Wallpaper - Gliding

Our Gliding wallpaper, created by Kate Jarvik Birch, features a graceful white swan drifting across still, dark water with luminous rippling reflections. What we particularly like about this design is the painterly brushwork that builds the plumage with subtle pale blues, soft greys, and warm highlights against the deep background. The strong tonal contrast and painterly character give the motif an expressive presence on the wall. Produced made-to-measure on PVC-free paper with a subtle physical structure, our mural wallpapers bring an artistic focal point into your interior.

In the room

Because of the bold scale and deep, atmospheric background, we see this design working especially well as a feature wall in a bedroom, living room, or calm dining space. Placing the wallpaper on the wall behind a bed or low-backed sofa allows the swan and its water reflections to command attention without being broken up by tall furniture. In a room with balanced natural light, the delicate tonal variations in the white feathers and the golden gleam in the water ripples become particularly vivid.

Styling it

To let the expressive painterly character of the wallpaper stand out, we would keep the surrounding furnishings relatively quiet and grounded.

• Pair with dark painted wood or low-profile contemporary furniture to echo the depth of the dark water.
• Introduce soft, unpatterned woven textiles in muted off-white or charcoal to mirror the swan's plumage without adding competing patterns.
• Incorporate subtle brass or warm metallic accents on lamps or fixtures to pick up the warm light reflected on the water's surface.

Colour combinations

The design centres around a palette of deep charcoal, slate black, crisp white, pale sky blue, and touches of warm ochre and coral on the bill. For surrounding walls and woodwork, a soft off-white or muted stony grey provides a crisp contrast that lets the dark backdrop pop. Alternatively, pairing the mural with deep ink or charcoal walls creates an enveloping, dramatic room setting.

About our wallpaper

At Wallism, our wallpapers are made-to-measure to fit your wall dimensions, helping to reduce unnecessary excess paper. We produce all of our wall murals on PVC-free paper with a subtle physical surface structure. Designed to be straightforward to hang, our wallpapers offer flexible solutions suited to both homeowners and renters looking to transform their interior.