Gold Wallpaper Ideas: 19 Stylish Colour Combinations
19 gold wallpaper colour combinations, from black and gold and cream and gold to green, navy, pink and rose gold, plus what colour paint, curtains and carpet go with gold wallpaper and how to keep it elegant.
By Magda Callery, interior designer and florist
Gold wallpaper is one of the quickest ways to make a room feel special. A metallic leaf pattern catches the lamplight in the evening, a black and gold Art Deco print gives a hallway instant glamour, and a soft cream and gold damask feels timeless in a bedroom. The secret is choosing the right partner colour, because gold changes character completely depending on what you put next to it.
In this guide I'll explain the different types of gold wallpaper, share 19 gold wallpaper colour combinations, from black and gold to cream, green, navy and rose gold, and answer the questions people always ask: what colour paint, curtains and carpet go with gold wallpaper, and how to keep it looking elegant rather than brassy.
Why Gold Wallpaper Works
- It reflects light. Metallic inks and foils bounce lamplight and daylight around a room, which is especially useful in dark hallways and north-facing rooms.
- It adds warmth. Gold is a warm metal, so it softens cool colours such as navy, grey and green.
- It changes through the day. A gold pattern can look subtle in daylight and glow in the evening.
- It's classic and modern. Gold appears in everything from Georgian damasks to 1920s Art Deco and contemporary botanicals.
Types of Gold Wallpaper
| Type | What it looks like | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Metallic print | A pattern printed in gold ink on a coloured ground | Living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms |
| Gold leaf or foil | Shimmering sheets or flecks of metallic finish | Feature walls, ceilings, cloakrooms |
| Gold damask | A traditional, symmetrical repeating pattern | Period homes, bedrooms, dining rooms |
| Art Deco geometric | Fans, arches and lines in gold on black, navy or green | Hallways, cloakrooms, dining rooms |
| Gold botanical | Leaves, palms or florals picked out in gold | Living rooms, dining rooms, bathrooms |
| Gold marble effect | Veined marble with gold lines | Bathrooms, feature walls |
| Gold glitter | Textured, sparkling surface | Small accents, children's rooms |
| Metallic grasscloth or texture | Natural weave with a gold sheen | Calm, luxurious living rooms and bedrooms |
19 Gold Wallpaper Colour Combinations
Black and gold
1. Classic black and gold. Black and gold is dramatic, glamorous and surprisingly versatile. A black ground with a fine gold pattern makes a cloakroom, hallway or dining room feel like a jazz age bar.
2. Black and gold Art Deco. Fans, arches and sunbursts in gold on black are the signature of 1920s and 1930s style. Pair with brass lighting, velvet and a black and white tiled floor.
3. Black, white and gold. Adding white to black and gold lifts the drama and makes the scheme feel crisp and modern. White panelling below a black and gold paper is a smart compromise in a narrow space.
4. Black and gold marble. Black marble-effect wallpaper with gold veins looks luxurious in a bathroom or behind a bar. Choose a washable vinyl and follow the rules for bathroom wallpaper so it lasts.
Cream, white and neutrals with gold
5. Cream and gold. Cream and gold is warm, elegant and timeless, especially in a gold damask or a soft trellis. It's a natural choice for bedrooms and period living rooms.
6. Cream on cream with a gold accent. A tone on tone cream pattern with a subtle gold shimmer feels calm and expensive, and it works in almost any room.
7. White and gold. White and gold feels fresh and bright. Gold also stops a white room feeling clinical, adding warmth without colour. Pick a warm white for the woodwork from these white paint colours.
8. Beige, greige and gold. Soft taupes and greiges are gold's most natural partners. Interior designer Cathy Dean, founder of Studio Dean, told Livingetc that "Taupes, greiges and other tonal neutrals welcome gold into their roomscapes happily."
Green and gold
9. Deep green and gold. Forest, bottle and olive greens with gold feel rich and grown up. In the same Livingetc article, Cathy Dean says "Golds and brass sit comfortably with dark greens, but head for a more forest or olive tone." Olive green woodwork with a gold botanical paper is beautiful.
10. Emerald green and gold. Jewel-bright emerald with gold is pure glamour, perfect for a dining room or snug lit by candlelight.
11. Sage green and gold. Softer and calmer, sage and gold suit bedrooms and kitchens. You'll find the best shades among these green paint colours.
Blue and gold
12. Navy and gold. Navy and gold is a classic, confident pairing that feels both traditional and modern. An inky shade such as Dulux Ink Well on the woodwork deepens the look.
13. Teal and gold. Teal sits close to turquoise, the opposite of gold on the colour wheel, so the two make each other glow.
14. Pale blue and gold. Duck egg or powder blue with a gold pattern feels light, pretty and slightly French, a softer take on blue and gold.
Pink, rose gold and warm tones
15. Pink and gold. Blush pink with gold is soft, modern and flattering. For more ways to use the colour, explore these pink wallpaper ideas.
16. Rose gold. Rose gold has a pinker, softer tone than yellow gold. It suits grey, blush and cream, and it's a favourite for bedrooms and dressing rooms.
17. Burgundy and gold. Deep red, burgundy and oxblood with gold create a rich, opulent, almost theatrical scheme for a dining room or library.
Grey, brown and metallics
18. Grey and gold. Warm greys gain a lovely glow from gold, and cool greys feel less cold. It's a sophisticated combination for living rooms and bedrooms, and the gold takes the edge off the coolness of grey. Grey and rose gold is a softer variation.
19. Brown and gold, or gold and silver. Chocolate, caramel and gold feel warm and 1970s-inspired, while gold and silver together look festive and glamorous. If you mix metals, let one lead and use the other sparingly.
Gold Wallpaper Ideas by Room
| Room | Best gold wallpaper | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Living room | Gold botanical or metallic texture | Use on one wall or all four with plain furniture |
| Bedroom | Cream and gold damask, rose gold or a subtle metallic | Behind the bed, softened with linen and velvet |
| Dining room | Emerald, navy or black and gold | Magical by candlelight |
| Hallway | Black and gold Art Deco or a gold geometric | Reflects light in a dark space |
| Cloakroom | Bold black and gold or gold leaf | The perfect room to be daring |
| Ceiling | Gold leaf or a metallic texture | Glows beautifully under a pendant light |
A dark, narrow hallway is the place where gold wallpaper earns its keep; these Georgian hallway ideas show how pattern and light can lift a period entrance.
What Colour Paint Goes With Gold Wallpaper?
| Wallpaper | Paint for woodwork and other walls |
|---|---|
| Black and gold | Soft black, charcoal or a warm white |
| Cream and gold | Cream, ivory or a soft warm white |
| Green and gold | The darkest green in the pattern, or olive |
| Navy and gold | Navy, ink blue or a warm white |
| Pink and gold | Blush, plaster pink or a warm white |
| Grey and gold | Warm grey, greige or charcoal |
| Burgundy and gold | Burgundy, oxblood or cream |
My designer's tip: take the paint colour from the background of the wallpaper, not the gold. Painting woodwork gold rarely works; let the paper provide the sparkle and pick up the gold in brass fittings, frames and lighting instead.
What Colour Curtains Go With Gold Wallpaper?
- Plain curtains in the wallpaper's background colour, such as black, navy, green or cream, are the safest and most elegant choice.
- Velvet in emerald, navy, burgundy or ochre looks rich against a gold pattern.
- Natural linen in oatmeal or cream softens a busy gold wallpaper.
- Avoid busy patterns on both curtains and walls; let one lead.
- Pick up the gold with a brass curtain pole or a fine gold trim rather than shiny gold fabric.
What Colour Carpet Goes With Gold Wallpaper?
- Neutral carpets in oatmeal, sand, stone or warm grey let the wallpaper shine.
- Dark carpets in charcoal, navy or forest green look luxurious with black, navy or green and gold papers.
- Wooden floors with one of these living room rugs are often the best option of all.
- Avoid bright yellow or patterned carpets that compete with the gold.
How to Keep Gold Looking Elegant, Not Brassy
- Choose a muted, antique or brushed gold rather than a bright, yellow gold.
- Balance it with calm colours and plenty of plain surfaces. Farrow & Ball's Patrick O'Donnell suggests keeping "all other elements super calm to really let the gold take center stage", according to Livingetc.
- Mix in natural textures such as wood, linen, rattan and stone.
- Add aged finishes, like a foxed mirror; it's easy to antique a mirror yourself, and a gilt frame looks right at home.
- Use warm lighting. Gold glows under warm white bulbs and looks flat under cold ones.
- Don't overdo it. One gold wallpapered room or wall is usually enough in a home.
Tips for Hanging Metallic Wallpaper
- Prepare the wall well. Shiny finishes show every bump, so fill, sand and consider lining paper first.
- Keep paste off the front. Paste can dull or mark metallic inks; wipe gently with a damp sponge straight away.
- Use a soft smoothing brush rather than a hard plastic smoother that could scratch the surface.
- Order enough rolls, as large patterns waste more paper. The wallpaper calculator works it out for you.
- Check the batch number so the metallic finish matches from roll to roll.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Mistake | Why it's a problem | What to do instead |
|---|---|---|
| Too much gold everywhere | Looks brassy and overwhelming | Use gold wallpaper in one room or on one wall |
| Bright yellow gold | Can look cheap | Choose muted, antique or brushed gold |
| Cold white bulbs | Gold looks flat and greenish | Use warm white lighting |
| Busy curtains and carpet | Competes with the wallpaper | Keep other surfaces plain |
| Hanging on uneven walls | Metallic finishes highlight bumps | Fill, sand and use lining paper |
Frequently Asked Questions
What colour goes with gold wallpaper?
Black, cream, white, greige, deep green, navy, teal, blush pink, burgundy and grey all work. Take your paint and fabric colours from the background of the wallpaper.
What colour curtains go with gold wallpaper?
Plain curtains in the wallpaper's background colour work best, or velvet in emerald, navy, burgundy or ochre. Natural linen softens a busy gold design.
What colour carpet goes with gold wallpaper?
Neutral carpets in oatmeal, stone or warm grey are the safest choice. Dark charcoal, navy or green carpets look luxurious with darker gold wallpapers.
Is black and gold wallpaper too dark for a small room?
Not if you embrace it. Black and gold works especially well in small cloakrooms and hallways, where the metallic pattern reflects light and the dark ground blurs the corners.
Does gold wallpaper look dated?
Not when it's used thoughtfully. Muted, antique golds with green, navy, black or warm neutrals look current and timeless.
What goes with rose gold wallpaper?
Grey, blush pink, cream, soft white and pale wood all suit rose gold, along with velvet and brushed brass or copper accents.
Let Your Walls Shine
Gold wallpaper brings light, warmth and a touch of glamour to any room. Choose the right partner colour for the mood you want, keep the rest of the room calm, and add natural textures and warm lighting so it feels elegant rather than brash.
For more ideas, explore the interior design section, and if you'd like help choosing a gold wallpaper and colour scheme for your home, you can book a one-hour online interior design consultation with me.
About the author
Magda Callery is a UK interior designer and florist with more than 15 years' experience designing homes, pubs, restaurants and bars, and her expert commentary has featured in Homes & Gardens, The Mirror and The Spruce. Explore more of the interior design articles.
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