Some wallpapers simply fill a wall; others tell a story. Mind The Gap's Orient Express collection belongs firmly in the second camp. Here we look at what inspired it, what you will spot in the designs, and how to use travel-themed, story-telling wallpaper so it feels like part of your home rather than a stage set.
The inspiration: the golden age of rail travel
The collection takes its cue from the Orient Express and the era when long-distance travel meant luxury and adventure in equal measure. The designs pay homage to the cities that drew travellers along the route: the romantic streets of Paris, the canals of Venice and the imperial splendour of Vienna.
Alongside the cities, the collection picks up the journey itself. Expect scenes of fleeting forests and endless skies, the kind of view that rolls past a carriage window, and charming railway station architecture. It is nostalgia, but drawn with a modern eye, which is what keeps it from feeling like a museum piece.
What to look for in the designs
The fun of this collection is in the detail. Look closely and you will find:
- Wooden toy conductors
- Brightly coloured cases stacked with pets waiting for their owners to arrive
- Baggage cars and opulent tapestries
- Ornamental room keys with colourful tassels
That level of imagery is what makes story-telling wallpaper so rewarding. It is a wall people stop and read, and you keep noticing new things long after it goes up.
Where travel-themed wallpaper works best
Hallways and landings. A hall is literally a place of arrival and departure, so a journey theme feels right at home. These are also spaces you pass through rather than sit in, which means a busy, detailed pattern adds interest without becoming tiring.
Studies and reading corners. A wall full of cities and railway scenes makes a good backdrop for daydreaming. Pair it with a plain desk and simple shelving so the wallpaper does the talking.
Cloakrooms and downstairs loos. Small rooms are the perfect place to be brave. Guests spend just long enough in there to take in the detail, and a whole-room treatment wraps you in the scene.
Children's rooms. Toy conductors and pets peeping out of suitcases are a natural fit for a child's bedroom, and a narrative design gives you something to talk about at bedtime.
How to style a story-telling wallpaper
Choose one storyteller per room. A detailed scenic paper is the star. Keep other patterns in the room quieter, such as a simple stripe, a small check or plain textures, so the two do not compete.
Pull out one or two colours. Pick a shade from the wallpaper, perhaps the colour of a suitcase or a tassel, and repeat it in a cushion, a lampshade or a painted door frame. It ties the room together and makes the paper look intentional.
Paint the woodwork to match. Skirting boards, doors and window frames painted in a colour taken from the background of the paper make the room feel finished and let the scenes flow uninterrupted.
Add a few travel-inspired objects. A vintage suitcase used as a side table, an old map or a framed ticket will echo the theme. Keep it to a handful of pieces, though; the wall is already telling the story.
Think about lighting. Detailed designs reward good light. A wall light or picture light angled across the paper picks out the imagery in the evening.
Feature wall or the whole room?
A single feature wall draws the eye and is a gentle way to try a bold design, especially behind a bed or at the end of a corridor. Papering every wall gives a more immersive, enveloping feel, a little like stepping into a carriage, and tends to suit smaller rooms where a feature wall can look like an afterthought. If you are unsure, start with the wall you see first when you walk in.
If the Orient Express collection has caught your imagination, browse our full range of Mind The Gap wallpapers to see the designs side by side. You are always welcome to visit us in the shop in Somerset or get in touch with the team for advice on choosing the right design for your room.
