Wallpaper - The Open Sea

Our The Open Sea wallpaper captures the raw, painterly energy of an ocean swell, featuring dramatic crashing waves rendered in deep blues, greens, and foam whites beneath a turbulent, cloudy sky. Adapted from artwork by William Henry Holmes, the design has a distinctive watercolor-like character with fluid, expressive brushwork that gives the water a sense of continuous motion. Layered taupe, brown, and shadowy storm tones in the sky balance the cooler shades of the water, creating a rich and atmospheric maritime composition. Produced custom to your specifications, our wall murals are PVC-free and printed on paper with a subtle surface structure.

In the room

Because this design functions as a full-scale scenic landscape, we especially like it on a broad, uninterrupted feature wall where the sweeping horizon and rolling wave forms have space to unfold. In a living room behind a low-backed sofa, or in a bedroom behind a headboard, the panoramic depth of the water creates a striking focal point. We also see this working exceptionally well in a study, library, or home office, where the moody, storm-toned palette lends a quiet, contemplative atmosphere to the space. For smaller areas like a hallway or dining nook, the dynamic movement of the waves brings visual interest without feeling cluttered, as the natural horizon line provides an anchoring sense of structure.

Styling it

The rich, historical impressionist character of this design makes it a natural fit for heritage, classic, or refined coastal interiors. We suggest pairing it with furniture that balances the deep tones of the ocean without competing with the dynamic painterly texture:

• Choose warm, darker woods such as walnut, antique mahogany, or aged oak to echo the earthy taupe undertones in the sky.
• Bring in upholstery and drapery in tactile, unpatterned fabrics like brushed wool, heavy linen, or matte velvet in muted navy, stone, or sand tones.
• Complement the maritime mood with subtle aged metal accents, such as antique brass reading lamps, bronze hardware, or dark iron detailing.

Colour combinations

The palette within our mural wallpapers balances cool oceanic tones with earthy, stormy neutrals. Deep navy, seafoam green, and cresting white waves sit against a layered backdrop of taupe, charcoal, and warm brownish grays. For surrounding painted walls and woodwork, we recommend pulling out the softer neutral tones from the sky, such as a warm taupe, pale greige, or soft chalky off-white. If you prefer a moodier, enveloping scheme, deep charcoal or ink blue on adjacent trims and doors can beautifully frame the seascape.

About our wallpaper

At Wallism, our wallpapers are made-to-measure according to your specific wall dimensions, which helps reduce unnecessary excess wallpaper during decorating. We produce all our wall murals on PVC-free paper with a subtle physical structure that complements painterly artwork. Designed to be straightforward and simple to hang, our wallpapers offer versatile options suited to different homes, rooms, and living spaces.