Wallpaper - Looking at Black

Our Looking at Black wallpaper, created by Melissa Averinos, brings together a playful cast of whimsical characters drawn in expressive white ink lines over a deep black ground. Illustrated figures including monkeys, narwhals, owls, bears, rabbits, and mermaids drift and tilt across the surface, filled with charming hand-drawn textures, starbursts, and geometric markings. The stark monochrome contrast gives the quirky illustrative style a striking, graphic presence on the wall. Produced made-to-measure on PVC-free paper with a subtle surface structure, our wallpapers are straightforward to hang and make an eye-catching statement in any creative space.

In the room

We see this design working exceptionally well in a children's bedroom, playroom, or nursery where its lively animal characters can spark storytelling and imagination. Because the pattern relies on a high-contrast black and white palette, it functions beautifully as a feature wall behind a bed, a cot, or low toy storage. In a teenage room or a study, the graphic quality of the black backdrop reads as modern and bold rather than simply juvenile. On larger, uninterrupted walls, the tossed arrangement of characters has plenty of room to repeat freely without feeling rigid or overly structured.

Styling it

To balance the bold monochrome contrast of the wallpaper, we suggest introducing warm, natural materials and relaxed shapes. Natural wood furniture in lighter tones, such as birch, ash, or pale pine, softens the deep black background and adds warmth to a kids' room or creative corner. Simple painted furniture in muted charcoal or off-white keeps the surrounding area calm, allowing the detailed line drawings to remain the clear visual focal point.

Colour combinations

The motif itself is defined entirely by crisp, brilliant white line work set against solid black. Around it, we like pairing adjacent painted walls with soft, warm off-whites or chalky pale greys rather than stark pure whites, which helps ease the transition between the dark wall and the rest of the room. If you want to introduce accent colours through accessories, muted tones like dusty mustard, sage green, or terracotta bring subtle warmth that sits comfortably alongside the graphic black-and-white theme.

About our wallpaper

At Wallism, our wallpapers and mural wallpapers are made-to-measure to fit your exact wall dimensions. Printing to your supplied measurements helps reduce unnecessary excess wallpaper during decorating. All our wall murals are completely PVC-free and printed on paper featuring a subtle physical surface structure, designed to be straightforward and easy to hang.