Our Dining Room Wallpaper + Trim
I just finished adding. box molding and bold wallpaper to our moody, traditional dining room. Today, I’m sharing the big reveal of the progress I’ve made!

Recently, I shared all of the details of how I worked to prep our heavily-textured walls for wallpaper. Well, I’m here to report from the other side to tell you it worked! I just finished adding trim and wallpaper to our dining room walls and it looks like a whole new space!
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I went to install the wallpaper, but I was pleasantly surprised to find it was so easy with my freshly-smoothed walls. It worked like a charm, and I am so happy with how it turned out. Let’s break down the progress and show you how things are looking today.
Dining Room Renovation Vlog
I’ve been taking video as I work on the space to keep you updated, and I put together a little look at how this all came together. This video shows the installation process for the box molding, as well as a peek at what it looks like to install the wallpaper. And, of course, it helps give you an idea of how the space feels in real life a little better than pictures can!
Installing Picture Molding in the Dining Room
My first step after prepping the walls for wallpaper was to install picture molding on the bottom half of the walls. This is something I’ve done a couple of times before – it’s my favorite trim treatment!
I shared a full tutorial of how to install box molding when I did it in my bedroom. I did it again a few years later in our powder room, and this is the third time I’ve tackled it. But, it’s the first time I’ve only done it on the bottom half of a room! I really love the look. It’s an incredibly easy project to tackle, and it looks so fancy and professional.
I won’t share the full tutorial here (you can read the post linked above for that!), but since it’s a frequently-asked question, here’s a breakdown of the trim I used:
- For the boxes, I used this base cap molding.
- And, this is a really great (and affordable!) option for the chair rail.

I painted the bottom half of the walls Coffee Date by Clare Paint. It’s the perfect rich, deep brown and I’m so in love with the color. I was a little bit nervous that it would be too dark for the space or that I wouldn’t love it (I’ve never painted a wall brown before!), but I’m obsessed.
Installing Wallpaper in the Dining Room
With the trim done, it was time fo the finishing touch in the room – the wallpaper! I spent a ton of time debating what wallpaper I wanted to use, and I ended up landing on this beautiful option. I’ll be honest: when it arrived, both Corey and I were unsure about it. It was darker than he expected it to be and brighter than I expected it to be. We both took a second to look at the options and make sure it was what we wanted, and then we decided to just go for it.
And OH BOY, I am so glad we did.

I am absolutely head over heels in love with this wallpaper and how it turned out. It’s stunning. It’s bold, it’s dark and rich, and it feels like it was always meant to be here. The installation process was really easy and the smooth walls made a huge difference.
I’ve written a few posts about wallpaper installation – if you’re looking for some help, here you go:
- Here’s a full tutorial for how to install wallpaper
- And here are a few additional tips and tricks!
- And, if you want to learn about installing wallpaper over lightly textured walls, here’s a post for you!
When I first started this project I was pretty convinced this would be my one and only wallpapering job in this house. After all, it required a lot of prep work. But, now that it’s done and I can see the results? I think I’ll definitely be wallpapering again!
Still To Do in the Dining Room:
I’ve still got several things on my to-do list in here before I can call this room (or, this phase of the room) complete. Here’s what’s left on my punch list:
- Installing a ceiling medallion and lowering the chandelier a bit
- Hanging curtains and art
- Adding a rug
- Accessorizing!!!
Stay tuned for all of the fun.

Other Posts You May Love:
- See the mood board for this dining room here
- The before and after of our first dining room
- And our second home’s dining nook is still one of my favorite spaces ever!

Wow, wow, wow! This looks even better than I thought it would! Will you paint the ceiling medallion? Can’t wait to see further progress!