Yes, with three conditions. Wallpaper works in a kitchen when the material is appropriate, the installation respects the splash zones, and the ventilation is adequate. Skip any of the three and it fails within two years.
When it works
Type II commercial vinyl on a breakfast nook wall, sealed at every seam, with a 600 CFM range hood: this installation outlasts the cabinets.
When it fails
Uncoated grasscloth above the cooktop with a 200 CFM downdraft: this fails in eight months. Grease yellows the fibres irreversibly.
What the spec sheet should say
- Scrubbable per ASTM D2486 (not just washable)
- Type II commercial weight (20-28 oz/lin yd) for any wall within 2 m of cooking
- Stain-resistant topcoat
- Mold and mildew resistant