In today’s professional spaces, personalized wall decor does more than just fill blank walls—it helps set the tone, reinforce brand identity, and create an inspiring work environment. Offices looking to elevate their decor often turn to two standout options:
- Wall Mural
- Wallpaper
While both options enhance aesthetics and make an impact, they each bring unique qualities to an office setting. In this article, we’ll explore the key differences in choosing between wall mural and wallpaper, helping you find the best fit for creating a dynamic, personalized workspace.
What is a Wall Mural?
A wall mural is a large-scale artwork that covers one wall or multiple walls in a room, with one big image. Murals are super customizable so perfect for personalizing or branding your office space
Benefits of Wall Murals
- Customizable Design: Customize colors, logos and design to match your brand.
- Visual Impact: Creates a captivating focal point that adds depth to the space.
- Durability: Made from high quality materials that won’t peel or fade.
- Easy Installation and Removal: Panels are easy to install, modern murals can be removed without damaging walls.
- Eco-Friendly Options: Often created on demand, reduces waste from overproduction.
What is Wallpaper?
Wallpaper is a decorative wall covering with a repeating pattern, to create a cohesive look. Sold in rolls, wallpaper covers multiple walls to create a background that enhances the room.
Benefits of Wallpaper
- Cohesive Aesthetic: Repeating patterns create a harmonious, unified look throughout the space.
- Variety of Patterns and Textures: Available in numerous styles, from classic to contemporary.
- Cost-Effective Solution: Generally more budget-friendly for covering larger areas.
- Versatile Application: Works well on multiple walls and even ceilings for a complete room transformation.
- Long-Lasting Finish: With proper care, wallpaper can maintain its look for years.
Wallpaper Installation Tips
Prep the Wall Surface: Ensure the wall is smooth, clean, and dry. Patch up any holes or cracks, and sand down rough spots for an even surface.
Measure and Plan Layout: Measure your walls and plan the wallpaper layout to avoid any mismatched patterns or uneven edges. Mark a vertical guideline on the wall for the first strip.
Cut with Precision: Cut each wallpaper strip slightly longer than the wall height, allowing a bit extra for trimming along the edges.
Apply Adhesive Evenly: If your wallpaper requires adhesive, apply it evenly on the wall or the back of the wallpaper, depending on the type.
Smooth Out Bubbles: Starting from the top, carefully apply the wallpaper strip to the wall, smoothing it downward and outward to eliminate air bubbles.
Align Patterns Carefully: For wallpapers with patterns, align each strip precisely to maintain a seamless, continuous look.
Trim Excess Carefully: Use a sharp utility knife to trim excess wallpaper along the ceiling, baseboards, and corners.
Allow for Proper Drying Time: Follow the manufacturer's instructions for drying times before hanging any decor or touching up the wallpaper.
Wall Mural vs Wallpaper: Key Differences
Coverage and Visual Impact
Unlike wallpaper which is applied in a repeating pattern, murals can cover one wall or extend across multiple walls. This flexibility allows a mural to transform an office space into a cohesive work of art while wallpaper brings harmony and warmth through its vertical repetition.
Customization
Wall murals are highly customizable, offering the option to tailor designs to fit the branding and aesthetics of your office. You can personalize a mural with your business logo, alter colors to match your brand palette, or add unique design elements.
In contrast, wallpaper generally follows pre-designed patterns and doesn’t allow for customization, limiting the potential for a personalized touch.
Placement and Durability
Wallpaper, sold by the bolt, is often intended to cover multiple walls and can even include ceilings. Murals, however, are more versatile—they can be placed on specific walls as they depict a single, seamless image, ensuring a striking and professional finish that doesn’t easily peel over time. Wallpaper, on the other hand, may be prone to peeling or lifting, especially in areas with high humidity.
Material Composition
Wall murals are crafted from materials like:
Vinyl - Photo paper
Canvas - Perforated window film
Polyester - Mylar
This makes them versatile in texture and durability. Wallpaper, while varied in texture too, is constructed from materials like:
Lining paper
Cellulose
Grasscloth
Vinyl-coated paper or fabric
Velvet-flocked paper
Foil
This difference in materials means that murals often bring a more robust and visually impactful feel to a room.
Environmental Impact and Production
Murals tend to be more eco-friendly, as they’re generally created on-demand for unique designs. Wallpaper, on the other hand, is mass-produced, which can sometimes lead to increased waste and less sustainable production methods.
Size and Pattern Repeats
Sold by the panel with numbered guides for easy installation, wall murals allow flexibility in pattern types to fit diverse office spaces—these can range from fully repeatable to non-repeatable designs.
Wallpaper, sold in rolls of a fixed size, also offers various pattern repeats, including straight match, drop match, and no match patterns, each requiring specific techniques for application.
Ease of Removal
Modern wall murals are designed with ease of removal in mind. Thanks to advanced materials and technologies, they can be removed without scraping, steaming, or damaging the walls.
In contrast, removing wallpaper can sometimes be more labor-intensive, especially if it’s older or adhered with outdated adhesives.
Wall Mural vs Wallpaper: How to Choose The Right Wall Decor?
When deciding on office wall decor, wall murals often come out on top. Unlike wallpaper, which offers limited patterns and a uniform look, wall murals provide a fully customizable design, allowing you to incorporate your brand’s colors, logo, or specific themes. This level of personalization helps create a more dynamic and impactful workspace.
Additionally, wall murals are crafted from high-quality, durable materials that resist peeling and fading, making them a better fit for busy office environments. While wallpaper is a more traditional choice, it lacks the unique, statement-making presence of a wall mural, which can transform a bland office wall into a striking visual display.
For businesses wanting a personalized touch and a powerful decor statement, wall murals are the superior option, often referred to as custom printed wallpaper due to their bespoke designs and tailored fit.
Wall Decals: An Alternative to Wall Murals
Looking for a simpler and more temporary solution for your wall decor? Wall decals are a great alternative to wall murals. Wall decals, also known as wall stickers, are smaller, pre-cut designs made from vinyl that can be applied to any smooth surface. They’re a quick way to add branding, quotes or simple graphics to your office without the full wall installation.
While wall decals are cheap and removable, they lack the impact and cohesion of a wall mural. Wall murals, also known as custom printed wallpaper, are a seamless, large scale design that can cover a whole wall or multiple walls and make a big statement and change the look of your office.
If you're aiming for a more immersive and tailored design, wall murals remain the better choice for creating a dynamic and personalized workspace.
Transform Your Office Walls With Branditt’s Custom Wall Murals
Choosing between wall mural and wallpaper depends on your office’s style, function, and decor goals. Both options offer unique advantages—wall murals bring impactful, personalized designs, while wallpaper provides cohesive patterns and a classic touch.
Looking to make a statement with a custom wall mural? Branditt has you covered. As Toronto’s top rated signage company, Branditt creates high quality, made to order wall murals for your home and office space.
Choose from our popular mural options: custom photo murals for a personal touch, fade resistant murals for lasting beauty or self adhesive fabric murals for easy installation and removal.
With Branditt, your office wall can become an inspiring work of art. Explore our custom mural options today and transform your office with unique and personalized wall decor!