Wallpaper - Cedar Rapids Iowa Skyline Purple & Gold

Created by Michael Tompsett, this skyline wallpaper captures the architectural profile of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in an expressive watercolour style. Crisp architectural silhouettes of landmarks, bridges, and high-rises are layered with rich splashes, ink drips, and paint splatters across a clean white background. A distinctive palette of dark mulberry purple and warm gold gives the skyline graphic impact while retaining the fluid character of a watercolour drawing. Like all our wall murals, this design is made to measure to fit your exact wall dimensions and is completely PVC-free with a subtle physical structure in the paper.

In the room

Because the composition places the skyline across the lower-to-middle portion of the wall against an open white expanse above, we see this working particularly well in spaces where you want vertical breathing room. In a living room, positioning the mural wallpapers behind a low-backed sofa allows the detailed skyline silhouettes and paint drips to remain fully visible. It also makes a compelling feature wall in a home office or study, bringing an artistic, urban focal point to the wall behind a desk without visually crowding the room.

On a wider, uninterrupted wall, the horizontal flow of the cityscape and bridges has plenty of room to stretch out. In rooms with generous daylight, the tonal contrast between the rich mulberry tones, the golden ochre washes, and the clean white ground feels especially crisp.

Styling it

The expressive nature of the watercolour silhouette pairs well with contemporary or eclectic interiors where architectural shapes take centre stage. We recommend keeping larger furniture pieces relatively understated in profile so the intricate skyline remains the primary graphic element in the room.

To echo the golden and ochre tones in the artwork, warm wood finishes such as honey oak or teak work beautifully alongside it. Choosing low-profile shelving or minimalist desks in dark bronze or matte black can subtly frame the architectural contours of the buildings without competing with the splashes of colour.

Colour combinations

The design itself is built on a high-contrast palette of deep mulberry purple, rich plum, and golden amber set against a crisp white ground. When decorating around this wallpaper, we suggest pulling from these core shades to tie the room together:

• Warm off-whites or soft cream on adjacent walls to maintain the airy, open feel of the upper background.
• Deep ochre, mustard, or amber accents in cushions, throws, or decorative ceramics to draw out the warm golden washes.
• Muted aubergine or charcoal grey for upholstery to balance the darker, moodier purple elements in the cityscape.

About our wallpaper

At Wallism, our wallpapers are made to measure according to your exact wall dimensions, which helps reduce unnecessary excess wallpaper during decorating. Every wallpaper we produce is completely PVC-free and features a subtle physical structure in the paper for a refined look on the wall.

Our wall murals are designed to be straightforward and easy to hang. We offer wallpaper options suited to different homes, living situations, and application preferences, whether you own your home or live in rented accommodation.