From Accent Wall to Full Retreat: A Wallpaper Story with Kathy Ibrahim
What began as a single accent wall in Kathy Ibrahim’s home quickly evolved into a fully wallpapered space — not because it was planned that way, but because the room felt incomplete without it. Using our Banana Palms Blue Wallpaper, Kathy leaned into the impact of pattern and repetition, transforming the space into a calm, retreat-like escape she now reaches for daily.
We sat down with Kathy to talk about what first drew her to the wallpaper, the moment she decided to go all in, and why she believes wallpapering beyond an accent wall can completely change how a space feels.
CC: What first drew you to the Banana Palm wallpaper when you selected it for your accent wall? Was it the pattern, the color story, or the feeling it brought to the space?
KI: What first drew me to the wallpaper was the coastal pattern; it was subtle and timeless. I also loved the soft blue tone.
CC: What inspired you to transform a single wallpapered wall into wallpapering the full space? Was there a moment when it felt like the natural next step?
KI: I knew almost instantly that the other walls were lacking the same “pop” of interest. Once I found all the pieces of furniture for the room, I knew the last step to creating the retreat feeling within the room was to fully wallpaper the rest of the walls.
CC: How did the room shift once the wallpaper surrounded the entire space?
KI: It instantly made the room feel complete. It gave the room that cozy, relaxing retreat-like feel, almost like being in a tropical resort.
CC: Did the wallpaper influence the rest of your design decisions as the room evolved?
KI: The wallpaper was the “pop” in the room while the rest of the design was kept simple, calm and played off the coastal element of the wallpaper.
CC: For someone considering wallpaper beyond an accent wall, what would you tell them?
KI: The main reason to wallpaper beyond an accent wall is the design impact it creates, when you pick just the right paper the impact is jaw dropping. Make sure you choose a paper that is timeless and one that complements the rest of your room's design.
CC: How does this space fit into the rhythm of your home?
KI: It's my absolute favorite place to retreat, recharge, and relax after a long day. I love that the wallpaper created and completed this retreat-like feeling within the room. You better bet I have aaaalll the heart eyes every single time I walk in.
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