Estimated read time2 min read

When you’re working with limited space, it’s almost instinctive to tone down your design details to avoid feeling overwhelmed—but even small spaces need character. Our 2026 Whole Home in Charleston is a master class in excellent design, no matter the room size or purpose. This year’s top recommendation for a chic bath is wallcoverings.

When installed properly, wallcoverings are one of the most reliable ways to add an extra touch of flair to interiors. Here’s how the designers of our 2026 Whole Home used them to bring big personality to small spaces.

The Impact of Visual Texture

A stylish pink-themed bathroom featuring a sink, floral arrangement, and abstract artwork on the walls.
Katie Charlotte
In this powder room, Mark Kennamer leaned into a warm, neutral palette, opting to take the soft pink hue of the vanity across the walls and ceiling.

For many designers, powder rooms are the perfect opportunity to play. Designer Mark Kennamer, founder and principal designer of his eponymous Birmingham, Alabama–based firm, used wallcoverings to add bespoke character to a nearly monochromatic powder-pink scheme. In the guest bath, the Zoffany mauve moiré wallcovering lends a subtle shimmer and dimension, while its wood-like grain adds an unexpected, welcome layer of texture.

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Lessons in Pattern Play

Elegant bathroom with floral wallpaper, double sinks, mirrors, and decorative lighting fixtures.
Katie Charlotte
Bold prints, vertical lines, and pops of green define this bathroom designed by Anissa Zajac.

Anissa Zajac of House Seven Design outfitted the primary bathroom with a botanical-printed wallcovering by Sanderson that incorporated nearly every hue in her palette while adding a dose of whimsy. The pattern’s vertical lines play off the texture of the fluted vanity cabinets, making a bold statement without straying too far from the design scheme.

Tricking the Eye

A doorway leading to a stylish bathroom with wooden cabinetry and decorative wallpaper.
Katie Charlotte
The wallpaper in this R&R Interior Design 365 designed bath meant to channel the same feel as exposed brick.

In the gallery bath, the team at R&R Interior Design 365 took inspiration from Charleston’s famed cobblestone roads. They opted for a blue-brick wallpaper by Perennials to channel the perfect level of city flair while keeping the feel warm, intimate, and inviting.

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