The Little Greene x National Trust wallpaper collaboration

Heritage paint and wallpaper brand, Little Greene, has launched a new collection of wallpapers in collaboration with the National Trust with a playful nostalgic edge perfect for a kid’s bedroom.

Whilst the stylish wallpapers can be used in all sorts of rooms throughout the house – from bathrooms to breakfast nooks – I think they become the star of the show in a children’s bedroom or nursery idea.

The new ‘Storybook Papers’ collection features eight wallpaper ideas, each inspired by artefacts conserved in National Trust properties across the UK – from vintage children’s toys to decorative fabrics and original artworks by children’s author Beatrix Potter.

Little Greene x National Trust ‘Storybook Papers’ wallpaper collection

The two prints that instantly caught my eye are the Little Greene ‘Animal Kingdom’ wallpaper in ‘Atomic’ – a vintage twist on a jungle safari theme featuring colourful elephants, ostriches, tigers, and penguins – and ‘Broad Stripe’ – a bold pea-green striped wallpaper that is both classic and contemporary.

However, if you’re new to wallpapering, there are some tricks worth knowing to ensure you get this look right. I asked Ruth Mottershead, Creative Director at Little Greene, and interior stylist Laurie Davidson for their top tips on incorporating these two wallpapers into a decorating scheme that looks playful and stylish, rather than childish.

How to style ‘Animal Kingdom’ wallpaper

First up, think beyond just the wallpaper. You’ll need paint that works with your chosen paper, and accessories that complement or contrast to tie the whole room together.

‘For a gentler more harmonious scheme, take the ‘base’ or background colour of your wallpaper pattern onto your ceiling and woodwork’ explains Ruth. Little Greene’s ‘Slaked Lime – Mid’ paint is the perfect neutral match with the ‘Animal Kingdom’ collection.

‘Or for a more maximalist approach consider taking the deepest or brightest colour from within the pattern onto your painted surfaces’ Ruth suggests. Primary shades ‘Atomic Red’ and ‘Smalt Blue’ contrast perfectly.

Interiors stylist Laurie explains you can also incorporate this paint trick into a feature wall idea by using coordinating paint colours on three of the walls and only wallpapering one.

‘If you have your heart set on a particular wallpaper but it’s a bit more expensive than you’d like, look at how you can still incorporate it without having to buy too many rolls’ shares Laurie. ‘If you’re only using it on one wall, make sure it’s a wall you see the most, or one that you’ll see as you pass by outside’.

Or, ‘Why not use it above a picture rail around the top of your room, which is a smaller area to cover?’ Laurie adds.

You can then source accessories – such as bedding, a bedside lamp, or furniture – that pulls out some of your favourite colours from within the wallpaper. Or consider painting existing bedroom furniture in one of your coordinating paint shades.

How to style ‘Broad Stripe’ wallpaper

Depending on how you style it, striped wallpaper can be ‘fun and graphic’ or ‘elegant and regal’, says Ruth.

To add more playful fun, ‘Consider a striped ceiling or add floor-to-ceiling stripes in an attic bedroom for a fun way to exaggerate the angles of the space’ suggests Ruth.

‘Then there are smaller ways to include it, such as in the panels of wardrobe doors or lining the back of shelves in a cabinet’ adds Laurie. ‘And, if you have any leftover, why not use it to line drawers so that none goes to waste’.

You could pair the ‘Broad Stripe’ wallpaper with a tonal green such as Little Greene’s ‘Pea Green’ for a timeless look, but I love it paired with a contrasting colour, like Little Greene’s ‘Heat’ for a quirky edge. Then add accessories in your contrasting colour to tie the room together.

Whether you’re looking for small children’s bedroom ideas or have a larger room to decorate, I think the ‘Storybook Papers’ offer plenty of inspiration. Maybe even enough to consider getting the wallpaper paste out this weekend!

Plus, as a contribution from the sale of every roll of Little Greene wallpaper will go to support the National Trust’s conservation work, not only will your little one benefit from a newly decorated bedroom, but you’ll be helping to ensure Britain’s historic houses, gardens, and open spaces can be enjoyed for generations to come.