Wallpaper - Dories

Captured by photographer Debra Van Swearingen, our Dories wallpaper features four small rowboats resting side by side on calm, reflective water. Tied along a simple wooden dock, the gently weathered hulls and muted water surface create an open, quiet composition anchored by the vertical reflection of a wooden piling. The palette is built on soft creams, off-whites, and neutral sepia tones that give the photographic scene an understated, nostalgic presence on a large wall. Like all Wallism wall murals, this design is made-to-measure to your dimensions and printed on our PVC-free paper.

In the room

Because the main visual subject sits across the upper half of the composition with open water below, we especially like this mural wallpaper on a feature wall in a living room, bedroom, or guest room. In a bedroom, placing the headboard against the lower water portion allows the boats to remain cleanly visible above the bed. The generous negative space in the lower half also means lower furniture, such as a low sideboard or low-backed sofa, can sit against the wall without cutting off the key details. For a holiday home or a room inspired by coastal and lakeside living, it introduces a sense of quiet water without visual clutter.

Styling it

We suggest leaning into the wabi-sabi and understated coastal character of the photograph rather than bright, nautical decor.

Simple furniture in light or weathered wood tones echoes the texture of the wooden dock and the lived-in character of the rowboats. To keep the focus on the serene water imagery, pair the design with unpatterned textiles, such as washed natural linen or plain woven wool in muted ecru and oatmeal. Keeping surrounding decorative pieces minimal and organic in form helps the room retain the quiet atmosphere established by the wall mural.

Colour combinations

The design itself is composed of soft creams, chalky whites, and quiet greyish-brown water tones.

To create a cohesive scheme, we recommend taking your cue from these understated shades. For adjacent painted walls, skirtings, and window trims, off-whites with a slight warm undertone or stony neutrals blend effortlessly with the photograph. If you want a subtle contrast, soft muted greys or gentle drift-wood tones draw out the darker shadows and reflections in the water while keeping the overall palette calm and unified.

About our wallpaper

At Wallism, our wallpapers are made-to-measure to fit your exact wall dimensions. Producing each order individually helps reduce unnecessary excess wallpaper compared with buying standard fixed rolls.

All our mural wallpapers are PVC-free and printed on a paper with a subtle physical surface structure. They are designed to be straightforward and easy to hang, offering a simple way to introduce bespoke photographic design into your home.