Vertical vs Horizontal Striped Wallpaper: Which Way Should Stripes Go?
The One Decision That Changes Everything
With striped wallpaper, the pattern is only half the story — the direction you hang it is the other half, and it changes how a whole room feels. Vertical or horizontal isn't just a matter of taste; each does something different to a space, and knowing the difference is the secret to using stripes well. Here's how to choose.
At Claret & Key, every stripe is drawn in-house and printed to order in your chosen scale and colourway, so whichever direction you're planning, the design is made especially for you in our Cheshire studio.
Vertical stripes: height and elegance
Hung vertically, stripes draw the eye upward and make a ceiling feel higher. It's the classic, elegant choice, and a genuinely useful one in a low-ceilinged bedroom, a boxroom, or anywhere you want to add a sense of stature. Vertical stripes also flatter a hallway or stairwell beautifully, echoing the height of the space and leading the eye up the stairs. If in doubt, vertical is the safe, timeless default.
Horizontal stripes: width and a relaxed, modern feel
Hung horizontally, stripes do the opposite — they widen a narrow room and bring a more relaxed, contemporary feel. It's the braver choice, and all the more striking for it. Horizontal stripes can make a narrow room feel more generous, and lend a modern, considered edge to a space that might otherwise feel plain. Used on a single wall, they make a confident, unexpected statement.
How to choose
Think about what the room needs. If the ceilings are low or you want elegance and height, go vertical. If the room is narrow, or you want a relaxed, modern look, consider horizontal. Scale matters too: a wider stripe makes a bolder statement in either direction, while a fine stripe keeps things subtle. Because we print to order, you can choose the scale and colourway to suit the effect you're after.
Choose your finish
Whichever way your stripe runs, it comes in three papers: Traditional (150gsm, super-matte), Heavy-Grade (300gsm) for busy walls, and Removable peel-and-stick (180gsm) for renters and easy change. All are printed to order on FSC-approved, PVC- and VOC-free paper.
Order a sample and hold it both ways in the room before you decide.
Frequently Asked Questions About Horizontal or Vertical Striped Wallpaper
Which way should striped wallpaper go — vertical or horizontal?
It depends on the room. Vertical stripes add height and elegance, so they suit low or small rooms and hallways. Horizontal stripes widen a narrow space and feel more relaxed and modern. Vertical is the timeless default; horizontal is the braver, more contemporary choice.
Do vertical stripes make a ceiling look higher?
Yes — vertical stripes draw the eye upward, which makes a ceiling feel higher and a room feel taller. It's one of the most useful tricks for a low-ceilinged or small room.
Do horizontal stripes make a room look wider?
They do. Horizontal stripes lead the eye across a wall, which makes a narrow room feel more generous and brings a relaxed, modern edge to the space.
Can you hang striped wallpaper horizontally?
Yes. It's less common, so it feels fresh and confident, and it's a great way to widen a narrow room or make a single wall a statement. Because our stripes are printed to order, the scale can be chosen to suit a horizontal hang.
Can I get striped wallpaper in a custom scale and colour?
Yes — every stripe is printed to order, so you choose the width of the bands and the colour way to suit the direction and the room, made especially for you.
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!
