How to Decorate with Leopard Print Wallpaper: A Maximalist's Guide
Words by Becca Who, Artist & Designer
There’s something about leopard print that refuses to be predictable. Perhaps it’s because the pattern carries something of the spirit of the leopard itself - wild, confident and utterly at home in its own skin. Those beautiful, irregular markings bring movement, energy and a touch of the wild to our interiors - and when translated onto wallpaper, they can turn an otherwise ordinary wall into something altogether more captivating.
Leopard print wallpaper has a rather unique ability to transform a room from perfectly pleasant into something with a pulse. It’s bold and playful, certainly, but also wonderfully sophisticated and timeless. Leopard print has a way of moving effortlessly between eras and styles - equally at home amongst antique furniture, elegant upholstery and old-world details as it is alongside contemporary pieces.
I love that sense of juxtaposition: the wild and instinctive feel of Leopard Print sitting amongst the refined and the beautiful, creating a room that feels layered, unexpected and full of character.✧
For those of us who love maximalist interiors, leopard print wallpaper is particularly irresistible. It brings pattern, movement and personality to the walls, whilst giving you an incredibly versatile starting point for colour, fabric and furniture.
But how do you actually decorate with leopard print wallpaper without making a room feel chaotic? The answer is surprisingly simple: embrace the pattern, then give it something beautiful to play with.
Why Choose Leopard Print Wallpaper?
Leopard print wallpaper is one of those wonderfully adaptable patterns that can work in very different interiors.
Leopard print brings a heady glamour when paired with velvet and brass, a whimsical romance when with dusky pinks and florals, earthy with natural woods and greens, or dark and dramatic with rich colours and antique furniture.
Unlike a geometric pattern, leopard print has an organic quality where the irregular spot shapes create movement across the wall, which means it can feel lively without being rigid.
And whilst leopard print is undoubtedly bold, that doesn't mean it has to dominate everything else in the room.
One of my favourite uses of leopard print wallpaper is to let it become the backdrop for other things that I love: Setting the stage for a beautiful velvet chair, the unexpected backdrop behind a favourite oil painting, an interesting compliment to a collection of ceramics or a fabulous lamp.✧
Maximalism isn't about filling every available inch with pattern. It's about creating a room that feels layered, collected and completely yours. I spoke more about this in my blog: Beyond More: What Maximalist Interior Design Really Means
Let Leopard Print Wallpaper be the Star
If you're nervous about using animal print wallpaper, start by simply giving it some breathing space;
Choose one room, or even one feature wall, and allow the leopard print wallpaper to make the statement.
This works particularly well in:
* bedrooms
* dressing rooms
* downstairs cloakrooms
* hallways
* dining rooms
* living rooms
A smaller room can actually be the perfect place for bold wallpaper. Rather than trying to minimise the dimensions of a space, you're turning it all into an experience. A small cloakroom covered in leopard print wallpaper can be truly enchanting. A bedroom wrapped in pink leopard print wallpaper is always special.
Try Pink Leopard Print Wallpaper
If a traditional leopard print feels a little too bold for your taste, pink leopard print wallpaper is a wonderful place to begin where pinks soften the pattern whilst retaining its playful, maximalist character.
Pink leopard print wallpaper is particularly beautiful in bedrooms, where it can be made to exude atmosphere with soft lighting, velvet upholstery and layers of tactile fabrics.✧
I wouldn’t assume that pink leopard print means sugary or whimsy if that's not your aim - a dusky, earthy pink with dark wood, aged brass and rich green can feel incredibly sophisticated, as can many other combinations.
You could pair pink leopard print wallpaper with:
* dusky pink for cosy elegance
* rich burgundy for an atmospheric space
* deep green for a luxe feel
* mustard along with touches of orange / rust for a sophisticated palette
* antique gold for a luxurious atmosphere
* warm, earthy neutrals which make the pink sing
* an array of candy hues for an overall cheerful, playful space
Embrace a Dark Leopard Print Wallpaper
There is something seductive about a darker leopard print wallpaper in a space. Deep backgrounds allow the pattern to feel moodier and more sophisticated, particularly when paired with jewel-coloured velvets, dark wood, antique gold and warm lighting.
A dark patterned wallpaper can also create an enveloping cocoon, bringing atmosphere to a bedroom or snug.
And if you're concerned that dark walls make a room feel smaller, I'd say that often compact spaces can feel the most memorable - sometimes you precisely want to embrace the smaller size of a room, impactful through the atmospheric feel of being enveloped in the beauty of the design.
Create a Leopard Print Bedroom
For a romantic feel to the room, try pink leopard wallpaper with blush bedding, soft lighting and painted furniture.
For something moodier, choose a dark leopard wallpaper and combine it with deep green or burgundy across an array of textures.
For a full maximalist bedroom, layer the wallpaper with patterned bedding, artwork, colourful upholstery and plenty of books and objects that mean something to you.
Use Alongside Velvet to Bring out the Luxury
Leopard print wallpaper and velvet are a beautiful pairing with the luxe richness of velvet providing a beautiful compliment to the energetic pattern of animal print wallpaper. You may want to pair a leopard print wall with a velvet sofa, armchair, headboard or curtains.
You don't need to match the colours exactly - a little contrast often makes the room much more interesting. You might choose a pink leopard print wallpaper to sit with emerald green velvet - or a dark blue leopard wallpaper with rich mustard.
This is also where patterned velvet upholstery fabrics can become part of the story, particularly if you're creating a room with several layers of pattern. Explore the full range of Becca Who Statement Fabrics for upholstery and soft furnishings.
If you want to lean into the timeless love of Animal Prints, you might choose from the Becca Who Animal Prints Velvet Furnishing Fabrics.
Mix Leopard Print Wallpaper with Other Patterns
This is where maximalism gets really exciting.
If you're naturally drawn to bold wallpaper, you may also be tempted by florals, stripes, checks and other decorative patterns. The trick isn't necessarily to avoid mixing them - it’s to find a relationship between them.
One way to do this is to repeat a colour from the leopard print wallpaper elsewhere in the room. For example, if your wallpaper contains pink, introduce that pink through a cushion or upholstered chair. If it contains green, bring in green velvet. If there are warm golden tones, echo them with brass lighting or accessories.
I particularly love the juxtaposition of a bold Gold & Tan Leopard Print alongside a rich dark floral for something unexpected that feels both rich and special.✧
The patterns don’t need to match - they simply need to have a conversation.
Use Leopard Print Wallpaper in the Living Room
If you're looking for leopard print wallpaper living room ideas, don't automatically think you need to wallpaper every wall.
You could use it behind a sofa, around a fireplace or on a single feature wall to create a focal point. Next to painted walls in colours which contrast or compliment, a Leopard Print feature wall can offer such a rich result.
Choose Colours that Compliment the Leopard Print
One of the joys of leopard print is that it works with far more colours than you might expect.
You will have seen above my varied suggestions of colours to pair with a pink leopard print wallpaper.
With green leopard print wallpaper, you might try:
* Dusky pink for an expectedly beautiful combination
* Rich mustard for a dramatic pairing
* Classic navy to lean into rich deeper hues for atmosphere
* Elegant cream hues to add sophistication
* Warm rust colours for a luxurious warmth and contrast
With a blue leopard print wallpaper, try:
* Soft muted greens for utter elegance
* Deep burgundy for a rich, atmospheric combination
* Deeper green for a striking darker compliment
* Warm ochre hues for an impactful contrast
* Rust hues with pops of orange
* Cream or natural hues
With gold leopard print wallpaper, try:
* Charcoal / black for a stylish, dramatic impact
* Deep green for a luxe contrast in the space
* Rich navy blue for a classic yet impactful result
* Burgundy or claret hues for an opulent feel
* Earthy hues or chocolate brown for warmth and atmosphere
Bring in Some Plain Fabrics
Maximalism doesn't mean every single surface has to shout - quite the opposite; A beautiful plain velvet sofa can give your statement wallpaper room to breathe.
Likewise, elegant plain curtains or a painted piece of furniture can provide a quiet pause between more decorative elements.
Think of pattern like music: We need the notes, but we also need the spaces in-between, the pauses in sound - It’s the contrast between them that makes the whole thing sing.
Leopard Print Wallpaper: The Maximalist Approach
For me, maximalism isn't simply about having lots of things - but it is about having more of the things you love.
More colour. More pattern. More art. More texture. More personality.
Leopard print wallpaper happens to be a brilliant choice for bringing all of those things together.
Whether you choose the richness of Gold & Tan, the drama of a deep Green or Blue - or the romance of a Pink Leopard Print wallpaper, the important thing is to choose something that makes you feel something when you walk into the room.✧
Explore My Leopard Print Wallpapers and Find Your Favourite
Discover the Becca Who Wallpaper Collection of bold, colourful and maximalist wallpaper designs, including leopard print wallpapers, designed to bring a little more personality to your walls.
You may still be wondering...
Should I wallpaper all four walls?
If you love the pattern then this can be extremely effective and beautiful for a space. Wallpapering all four walls can create a wonderfully immersive, cocooning feel and is particularly striking with a bold design like leopard print. If you're feeling a little more cautious, use it on one wall to create a dramatic focal point.
Is leopard print wallpaper suitable for a small room?
Absolutely. Smaller rooms can actually be the perfect place to embrace a bold wallpaper. Rather than trying to make a small space feel bigger by playing it safe, use leopard print to turn it into a characterful, jewel-box-like room.
Where does leopard print wallpaper work best?
Leopard wallpaper can look fabulous in living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, hallways and smaller spaces such as cloakrooms. It's striking and effective wherever you want to create a strong sense of personality and drama.
Is leopard print wallpaper suitable for a bedroom?
Very much. Leopard print can make a bedroom feel warm, glamorous and cocooning. Pair it with beautiful fabrics, soft lighting and rich colours for a bedroom that feels both luxurious and full of personality.
Can I use leopard wallpaper in a living room?
Yes. A leopard print wallpaper can make a living room feel bold, warm and inviting. Whether you choose to create a feature wall or all-over maximalist pattern, don't be afraid to pair it with colourful upholstery, artwork and other patterns.
Can leopard wallpaper work in a traditional interior?
Definitely - this is one of my favourite approaches. Leopard print doesn't mean contemporary or ultra-modern. It can look fabulous alongside antique furniture, classic upholstery, dark wood and traditional decorative pieces. The contrast between old and new can make the room feel particularly interesting and atmospheric.
Can you mix leopard print wallpaper with other patterns?
Absolutely - and this is where maximalism really comes into its own. Leopard print can work beautifully with florals, stripes, checks and other animal prints. To bring everything together, look for colours that appear across the different patterns so that the room feels layered rather than chaotic.
Should the furniture be plain if the wallpaper is patterned?
Not at all. There's no need to put all your patterned furniture away just because you've chosen a statement wallpaper. Pattern mixing can make a room feel much richer and more individual. The key is to create some connection between the patterns through colour, scale or style.
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