Wallpaper - By the Waterhole

Our By the Waterhole wallpaper brings a tranquil wildlife landscape into the home with a gentle, watercolour-like appearance. Designed by Haitham, the composition portrays elephants, giraffes, and wading birds gathering at the edge of quiet water beneath expansive acacia-like canopy trees. Soft washes of light brown, warm earthy tones, and muted greyish blues give the scenic mural a calm, painterly character rather than a sharp graphic outline. Printed made-to-measure on our PVC-free paper with a subtle surface structure, it works beautifully as an atmospheric feature wall in bedrooms, living areas, or nurseries.

In the room

Because the design functions as a scenic narrative, we see this working best on an open, relatively uninterrupted wall where the full breadth of the landscape can unfold. In a living room or dining room, placing the mural across a main wall allows the gentle water reflections at the base and the sweeping tree branches above to frame the entire space.

In a bedroom, nursery, or playroom, the serene palette creates a restful backdrop behind a bed, cot, or low sideboard. The vertical presence of the giraffes and trees balances the horizontal stretch of the waterhole, helping the design feel grounded even on walls with standard ceiling heights. For a study or library, the muted, nature-inspired palette provides visual interest without overwhelming a focused working environment.

Styling it

We suggest keeping surrounding furniture relatively calm and understated so the wallpaper remains the visual focus of the room. Natural, tactile materials complement the painterly wildlife motif particularly well.

Warm wood furniture, such as honey-toned oak, ash, or light teak, pairs naturally with the golden and light brown washes in the grasses and tree canopy. For textiles, simple unbleached linens, neutral wool rugs, or woven jute flooring enhance the organic, earthy feel of the setting. Upholstered pieces in soft stone, cream, or quiet oatmeal let the detailed animal figures stand out without visual clutter.

Colour combinations

The wallpaper is built upon a balanced palette of light brown, warm sandy tones, soft ochre, and hazy blue-grey washes across the water and background foliage, set against a pale cream sky.

When painting adjacent walls, we recommend soft off-whites, warm stone, or subtle biscuit tones that pick up on the pale ground of the sky. If you prefer deeper contrast, a muted slate blue or a warm earthy brown on surrounding woodwork, doors, or cabinetry will draw out the darker shadows in the elephants and riverbank.

About our wallpaper

At Wallism, all our wallpapers are made-to-measure based on your exact wall dimensions. Custom sizing ensures the design fits your specific room proportions while helping to reduce unnecessary excess material during installation.

Our mural wallpapers are completely PVC-free and printed on paper featuring a subtle physical structure that adds depth to the printed artwork. Designed to be straightforward to hang, our wallpapers offer versatile decorating options suited to homeowners and renters alike.