Room guide
Dining Room Wallpaper: Chair Rails, Wainscoting and Pattern Choices
Dining rooms are one of the best rooms for wallpaper, because the walls get little wear and you see them from the table. With a chair rail or wainscoting, the paper usually goes above it; without one, a full-height pattern or a scenic mural works well. The layout is planned so the pattern is centered on the main wall and on the light fixture.
In short
- Above a chair rail or wainscot: the classic, practical choice.
- Full height: best for murals and large-scale patterns.
- Grasscloth and silk work well here because dining rooms stay dry.
- Center the pattern on the main wall or the chandelier.
Layouts that work
| Layout | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Paper above chair rail | Traditional and transitional rooms | Chairs hit the painted lower wall, not the paper |
| Paper above wainscoting | Formal dining rooms | Classic look, protects the lower wall |
| Full height, no rail | Modern rooms, murals | Pattern reads as one continuous surface |
| Ceiling as well | Statement rooms | See our ceiling guide |
Pattern choices
- Scenic murals and botanicals: the 2026 favorite for dining rooms.
- Damask and traditional patterns: formal rooms with wainscoting.
- Grasscloth: warm texture, perfect in a dry dining room. See grasscloth guide.
- Stripes: make a room feel taller; need plumb walls.
How we plan it
We start on the wall people see when they walk in, center the pattern there or on the chandelier, and work toward the least visible corner, where the last strip meets the first. With a chair rail, each strip is trimmed precisely along the top of the rail.
Where we work: neighborhoods and ZIP codes
We wallpaper formal and casual dining rooms in Buckhead, Tuxedo Park, Sandy Springs, East Cobb, Roswell and Alpharetta.
North Atlanta: Buckhead, Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, Brookhaven, Midtown
- 30305 Buckhead
- 30327 Buckhead / Tuxedo Park
- 30342 Buckhead / Sandy Springs
- 30328 Sandy Springs
- 30350 Sandy Springs / Dunwoody
- 30338 Dunwoody
- 30319 Brookhaven
- 30324 Brookhaven / Lindbergh
- 30329 North Druid Hills
- 30341 Chamblee / Brookhaven
- 30339 Vinings / Cumberland
- 30309 Midtown / Ansley Park
- 30318 West Midtown / Westside
Roswell and East Cobb
- 30075 Roswell
- 30076 Roswell
- 30077 Roswell
- 30062 Marietta / East Cobb
- 30066 Marietta / East Cobb
- 30068 Marietta / East Cobb
Alpharetta, Milton and Johns Creek
- 30004 Alpharetta / Milton
- 30005 Alpharetta
- 30009 Alpharetta
- 30022 Alpharetta / Johns Creek
- 30024 Suwanee / Johns Creek
- 30097 Johns Creek / Duluth
Also serving: Gwinnett County; Cumming; Woodstock, Canton and Hall County. Not sure we cover your street? Send your ZIP code with a quote request.
About WallPros. WallPros LLC is a wallpaper installation company based in Grayson, Georgia, serving Gwinnett County, North Atlanta, Alpharetta, Roswell, East Cobb, Cumming and the rest of Metro Atlanta for 10 years. We install, remove and prepare walls for homeowners, interior designers and builders.
FAQ
Common questions
Should wallpaper go above or below a chair rail?
Usually above, with paint or paneling below where chairs bump the wall.
Is grasscloth good for a dining room?
Yes. Dining rooms are dry and low-contact, ideal for natural fibers.
Can I add a chair rail when I wallpaper?
Yes. Install and paint the rail first, then the paper is trimmed to it.