From Watercolor to Wallpaper: Leli Holmes Brings the Lowcountry Home
With familiar landmarks and a keen eye for pattern, the local artist creates designs that feel both personal and connected to place.
Story by Alea Wilkins
“So apparently I draw wallpaper!” Leli Holmes captioned a September 2025 Instagram post, sharing behind-the-scenes footage as she graffitied the interiors of Pockets Full of Sunshine’s Hilton Head Island storefront. The custom mural, a sprawling patchwork of Lowcountry landmarks, was the first of what would become her burgeoning wallpaper company, a venture that has now caught the attention of everyone, from local businesses to influencers, with nearly 500,000 Instagram followers.
As an artist, Holmes has seen her work displayed in houses before. Since 2017 she has sold commissioned paintings and custom coastal-inspired prints on tea towels and stationery, but designing wallpaper felt closer to home.
“It is such a great feeling to see something go from my desk to someone’s walls,” she says. “I’ve felt that with my paintings, of course, but there is something really special about someone choosing your wallpaper when there are so many options out there.”
A Work in Progress
With a background in graphic design, Holmes found that creating wallpaper prints came easily.
“I’ve always loved patterns and have wanted to design wallpaper for years,” she says. “As I started turning my artwork into designs for tea towels and other products, wallpaper felt like a natural next step.”
Each print begins with a single watercolor design. On her computer she then duplicates the design over and over to create a pattern. To Holmes, the initial step is the most crucial, sometimes taking days or weeks to perfect.
“Something that looks fine on your screen can become really obvious once it repeats across an entire wall, so I order a lot of samples and make adjustments [until] I’m happy with it,” she says.
Though the process can be painstaking, Holmes believes that level of detail and artistic freedom is what makes her prints unique. When working with homeowners, she can customize her designs to match their specific needs and aesthetics.
“I’ve had clients send me their paint colors, and I’ve changed the wallpaper to work specifically with their room,” she says.
To Holmes, the result is worth the effort: spaces that feel unique to every home and homeowner.
A Sense of Place
For her designs Holmes takes inspiration from her surroundings. A longtime Lowcountry resident, her love for the local wildlife, landscapes and architecture is evident in every carefully rendered brushstroke. Her city-specific toiles, a collection including Bluffton, Hilton Head Island and Savannah, feature landmarks from the Harbour Town Lighthouse to Alljoy Donut Co.
“One of my favorite things is watching people look at them and start pointing out places they know,” she says.
On Instagram enthusiastic commenters share their favorite locations that earned a spot in her designs. The fans agree: It’s not just about a pretty pattern. It’s about local pride.
Wallpaper may be the most recent addition to her portfolio, but Holmes’ love for the Lowcountry is nothing new. That affection comes through in every design.
“They’re fun prints, but they also tell a little story about the Lowcountry, and I think that’s why people connect with them.”
