Ordering a wallpaper sample before committing to a full order is the single most important step in any wallpaper purchase. A sample lets you see the actual color in your room's specific light, assess the real-world scale of the pattern, feel the material quality, and test the adhesion on your wall surface — all before spending money on a full order. This guide covers how to order samples, how to evaluate them effectively, and how to use them to make a confident final decision.
Why You Should Always Order a Wallpaper Sample
Screen color calibration varies between devices. Room lighting — the direction it faces, the type of light bulbs, the time of day — affects how colors appear in person. A wallpaper that looks warm and inviting on your laptop screen may appear cooler or brighter in your north-facing bedroom. A pattern that looks bold and large in a product image may be surprisingly small in person. A sample eliminates all of this uncertainty before you commit.
How to Order Wallpaper Samples at Peel & Pattern
Every wallpaper in our collection is available as a sample. To order a sample, navigate to the product page of the wallpaper you're interested in and select the sample option. Samples are a small section of the actual wallpaper — large enough to assess color, pattern scale, material quality, and adhesion. Browse our full collection to find wallpapers to sample: Shop All Wallpaper.
How Many Samples Should You Order?
Order samples of your top two or three contenders rather than just one. Having multiple samples side by side in your room makes it much easier to compare colors and patterns and make a confident final decision. The cost of two or three samples is a small investment compared to the cost of ordering the wrong wallpaper in full.
How to Evaluate a Wallpaper Sample
Step 1: Pin it to the wall
Pin or tape the sample to the actual wall where you plan to install the wallpaper — not to a piece of card or a different wall. The color and pattern will look different against your specific wall surface and in your room's specific light.
Step 2: Assess it in different lights
Look at the sample at different times of day — morning, afternoon, and evening. Natural light changes significantly throughout the day, and artificial lighting (warm bulbs vs. cool bulbs) affects color perception dramatically. A wallpaper that looks perfect in afternoon light may look very different under evening artificial light.
Step 3: Assess the scale
Stand back from the sample and assess the pattern scale relative to the room. A small sample can make it hard to judge how the full pattern will look at room scale. Try to visualize the pattern repeating across the full wall. See our Wallpaper Pattern Scale Guide for guidance on choosing the right scale.
Step 4: Assess the color against your furniture
Move your existing furniture close to the sample and assess how the colors work together. Does the wallpaper complement your sofa, your rug, your curtains? Does it clash with anything? This is much easier to assess with a physical sample than from a screen.
Step 5: Test the adhesion
Peel the backing from a corner of the sample and press it against your wall. Leave it for 24 hours, then remove it carefully. This tests whether the adhesive holds well on your specific wall surface and removes cleanly without damaging the paint — particularly important for renters.
Step 6: Live with it for a few days
Leave the sample pinned to the wall for two or three days before making your final decision. You'll notice things after living with it that you wouldn't notice in a single viewing session.
What to Do If You're Still Unsure After Sampling
If you're still unsure after evaluating your samples, order a sample of one or two additional options. It's also worth reading customer reviews for the wallpapers you're considering — other buyers' installation photos and color comments can be very helpful. And if you have a specific question about a wallpaper, contact us at Peel & Pattern and we'll help.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big are wallpaper samples?
Our samples are a generous section of the actual wallpaper — large enough to show at least one full pattern repeat and assess color, scale, and material quality accurately.
Can I use the sample for installation?
Samples are intended for evaluation purposes. For installation, order the full wallpaper in the quantity you need.
Do samples show the true color?
Yes — samples are printed from the same files as the full wallpaper. The color you see in the sample is the color you'll get in the full order.
Shop and Sample Wallpaper at Peel & Pattern
Browse our full collection and order samples of your favorites before committing. Shop All Wallpaper — or read our How to Choose the Right Wallpaper guide for a full decision framework.