Wallpaper - Borrowed Forms

Created by Mike Schick, our Borrowed Forms wallpaper brings together bold geometric architecture with a painted, modernist aesthetic. Large interlocking shapes in charcoal, off-white, and cool grey establish a grounded framework, punctuated by an off-centre white circle and fine, vibrant line accents in orange, mint green, and violet. The hand-painted visual texture softens the structural grid, giving the entire mural a warm, gallery-like presence. Produced as a made-to-measure design on PVC-free paper with a subtle surface structure, it creates a striking focal point with genuine artistic depth.

In the room

We love how the scale of Borrowed Forms commands attention across a larger, uninterrupted wall. In a living room or modern dining space, the broad geometric fields and sweeping curved lines break up flat vertical surfaces without feeling overly busy. Because the composition balances deep charcoal blocks with generous sections of light cream and soft grey, it adds graphic weight while keeping the overall room open and balanced.

In a dedicated home office or open-plan layout, this design functions beautifully as an accent wall. Giving the mural room to breathe allows the subtle interplay between the rigid rectangular boundaries and the circular motifs to be appreciated from across the room.

Styling it

To let the graphic artwork take centre stage, we suggest pairing this design with furniture that has clean, architectural silhouettes and minimal surface clutter. Low-profile seating or mid-century-inspired pieces in mid-toned woods allow the mural's scale to stretch upward naturally.

• Choose streamlined furniture with simple profiles, avoiding heavy ornamentation that might compete with the large-scale abstract geometry.
• Introduce warm wooden accents, such as walnut or natural ash, to balance the cool charcoal and grey tones with an inviting, organic feel.
• Incorporate subtle matte black or slender metal details in lighting fixtures to echo the dark structure of the design.

Colour combinations

The core palette of Borrowed Forms is built on high-contrast neutrals: deep charcoal black, chalky off-white, and muted mid-greys. Surrounding these bold blocks are narrow, expressive outlines in bright tangerine orange, teal, and soft purple.

When decorating the surrounding space, warm off-white or soft linen tones on adjacent walls will seamlessly extend the lighter sections of the wallpaper. For a bolder, moodier feel, pulling the deep charcoal into trim, skirting boards, or cabinetry creates an intentional, contemporary frame. If you want to introduce small decorative accents, pulling quiet touches of terracotta, warm ochre, or muted green through textiles will tie directly into the fine coloured lines within the artwork.

About our wallpaper

At Wallism, our wallpapers and mural wallpapers are made-to-measure to fit your specific wall dimensions, helping to reduce unnecessary excess compared to standard rolls. We print on PVC-free wallpaper with a subtle physical surface structure, designed to be straightforward and simple to hang. Whether you are transforming a forever home or personalising a rental space, we provide flexible options tailored to your decorating needs.