Custom Wallpaper vs Standard Wallpaper: Which Is Right for Your Space?

Walk into any hardware store and you’ll find rolls of wallpaper in fixed widths, fixed repeats, and a handful of colourways. It’s an easy, affordable option — but it isn’t the only one. Custom wallpaper works differently, and for a lot of rooms, that difference matters more than people expect.

Standard Wallpaper

Standard wallpaper offers a convenient way to transform a room, with established designs available to order in predetermined colours, dimensions and repeats. It is ideal for clients who find an existing pattern that already suits their space.

Custom Wallpaper

Custom wallpaper offers complete creative freedom. Artwork, colour, scale and layout can be adapted to complement the room, architecture and overall design vision. It can also be produced according to the exact wall dimensions, creating a more considered and personal result.

While standard wallpaper brings style and simplicity, custom wallpaper turns the wall into a unique design feature—created specifically for the space and the people who live in it.

Working With an Artist, Not Just a Supplier

Some of the most distinctive wallpaper you’ll find isn’t mass-produced at all — it’s designed by an artist. At 23 Interiors, our Artists collection features original work from Coco And Salt, Kerry Michau, and Leigh Bisset, so instead of a pattern you’ve seen in a dozen other homes, you get something considered and original.

Cost and Timeline

It’s fair to say custom wallpaper generally costs more than a standard roll off the shelf, and because it’s printed to order, it takes a little longer to arrive than something you can buy today. What you’re paying for is precision: a wallpaper made for your wall, not a wall made to fit the wallpaper. For a feature wall, a nursery, a restaurant fit-out, or anywhere the finish genuinely matters, that trade-off is usually worth it.

So, Which Is Right for You?

If you need to wallpaper a straightforward room quickly and cost is the main factor, standard wallpaper does the job. But if you want a design that’s scaled properly to your space, made from a piece of art or photo you love, or simply want something nobody else has on their walls — custom is where it’s worth spending the extra time and budget.

Ready to see what’s possible? Browse the full 23 Interiors collection or get in touch for a free quote.