The Sunday Mail
WALLPAPER has of late become an in thing. Instead of repainting walls, most people now prefer the easier and more economical way-the wall paper. Wallpaper completely transforms a living space; you can go bright and bold, use an illusion or texture to create more dimension or choose subtle colours to create a luxurious space to relax in.
Whole room or accent wall?
Do you want to wallpaper the whole room or just the accent wall? Do not be afraid to paper the whole room, especially if it is a large airy space or if you want to choose a design with subtle shapes and colours. For a design that is closer to a piece of art than traditional wallpaper, choose which accent wall you want to cover.
Decide on the mood of the room
You need to decide what mood or “vibe” you want the room to have. Think about how you want to feel, what furniture you want to use to accent the room for and the architecture of the home. A romantic floral vibe works perfectly in a cottage or country home but may not work as well in an industrial-style flat.
What effect do you want the wallpaper to have?
We have discussed what mood you want your wallpaper to offer you but also be aware that certain patterns and designs can make your space look bigger or smaller. If you have low ceilings and you want your room to feel big, light, and airy, choose light-coloured vertical stripes as the stripes create an illusion of more height.
Textured vs Flat
Textured wallpapers are not a thing of the past. These days, they are incredibly stylish and of high quality. Generally, a textured wallpaper offers a more relaxed feel to a room whereas a flat design gives a more elegant and angular feel to the room.
Think about the journey
When you or a guest step into your home where do they have to go to get to the living space? What wall do they see through the doorway? It is easy to forget that the living room, though often the heart of the home, should tie into the rest of the home in some way.
Order samples
All wallpaper vendors and manufacturers are (or should be) more than happy to send you a good-sized sample for you to apply to the wall.
Order samples of the wallpapers you have your eye on and apply them to the wall, live with them for a couple of days. One will stand out as your favourite although it may have not been the one you had in mind when you did the shopping.
Temporary or long term?
You may choose to decorate with wallpaper so you can change up the look of the room frequently. If this is the case, ensure you choose a wallpaper that is easy to apply and remove. Wallpaper with a non-woven backing is fully strippable, so you can remove it and apply a different design whenever you next desire a change. If you like to redecorate your home frequently, wallpaper is your friend.
Preparation is key
There is no sense in paying for luxury wallpaper in your ideal design if you are going to slap it on the wall without preparation. If you want to get a premium finish you have to give some consideration to the preparation of the wall. Do not forget to sand and fill lumps and bumps, pre-paint skirting boards. If you spend time on the preparation before you hang your wallpaper, you will get the luxury finish you are dreaming of.
Buy a little more than you need
Carefully measure your walls to determine exactly how much wallpaper you need and then add a little for mistakes. If you have a specific design or pattern that needs to be matched up perfectly, you may need more wallpaper than you initially calculated in order to get the perfect match of pattern. – homeandlife.
