WowPaper: How Wallpaper Can Add Beauty and Texture
When I bring up the subject of wallpaper with my clients I usually start out my conversation something kind of like this: “Don’t be anxious about what I’m about to suggest. Try not to answer yes or no at this time. Just suspend your judgement for now and consider the possibility of maybe using a wallpaper.” Then I wait for their reaction. Usually there is a pause, followed by an occasional smirk or raising of one’s eyebrow. But almost always it is accompanied by, “I would consider looking at some ideas.”
Whew! Yes! I made it past the first gate.
I wonder what it is about wallpaper that makes people have a visceral reaction? What memory do people have about wallpaper that would cause them to cringe and shake their heads? I think it’s because we have all seen wallpaper in houses that is outdated and, well, ugly, and we think to ourselves, “That wallpaper has to go!” And rightly so. It’s outdated. It’s not nice to look at anymore. I’m sure it was beautiful when it was hung 45 years ago but today it doesn’t look so good.
But, really, you could say that about most anything. I wouldn’t necessarily like the same style shoes I wore 10 years ago. I wouldn’t want to have the same style of car my parents drove 45 years ago. And that carpeting I grew up with isn’t the same carpeting I would use today. But I’m still wearing shoes, driving a car, and enjoying carpeting in my home—it’s just different. The same goes for wallpaper. There are so many options today that are different than what we remember from years ago.
Wallpaper Styles
It’s no secret that wallpaper is a popular design accessory for the home. Wallpapers today are as varied as paint colors. Large prints, small prints, oversized photo realistic florals and exotic looking basket weave textures. There is any kind of wallpaper you could imagine—truly. If you ask for it, there is most likely a perfect wallpaper to fit your description. What is different about the industry today is the customization of wallpaper—you can literally print anything you want, and there are more artists creating designs and patterns that we’ve never seen before. Patterns and scale that are dramatic, theatrical, provocative, fresh, modern, moody, and alluring.
I’m particularly fond of textured wallpaper. Textured wallpaper is like a great paint color but with more depth and visual interest. The depth effect happens when light hits the texture and subtle shadows appear on the wall. Sometimes the effect of depth can be controlled by the use of color applied to the paper. This style of wallpaper is received well by people who would usually not like a patterned wallpaper but still want something richer and more complex looking than a paint color. Textured wall coverings will entice people to walk up to your wall, touch it and ask “what is it?” It really does have that effect on people.
How to use wallpaper
Here are some of my suggestions for styles of wallpaper and the rooms they would look best in.
Stripes. There is nothing more classic than a striped wallpaper. I love using stripes in mud rooms, laundry rooms and bathrooms. Stripes have long been associated with maritime and nautical themes. Stripes are seen on flags, used in seaside awnings and umbrellas, and are often a design on military uniforms. A soft pastel stripe could also be sweet in a nursery or child’s bedroom.
Florals. If you are sentimental and nostalgic, a vintage floral wallpaper would be pretty. Vintage is the new contemporary—fresh, sometimes minimal, updated yet familiar. Think your mother or grandmother but with a twist. These patterns are romantic and charming. Perfect in a guest bedroom, entryway, or in a kitchen with vintage appliances. A bold, large-scale floral would be dramatic in a formal dining room or guest bathroom where you want to create an impression.
Textures. This is probably the most versatile. Textures are great when a room seems to flow into other rooms without any definite breaks in the wall such as in plans with wide open spaces. Textured wallpaper such as a grass cloth or linen can be almost any solid color or sometimes the texture is printed with an overlaid pattern. Imagine a silk or linen wallpaper with a harlequin print. Sophisticated, elegant, and timeless. These kinds of wall coverings are especially great in living rooms, foyers, dining rooms and open stairwells leading to second floors and hallways because the patterns are subtle and easy to look at on larger surfaces.
Wallpaper Can Transform Your Space
Wallpaper can change the appearance of a space in a dramatic way or with a subtle soft effect. Either way, wall coverings can add warmth, character and interest to any space. Wallpaper can remind us of our past and make us smile. Or it can inspire us to keep creating something new and original. I think the right wallpaper in the right place, simply put, makes me feel. And if I can feel then it’s a really good day.
This post was originally written for Art in Bloom 2019 at Mia