Checkerboard Wallpaper

Checkered Wallpaper With Real Retro Energy

Checkerboard wallpaper is a wall covering made of alternating squares in two tones. It is the simplest pattern there is. That is exactly why it has come back so hard in the last few years.

Giffywalls prints every mural to the exact size of your wall. We have shipped this pattern to kitchens, kids' rooms, hallways and a lot of rental flats across the country. The one thing buyers ask about most is square size, and it is the right question.

Square Size Changes Everything

Get this wrong and the room feels off. Get it right and the wall does real work.

Small squares read as texture from a few steps back. You register the grid, not the single squares. They suit a hallway, a bathroom or any wall you pass rather than sit in front of. Big squares are a statement. They need a clear wall and some distance, or the room feels crowded. A mid-size square is the safe middle ground for a bedroom or a kitchen.

We scale each print to your wall, so squares stay square and the grid meets the corners cleanly. Send us the width and the height and we set the size for you.

Color Decides the Mood

The same grid can read three completely different ways.

Black and White

Sharp, graphic and a little retro. Black and white checkered wallpaper is the classic diner and tile floor look. It suits kitchens, entryways and utility rooms. See the full black and white wallpaper range for more in this family.

Soft Two-Tone

Cream with sage. Off-white with clay. Butter with pale blue. These read gentle and modern, not loud. They work in a nursery, a bedroom or a calm living room.

Bright and Playful

Lilac, lime, cherry red. This is the version teens ask for. It has real energy and it does not pretend otherwise.

Where Checkerboard Wallpaper Works

Kitchens take it best of all. The pattern nods to old tile floors, and a grid behind open shelving looks intentional rather than busy. Entryways are the next strongest. A checkerboard hall reads like a decision the moment you walk in.

Kids' rooms and teen rooms suit the brighter palettes. Our kids room wallpaper range covers more in that direction. Bathrooms work well in small squares. Home offices can take one wall behind the desk, though a softer two-tone is easier to look at all day.

Living With a Bold Grid

Here is the honest part. A strong grid is not restful. Use it where you want energy, not where you want calm. One wall is usually plenty. If you do want all four, drop to a small square and a soft color pair, or the room will feel like it is vibrating.

Keep the rest of the room plain. A checkerboard wall and a patterned rug will fight, and neither wins. Solid furniture, plain curtains and one strong color are all it needs.

Materials That Pair Well

Pale wood, cream, stainless steel and glass all sit well with a grid. Chrome suits the retro versions. Warm oak softens the soft ones. For a wider look at square and grid ideas, browse our geometric wallpaper range, or the retro wallpaper collection for the full mid-century mood.

Sizing, Finish and Fitting

Send us your wall measurements. We print one continuous checkerboard wall mural to match, so the grid lines up from top to bottom with no half squares in odd places. The finish is matte, which keeps glare off a high-contrast pattern.

One practical note. A crisp grid shows a crooked wall, because your eye has a straight line to check it against. On an older wall, pick a hand-painted or slightly wobbly design. It hides a lot. Renting? Peel and stick checkerboard wallpaper lifts off cleanly at the end of a lease. Staying put? Paste the wall is the sturdier pick. Shipping is free on every order.