It's Come Back In Style : Wallpaper
Wallpaper is not in the least outdated—in fact, it’s making a fashionable comeback. More than ever before, wallpaper allows us to express our own personal style, decorating walls to create effects that paint just cannot match.
Until recently, wallpaper’s main purpose has been to make a room look more attractive, but today, no doubt due to its versatility, it’s fast becoming a key element in interior decorating. Today’s wallpapers come in an infinite range of colours, prints and textures, offering endless decorating possibilities.
New Looks For Old Patterns
From tiny, busy patterns to large or over sized motifs, wallpaper designs come in all shapes and sizes. Botanical patterns, redesigned to cater to modern decorating tastes, bring the outdoors inside. If you’re feeling nostalgic for the ‘60s or ‘70s, give your room a retro feel with geometric or psychedelic patterns. Panoramic landscapes are also back: adorn a single wall with a lush forest, windswept seashore or burning desert and voila, the entire room will be transformed.
Wallpaper is also well suited to kids’ bedrooms, as it allows them to personalize their own space with themes based on their favorite TV characters, sports or hobbies.
In fact, the only products that seem to be losing popularity are borders. With so many new coloured and textured papers on the market, people are going for wallpaper in a big way. This new-found confidence is rewarded by a stylish, elegant look.
Learn to Play With Wallpaper
Before choosing your wallpaper, take a good look at the room you want to decorate. If it’s small, go for subtle patterns rather than large, overpowering florals. Similarly, large motifs won’t work if you must negotiate too many obstacles like furniture or doors. Cutting the paper will break the pattern and spoil the overall effect.
Because it reflects light metallic wallpaper is, in fact, a great choice for small spaces. For rooms with low ceilings, choose papers with vertical stripes or wood panelling effects to add height to the walls. Hung horizontally, the same stripes will create the illusion of making a small room appear larger.
And don’t forget the fifth wall—the ceiling. Cover it with textured, embossed paper and paint it Victorian-style, or make a bold statement with ultra-fashionable geometric prints.
Fallen in love with a really special paper but can’t afford to cover the whole wall? Use a piece on a small area. Framing it will create a custom-made picture. Are your melamine cupboard doors looking tired? Give them a new lease on life by pasting the wallpaper you like in the centre and framing it with a smart moulding. Wallpaper can also be used to cover headboards (the higher the board the better, if the design is to be appreciated to the full).
