It’s high time that wallpaper is back under the spotlight as a captivating home décor feature. Although it has been proclaimed as an outdated technique in interior design, nowadays it’s ability to create a “wow” effect is being rediscovered.
If you’ve just seen a photo on Pinterest and you want something similar for yourself, or you have already chosen a unique paper, this article is for you.
Do’s when Decorating with Wallpaper
Some things you do when decorating your home with wallpaper can make it or break it when it comes to visual aesthetics. It is no doubt that you can’t just put decorating paper anywhere and expect it to be appealing.
Instead, you should know just what to do and what not to do when you are planning such a makeover.
Decorate a Single Wall
A stylish contemporary interior design trend is decorating one of the walls in a room to turn it into an accent. A compelling wallpaper with an interesting texture is a great way to do that and astonish all your guests.
Create Accents
You shouldn’t necessarily cover the whole wall in order to be able to create a “wow” effect. You could use bits of the wallpaper to decorate a single area of the wall and use in alcoves and nooks for example.
Be careful when you do that, however, because you risk of overdoing it. Stick to simplicity, because if there are too many accents, they stop having an effect and rather bring chaos to the room’s visual appearance.
Layer Textures
Layering textures is a great way to create a sense of rhythm and bring life to the room. When it comes to wallpaper, if you are choosing one with a pattern, it is good to also get paper in a single color – the main color in your chosen pattern.
Using the single-colored paper in addition to the patterned one will create layering that will give variety and a stylish touch to your interior.
Get a Test Sample
Surprisingly many people tend to overlook this step when choosing decorating paper for their home. It is easy to believe that you have the picture in your mind, but sometimes when you get home with the purchased paper it turns out that it doesn’t really match your interior.
Fortunately, there is an easy solution to that. Simply get a sample and take it home. You could even test it out on pieces of furniture for example, to make sure it would suit the atmosphere in your home.
What About the Don’t’s
- Don’t cover all walls;
In the past most people used wallpapers to cover all the walls in a room, believing that in this way they give the room an elegant look. Nowadays this tendency is believed to be outdated.
Not only it could make you feel boxed in, especially if the wallpaper has a specific pattern, but it also creates a sense of clutter, as it is simply too much.
Moreover, you don’t even have to cover the whole wall. You can only choose a certain area and turn it into a stylish accent.
- Don’t use patterns in tiny spaces;
As was mentioned earlier, patters can make you feel boxed in. That is especially valid for small rooms.
Using patterned wallpaper in tiny spaces could make them feel even smaller and create a sense of clutter and chaos.
You could still use small bits of patterned wallpaper in tinier rooms, but make sure you are really careful with their arrangement.
- Don’t use wallpaper in humid rooms;
That rule is more of a technical nature, rather than design-related, but it is one you shouldn’t ignore. Wallpapers in humid rooms would simply not work.
Moisture would not allow for effective adhesion between the paper and the wall, and even if you succeed hanging it, it would start to peel off at one point or another.
If you truly want to bring this type of décor to your kitchen or bathroom, make sure you choose a wallpaper type that is suitable for humidity, such as one with vinyl coverage.
- Don’t miss on careful planning;
If you have just discovered a really captivating pattern, you might be tempted to buy it on the spot and use it to decorate a room. However, if you really want it to work out, especially when it comes to patterns, you need to carefully plan the arrangement before buying.
Planning will also help you determine the right amount of decorative paper you need to purchase, so that there are no unnecessary losses.
- Don’t overdo it with patterns.
Today you can find so many different textures and patterns, that you might be tempted to mix and match a few of them. That could be setting you up for a visual disaster, so it’s better to go easy on the patterns.
My name is Scarlett Mitchell and i am an author and editor in the home topic website – FemCasa.com.
I’m just an enthusiast who wants to share her visions, ideas and advices, when it comes to decorating every part of your home until it becomes the perfect relaxing place for you and your family.