Wall Murals vs. Wallpaper
What’s the Difference and Which Should You Choose?
By: Ahroon Y.
Date: January 28, 2026
Wall murals and wallpaper may seem similar at first glance, but they serve very different design purposes. A wall mural is a single large-scale image that creates a bold focal point, while wallpaper uses repeating patterns to add texture or consistency throughout a room. Choosing between the two depends on your space, style goals, installation needs, and the atmosphere you want to create.
What Is a Wall Mural?
Wall murals are typically large, single-image graphics designed to fill an entire wall with one cohesive scene or piece of artwork.
Think of:
- A misty forest landscape
- A city skyline
- A dreamy watercolor design
- A child’s favorite cartoon world
- A branded feature wall in an office or lobby
Murals are statement pieces that add drama, depth, and personality to a space. They’re often used as accent walls or focal points in both residential and commercial interiors. Explore our full collection of customizable murals.
What Is Wallpaper?
Traditional wallpaper is designed around repetition. Rather than one continuous image, wallpaper features patterns or textures that repeat across a wall or throughout an entire room. Popular wallpaper styles include:
- Florals
- Stripes
- Geometric patterns
- Metallic or textured finishes
- Minimalist repeating motifs
Traditional wallpaper is usually sold in preprinted rolls with fixed pattern widths (often between 18 and 24 inches), requiring more panel matching during installation. Murals Your Way wallpaper is different — we print repeating patterns on the same premium materials used for our wall murals in wider 54-inch panels, which means fewer seams, faster installation, and a smoother finished look. Browse our full wallpaper collection.
Key Differences Between Wall Murals and Wallpaper
Here’s a simple breakdown of how wall murals and wallpaper compare when it comes to design, installation, and overall visual impact:
Design Style
- Wall Murals: One large image or scene
- Wallpaper: Repeating pattern or texture
Best Use
- Wall Murals: Accent walls and statement spaces
- Wallpaper: Full-room coverage and subtle backgrounds
Custom Sizing
- Wall Murals: Printed to fit your wall exactly
- Wallpaper: Typically sold in fixed rolls — though Murals Your Way wallpaper is custom-printed in wide panels for easier installation
Installation Speed
- Wall Murals: Faster installation with fewer seams
- Wallpaper: Traditional wallpaper requires more panel matching, but Murals Your Way wallpaper prints in wider panels for quicker installation
Visual Impact
- Wall Murals: Dramatic, immersive focal point
- Wallpaper: Classic, consistent backdrop
The main difference is that wall murals use one large image, while wallpaper uses repeating patterns.
Which Should You Choose?
Both murals and wallpaper can completely transform a room — the best choice depends on your design goals.
Choose a wall mural if you want:
- A bold feature wall or focal point
- A scenic or artistic statement
- A fully custom-sized design
- A personalized space (nursery, bedroom, office, retail wall)
Wall murals are ideal when you want the wall itself to become the main design element.
Choose wallpaper if you want:
- A repeating pattern across multiple walls
- A subtle background texture
- A timeless, consistent look throughout the room
- Decorative coverage that supports other design features
Wallpaper works especially well in dining rooms, powder rooms, hallways, or spaces where you want atmosphere without one dominant focal point.
Can you use both in the same room?
Yes! Many designers combine a mural on one feature wall with complementary wallpaper on surrounding walls. This creates contrast, balance, and a layered professional look — especially in living rooms, boutique retail spaces, and hospitality interiors.
Shop Wall Murals vs. Shop Wallpaper (Quick Comparison)
Not sure where to start? Explore both options below:
Shop Wall Murals
Perfect for bold statement walls, immersive scenes, and custom-sized designs.
Browse Wall Murals
Shop Wallpaper
Great for repeating patterns, subtle texture, and full-room coverage.
Browse Wallpaper
Want something completely unique? Create your own design with our Create Your Own Mural feature.
Wall Murals vs Wallpaper for Commercial Spaces (Lobbies, Offices, Hotels)
In high-traffic commercial environments like hotel lobbies, corporate offices, restaurants, gyms, and healthcare waiting rooms, choosing the right wallcovering goes beyond style. You’ll want to consider:
- Durability
- Cleanability
- Brand impact
- Installation efficiency
Many businesses choose commercial-grade vinyl wall murals for statement walls, branded spaces, or immersive customer experiences. Wallpaper patterns can work well for adding texture and consistency throughout larger multi-wall areas.
Learn more about our commercial solutions.
What Makes Wallpaper from Murals Your Way Different?
Murals Your Way wallpaper is not the traditional preprinted roll wallpaper you’ll find in home improvement stores. Instead of being limited to narrow rolls with fixed patterns, our wallpaper is made with the same modern approach as our custom wall murals.
At Murals Your Way, we define wallpaper by the design style (a repeating pattern), not by the material it’s printed on. That means you can choose a wallpaper pattern you love and then select the material that best fits your space. Unlike traditional wallpaper that comes in narrow 18–24 inch rolls, Murals Your Way wallpaper is printed in wider 54-inch panels, which means:
- Fewer seams across the wall
- Faster, easier installation
- A smoother, more professional finished look
When you order wallpaper from Murals Your Way, you can also choose from several high-quality material options, including:
- Peel-and-stick
- Prepasted
- Commercial-grade vinyl
- Eco-friendly materials
That means both murals and wallpaper can be fully customized for your project — whether you’re decorating a bedroom, designing an accent wall, or outfitting a large commercial lobby. Compare our materials.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between a wall mural and wallpaper?
A wall mural is a large-scale single image designed to cover a wall with one continuous scene. Wallpaper uses repeating patterns or textures and is typically meant to cover multiple walls uniformly.
Is a wall mural considered wallpaper?
Murals are a type of wallcovering, but they differ from traditional wallpaper because they are one cohesive image rather than a repeating roll pattern.
What is “mural wallpaper”?
Many people use the term mural wallpaper to describe a mural printed on wallpaper material. At Murals Your Way, murals and wallpaper can both be printed on the same materials — the key difference is whether the design is a single scene or a repeating pattern.
Are wall murals easier to install than wallpaper?
Both are designed to be easy to install. Traditional wallpaper often comes in narrow rolls that require more seams and pattern matching, but Murals Your Way wallpaper is different — our murals and wallpaper are both printed in wider panels (up to 54 inches), which means fewer strips, fewer seams, and faster installation overall.
Can I customize a wall mural?
Absolutely. Murals Your Way offers fully customizable murals. You can upload your own image, choose your size, crop the design, and even add branding or text.
Can I customize wallpaper?
Yes! Our wallpapers are customizable too. You can upload your own design or adjust one of our patterns — including color changes, pattern repeat, or added text.
Which option is better for renters or temporary spaces?
For renters and temporary spaces, it is all about the material and not the design (a single image vs a repeating pattern). All of our materials are easy to install and remove with no damage to the wall - as long as you follow our installation and removal instructions.
Which lasts longer — wallpaper or wall murals?
Both can last for years when printed on the right material. Commercial-grade vinyl murals and wallpapers often outperform traditional wallpaper in high-traffic environments.
What’s best for an accent wall?
Wall murals are often the best choice for accent walls because they create an immediate focal point and can be sized perfectly to your space.
The Bottom Line
Wall murals and wallpaper are often confused, but they offer distinct design experiences.
- Wallpaper provides repeating patterns and subtle texture
- Wall murals deliver one large-scale immersive image
Murals Your Way offers fully customizable murals and wallpaper in multiple material options — from peel-and-stick to commercial-grade vinyl — so you can find the perfect fit for your space.
Ready To Get Started?
Whether you choose a bold wall mural or a timeless wallpaper pattern, selecting the right material is key to a successful project.
Explore our collections or reach out to our team for expert help. Contact us or call 888.558.0279 to speak with one of our helpful Account Managers.
