Best removable wallpaper for renters, reviewed by an interiors editor

Adding colour and interest to spaces, it’s hardly surprising that searches for ‘wall coverings’ around the world have increased by 40 per cent in the last year, according to Google Trends, while searches for ‘removable wallpaper’ in the UK have soared by a whopping 5,000 per cent in the past three months. Talk about a trend! Once seen as old-fashioned and ‘fuddy-duddy’, the latest and greatest styles now range from chintzy for those who like a touch of nostalgia to full-on murals to add impact and contemporary for thoroughly modern homes, while removable designs mean even renters or simply those who like to refresh their rooms on the regular can get in on the action. Best removable wallpaper at a glanceBest overall – Sandberg Tree of Life Mural Multi: £53.04, Sandbergwallpaper.comBest budget buy – Dunelm Pressed Flowers Wallpaper: £27, Dunelm.comBest for immediate impact – Rebel Walls Bellewood Clouds Blue Vintage: £43, Rebelwalls.comBest for accurate alignment – B&Q GoodHome Osum Sage Nature Textured Wallpaper: £28, Diy.comBut what actually is removable wallpaper, how does it work and, crucially, what are the benefits? “Removable wallpaper is a great option for anyone who wants the freedom to change the look and feel of a space over time,” explains Sandra Willund, creative director at Rebel Walls – the Swedish design studio that creates murals and custom wallpaper, including removable styles. “It brings pattern, colour and personality to a room, while giving you the flexibility to update it when life, your style or the space itself changes.”I reviewed four rolls for all price brackets Nicky Rampley-Clarke/The StandardShe adds: “We’re seeing a broader shift towards interiors that feel more individual and expressive. People are embracing colour, pattern and scale as a way to create spaces that reflect their personality. At the same time, our homes and how we use them are constantly evolving. Removable wallpaper fits naturally into that mindset, offering another way to make a meaningful visual change, while retaining the flexibility to adapt the space in the future.” Explaining how it actually works, Sandra says: “Since our peel-and-stick wallpaper is self-adhesive, there’s no need for wallpaper paste. Simply peel away the backing and apply the covering directly onto a smooth and prepared wall, taking care to position each panel correctly as you go.”What is the difference between peel-and-stick and paste-the-wall designs?Peel-and-stick styles are basically giant wall stickers. You peel away the backing, then smooth the paper onto the wall. It’s the more convenient option, but positioning large pieces correctly and smoothly can be challenging. Paste-the-wall designs do what they say on the tin, quite literally, whereby you apply glue to the wall rather than the paper (like traditional and non-removable styles), then position the paper over the top. The benefit is that you can usually move the paper around a bit before the paste dries – wiggle room, if you like – which makes aligning pattern to other pieces easier. How I testedI left each wallpaper on for a minimum of 24 hours before peeling Nicky Rampley-Clarke/The StandardI tested every removable wallpaper by applying each to a wall of my house that I’m yet to decorate – ensuring the surface was moisture-free and smooth – then I left them for 24 hours to see if they had come away at the edges or developed any dreaded bubbles. Then, I removed them to see how easy it was and if the process left the surface undamaged. Naturally, I also assessed each of the four styles on design, texture, quality and value. Sandberg Tree of Life Mural MultiNicky Rampley-Clarke/The Standard★★★★★Best: Overall removable wallpaper What we love: A digital print of a hand-painted design; I could sit and stare at the design of Sandberg’s mural for hours – it’s a real conversation-starter. Take note: The busy pattern, peel-and-stick format and mural design make lining up the motif between pieces a challenge. Hand-painted with a fantastical tree adorned with decorative fruit, this intricate removable wallpaper from Sandberg – a Swedish company – is perfect for adding a touch of playfulness to any space in the house. I particularly like using anything with food motifs in a kitchen, dining room or pantry, whether that’s wallpaper or paintings. Featuring a warm beige backdrop complemented by rich shades of green, red, yellow, brown, purple, blue and pink, it’s vibrant and packed with personality. The matte finish feels like quality under your fingertips. Type: Peel-and-stickDunelm Pressed Flowers WallpaperNicky Rampley-Clarke/Dunelm★★★★☆Best: Budget removable wallpaper What we love: At the cheaper end of the scale among the papers reviewed, this design punches well above its weight with a quality look and feel that could easily be mistaken for a designer covering. Take note: The intricate pattern combined with the peel-and-stick design means it takes a bit of time to line up the edges of the floral motif between individual pieces. I love the fact that Dunelm lists a trio of complementary paints to pair with their removable wallpaper – perfect for making woodwork around it, like skirting, the door and cornices pop. The peel-and-stick design features a pretty floral pattern in pastel shades of yellow, pink, green and purple, while its surface is smooth to the touch. Wipeable with a cloth, why not try it in a child’s bedroom or busy hallway, where scuffs and spills are pretty much inevitable?Type: Peel-and-stickRebel Walls Bellewood Clouds Blue VintageNicky Rampley-Clarke/Rebel Walls ★★★★★Best: Removable wallpaper with immediate impact What we love: The versatility of this paper means it’s as at home in a grown-up room as it is in a little one’s, while the price means it’s a steal compared to some of the designer murals on the market (not naming names). Take note: Peel-and-stick or otherwise, applying mural papers to your walls can prove a nightmare for even the most accomplished DIYer, so divide the lengths as indicated by the cutting symbols, then lay in numerical order from left to right starting with length number one. Work from the ceiling to the floor and from the middle to the edges. Based on several toile designs featuring trees from romantic landscapes, the Bellewood Clouds removable wallpaper from Rebel Walls weaves a narrative into a room. In shades of blue, brown and beige, the digital print is calming and cocooning, while mural-style design envelops spaces with its natural charm. I rather like this for a dining room as a conversation-starter around the table, although it would work equally well as a backdrop for a playroom that’s whimsical without being childish. Type: Peel-and-stickB&Q GoodHome Osum Sage Nature Textured WallpaperNicky Rampley-Clarke/B&Q★★★★☆Best: Removable wallpaper for accurate alignment What we love: With no pasting table necessary, this wallpaper can be hung directly to a layer of glue added directly to the wall, which is best for accurately lining up patterns between the edges of pieces. The tactile feel of the paper is lovely under the fingertips, too – but don’t tell the kids. Take note: It’s still not peel-and-stick, so it wasn’t quite as easy to whack on the wall as the others. It all comes down to whether you prefer speed or perfection. Although not peel-and-stick, this wallpaper from B&Q is removable, in so much as it claims that it can be peeled off walls easily when you want to give your interiors a quick refresh. Leaves and birds in a sage-green colourway mean it’s perfect for adding personality to all four walls, or simply making a statement on a single one, such as behind the headboard or either side of a fireplace. Because it can be wiped clean with water and a sponge, it’s brilliant for high-traffic areas, such as a hallway or living room. Type: Paste-the-wallWhat is the best removable wallpaper? My verdict? I’m a sucker for beautiful things, so it’s got to be the Tree of Life mural by Sandberg, if only for its intricate, inspiring design. I love that it’s a digital print of a hand-painted motif – the hands of an artist that fly in the face of AI – while I can imagine this covering generating a lot of chatter when friends and family visit. It gets extra points for the tactile finish, too. And the peel-and-stick application? The cherry on top of a very fruity little number. Why trust me?As a freelance interiors editor, I’m an expert on all things home. I also work with some of the biggest interiors brands on the high street to advise and create content, so I understand products, what goes into making them and how they perform. As I’m on my third house renovation, I know wallpaper like the back of my hand, too.