What You Need to Know to Design for Metallic Wallpaper

Our Metallic wallpapers in Silver and Gold are luxe options for anyone looking to add extra glamour to their space. If you have questions about these substrates, you’re in the right place! This post walks you through what you need to know to a) create designs with Metallic wallpaper in mind and b) gain more insight into how designs look on silver and gold as well. Want even more insider information? Please visit our Help Center article with more details. 

To give you extra insight into how colors print on our Metallic wallpaper, throughout this post, we’ll be sharing how different designs show up on three of our wallpaper substrates, Prepasted Removable Smooth Wallpaper, Silver Metallic Wallpaper and Gold Metallic Wallpaper. Each photo featuring designs in the layout below will follow the same convention.  

Spoonflower’s Metallic wallpapers are non-woven PVC-free wallcoverings produced with 85% paper, 10% polyester and 5% other materials. Having the base paper available in gold and silver allows customers to select Spoonflower Marketplace patterns to be printed onto the corresponding base color. Artists do not have to create designs that require metallic ink in the printing process. 

For homeowners looking for either a bold glamorous look or an elegant space to rival the Gilded Age, Spoonflower has a design and the wallpaper for that! Hallways, dining rooms and statement walls are all great canvases for Gold Metallic and Silver Metallic wallpaper. These non-woven wallpapers are suitable for any indoor residential space. 

First, paper pulp is responsibly sourced from forests in Sweden and Brazil. Then, it’s turned into fibrous-textured paper at mills located in Belgium and the USA. Next, the metallic finish is applied through a coating wet process step in the USA. Scrap and trim waste is recycled by the mill whenever possible. Finally, Spoonflower proudly prints, cuts and ships every order on demand in USA. 

Yes, Spoonflower’s Metallic wallpaper is made through a coating wet process. This means that the paper is all one solid piece—it’s almost as if the paper face is dyed with a metallic color.

Foil and Mylar wallpaper are both made using a lamination process that adheres two or more layers together. Foil wallpaper is typically a thin sheet of aluminum laminated to a paper or scrim base, sometimes with a polyester barrier in between to prevent the foil from contacting the adhesive. Foil wallpaper is often more fragile and must be hung on very smooth surfaces—it also can be easily scratched or scuffed. Mylar wallpaper is made through a similar lamination process to foil wallpaper. A reflective polyester film is adhered to a paper or scrim backing. Because Mylar wallpaper is made from polyester, it is more durable than foil wallpaper.

Foil and Mylar wallpaper also look different than Spoonflower’s Metallic wallpaper. Both Mylar and foil typically have a shiny or wet appearance; therefore, they are highly reflective (sometimes even mirrorlike) and can easily highlight wall defects. They sometimes are embossed with a texture.  

Spoonflower’s Metallic wallpaper has a slightly more matte metallic appearance, giving it a sophisticated finish. It does not include any PVC coatings or films, yet is still highly durable and scratch-resistant, making it suitable for any indoor space. There is no embossing pattern added. The texture is achieved through the makeup of the base paper (fibrous paper pulp), meaning that it’s rooted in nature.  

Here’s a look at three renders featuring the same design, Gabrielle’s Garden Teal by whitneyenglish. Here’s how customers will see the design in Prepasted Removable Smooth wallpaper, Silver Metallic wallpaper and Gold Metallic wallpaper on one of the Spoonflower.com’s roll renders.

Spoonflower color maps, available for all our substrates, are a great way to learn how the different colors we print show up across the products we sell. Due to different substrate base colors, how the same color appears across our fabrics and types of wallpaper can vary too. (Want to learn more about how to use color maps? Learn how Spoonflower artist Danika Herrick uses our color maps to create her designs.)  

Take note of your design’s white areas. Similar to other designs you’ll find in the Spoonflower Marketplace, areas of a design that are white will be left unprinted. For most of our fabric and wallpaper substrates, this means that the white of the material is displayed. For our metallic substrates, areas of white in a design will display the gold base paper when a customer purchases Gold Metallic wallpaper and silver when a customer purchases Silver Metallic wallpaper. 

Similarly, think about your design’s translucent areas.  When designing for Metallic wallpaper keep in mind that translucent areas, often found in watercolor style designs, will allow the gold or silver of the base paper to come through. This can dramatically change how a color appears on the gold or silver paper. The Gold Metallic wallpaper offers a warm tone, and the Silver Metallic offers a cool tone. 

Think about scale. Customers are looking for a wide range of design scales on all wallpaper substrates, including metallics. Embrace large scale for bold dramatic looks or experiment with smaller scale repeats for historical- and vintage-inspired designs.   

Think about who this substrate appeals to and the styles they might buy.  Our Metallic wallpapers appeal to high-end interior decorators and residential designers. These trade customers are designing for a wide range of clients who have a wide range of tastes and styles.

Here are a few key directions that pair well with metallics: 
• Conversational Prints: novelty motifs featuring everyday things and objects like dogs, cocktail glasses, playing cards, etc. Go minimalist with simple line art styling or monochromatic palettes.
• Art Deco
• Historical Reproductions
• Trees and Nature Scenes
• Chinoiserie    

Keep in mind that this is not a substrate for DIYers. We recommend using a professional wallpaper installer for the installation of Gold Metallic and Silver Metallic wallpaper. As a member of the Wallpaper Installers Association, we happily recommend finding one of their professional members in your area using their handy “Find a Wallcovering Installer” tool. 

Think about the effect of lighting on these substrates.  Our Metallic wallpapers offer a medium-to-low reflectivity that gives these substrates a subtle luster for a luxurious appearance. Therefore, this quality makes them a delight in a variety of lighting situations. When selecting where to install the wallpaper, consider how overhead light, floor lighting and sunlight will change the paper’s appearance.

Lastly, don’t forget to have fun! Embrace negative space in your designs and don’t be afraid of color. These luxe new base papers will add richness and luster to new and existing designs alike.