well clear of a heat source.
Will kitchen grease ruin wallpaper?
Not if there is working extraction and the wall is dusted regularly. Grease becomes a problem when it is left to build up.
Is your wallpaper wipeable?
The heavy-grade paper is vinyl-coated and tolerates gentle cleaning. Blot with a slightly damp white cloth, never scrub.
Can I use peel and stick in a kitchen?
We would not. Steam from cooking works between the adhesive and the paint film.
This wallpaper is just gorgeous! I used the one that requires glue and it was super easy to i stall. One roll was enough for a 6’ wide laundry closet with 7’5” ceilings. Even on our orange peel walls it set beautifully. I did this behind our new washer dryer set up in our laundry closet with white oak cabinets and it’s perfect! Highly recommend!
Truly love this wallpaper. Looks amazing in both our bathroom (the original project) and as an accent in the back of a cabinet (what we did with the extra). Everyone who sees it comments on how classy and beautiful it is. For these reasons five stars!
However I do want to call out two concerns:
1. The online "calculator" on the site recommend nine roles, which seemed excessive for our less than 100 sq ft bathroom. I even reached out to support to double check and they said to go by the calculator. I'm glad I didn't because I ended up ordering five roles and only needing 4. I will say returning the 5th role was a pretty smooth process, so kudus to Claret and Key for that.
2. Strangely the "autumn" color with pale nutmeg background reads more green than brown in certain light. With bright overhead light it comes across as the soft brown we intended, but in natural light it reads much more green. Not anything to terrible just unexpected.
Beautiful paper! Our decorator commented on its quality and how nice and easy it was to work with compared to other wallpaper he had used in the past. Thank you.
So in love with this wallpaper. We wanted a cosy cottage bedroom vibe so we chose the Eloise. It’s such a pretty design that completely transformed the space. The wallpaper is such great quality .We have very uneven walls but didn’t have any issues. Hanging it was a joy. Highly recommend.
We used Blanche to paper some built in wardrobes that double up as room dividers. It was brilliant to be able to sample several background colour options and we are delighted with the finished result
Thank you. Fabulous Wallpaper.
Great quality paper and easy to hang.
The design is so rich in colour and adds such decadence to my dressing area. Now for the finishing touches.
Poor customer service - rolls are only available as one off 10m runs, so if you need 11m.. unfortunately you’ll be paying double for a second roll! Unless your walls are 8m or less, I’d avoid. Wrongly assumed Claret & Key would be slightly more compassionate about the situation and even help with a slightly discounted second roll, considering we only needed 1m. How wrong we were!
Store owner replied:
Hi Emily,
I'm sorry to hear that you are disappointed with the service.
We sell our wallpaper by the roll, and we are unable to manufacture shorter rolls. This will be the same for most manufacturers as 10m rolls are standard, and most rooms require more than 1 roll to complete the job.
Thanks,
Claret & Key
I really loved this paper and thought it would look nice in my attic space. Delighted with the end result. Great service, excellent quality of paper and it really transforms the room. The eves are very low so the space was not utilised so making a feature with the wallpaper has created a cosy space to relax in. Thank you. M
Love this wallpaper. It’s just enough to show a statement but not so loud that it overpowers the space. Being able to pick the color is such a great thing also. You’re not stuck with 5 options so it can match your style and colors of your space. Would recommend to anyone looking for wallpaper. Very happy and my installer said its super easy to install this pattern.
This wallpaper is thick and sturdy. It’s very easy to work with and easy to apply. It was my first time hanging wallpaper and this paper was very forgiving. Great product!
