Wallpaper is making a comeback. Designers will tell you it never went away. Read below for tips on how to use wallpaper, and for my hot tip on selecting the most beautiful papers at a great price!
- Carrie Lucke
- Apr 6
- 7 min read
Updated: Apr 6
Wallpaper is a versatile design tool that can elevate any space. While there are few drawbacks to using wallpaper ( cost compared to paint being the only one I can think of), the advantages are many.
Read on for tips on how to 1) balance paint vs paper spaces in your home 2) choose which types of papers are suited for specific spaces, 3) prepare walls and prevent a future removal nightmare, 4) know how much paper to buy.
I will give you my opinion on the "Feature Wall".
Plus , see my HOT TIP on what papers I find to be the most beautiful at a great price!
Why designers LOVE wallpaper
Aesthetic Appeal:
Endless patterns, colors, and textures to match any design style.
Adds depth and character to walls. Creates a cohesive envelope and sense of space in a room.
Durability:
Long-lasting compared to paint when maintained properly.
The right material is resistant to wear in high-traffic areas.
Customization:
Options like murals, peel-and-stick, or bespoke designs, textures, large and small prints. The options are endless.
Versatility
You can use a grass cloth to add elegance and texture to a dining room, living room or bedroom. Anywhere you want a subtle, sophisticated impact that won't overwhelm, yet still feel enveloping.
This navy sisal wall covering adds texture that makes this cozy room feel like a cacoon Use bold patterns with a broad color palette to help a small space have a big impact. The powder room is the perfect place to let your personality shine, as it's the one space almost all your visitors will be in but just for a short time.
This bold modern floral is a great pop in a small dose Use a "Hero pattern" in your foyer. Tell your visitors what to expect in the rest of your home. Establish your color palette and vibe - think of it like an overture of a symphony that introduces the piece you are about to enjoy. Likewise, the foyer paper should tell guests what to expect as they move through the rest of your home.
This foyer paper sets the tone for what to expect throughout this small center entrance colonial in Whitefish Bay You can use small prints in soft colors to add a sense of texture. These types of papers are a fantastic backdrop to an art collection or gallery wall. Your paintings or family pictures will pop.
This subtle, small print adds interest while remaining calming. It offsets the client's art collection in a sophisticated manner Use a bold pattern in a space that does not otherwise have competing pattern. A dining room can be the perfect setting for a big, bold fun pattern because a wood table with tucked-under chairs does not compete with the walls
bold papers in dining rooms always work as long as you keep the drapery quiet Why Clients may shy away from wallpaper
Cost:
Higher upfront cost compared to paint.
Professional installation adds to expense.
Removal Issues:
Removing traditional wallpaper can damage walls. In the 1950's - 1980's people were not properly preparing their walls with Zinzer 123, or wall paper primer prior to installation. This led to countless homeowners purchasing dated homes or "fixer uppers" with ugly wall paper bought at the hardware store. That was a complete nightmare to remove! Often it was more financially and time efficient to simply take out the old dry wall and put up new wall. This was the case with my first home on Diversey Ave in Whitefish Bay. We were first time homeowners who had no idea what we were getting into when we decided to remove our wallpaper in the breakfast room. We had not budgeted for new walls! I can see why homeowners with this experience would shy away from ever putting up paper again.
The solution to this problem is to us a proper priming agent. My local installer prefers Zinzer 123. You can also use any high quality wall paper primer including the products below
Wall paper primer options
Roman PRO-999 Rx-35 Sealer/Primer: Ideal for sealing and priming porous surfaces like torn drywall, joint compound, and residual wallpaper paste. ROMAN Products+3Walmart.com+3The Home Depot+3
Zinsser Shieldz Universal Wallcovering Primer: A versatile primer designed to prepare various surfaces for wallpaper application, ensuring strong adhesion and easy removal.
Zinsser Gardz Problem Surface Sealer: Perfect for sealing damaged drywall, new drywall, and other porous surfaces, creating a moisture-resistant film that prevents bubbling and peeling.
Roman PRO-977 Ultra Prime: A premium, all-purpose, pigmented acrylic primer/sealer suitable for most surfaces, providing a durable, white finish that protects during double-cutting. Rackcdn+1The Home Depot+1
Benjamin Moore Fresh Start High-Hiding Primer: A high-quality primer offering excellent adhesion and sealing for a variety of surfaces, ensuring a uniform finish and enhancing the durability of the topcoat.
Trendy Pitfalls: Just say NO to the "Feature Wall"
No No No..... Did i say NO?
You want to consider how a room feels and where the eyes moves upon entering. The feature wall can make a room feel disjointed and confusing. The eye always goes straight to were the painted wall meets the paper- which is never the goal. It makes it seem like you could not commit or make a decision - or you just ran out of money. If you can't afford to paper a space - then don't! If you can afford to paper a space, but don't want to commit to a large print - then go with a quieter pattern with fewer or softer colors. Add a bold pillow or bold roman shades to get your fix. But the feature wall alway looks unfinished and very DIY ish
Types of Wallpaper and Where to Use Them
Vinyl Wallpaper: Durable and great for kitchens, bathrooms, Mud halls, stair cases or kid-friendly areas. There are many manufacturers who make faux grasscloth vinyls that are fabulous fakes! They can be wiped clean with a sponge but have a similar look to more costly and delicate textured natural fiber wall coverings.
Textured Wallpaper: Adds luxury to spaces like dining rooms or bedrooms or living rooms with large wall spaces to cover. They add texture and color depth without committing you to a pattern
Peel-and-Stick Wallpaper: Ideal for renters or easy updates. A fine option for the back of glass front kitchen cabinets or bookshelves.
Grass cloth or Fabric Wallpaper: Sophisticated but delicate, best for low-traffic areas. I generally don't use these in a bathroom.
Traditional paper in small prints - any where you want to include additional patterns in your fabrics, upholstery and drapery. Or, as a beautiful backdrop to a gallery wall or art installation to enhance the art's impact.
Traditional paper in a large print- great choice for dining spaces or foyers.
Tips for Choosing Wallpaper Locations
Always think about overall balance in your space. Here are some practical ways to think about where and what type of paper to place in your home.
Ceilings: Use wallpaper on ceilings for an unexpected design twist.
Backdrops: Line bookshelves, cabinets, or drawers for added flair.
Large prints: dining room and foyers
small prints : bedrooms and living rooms
fun, casual vinyl or faux grass cloth - mud hall, laundry room, stair case
hand painted papers are the most beautifulif you have the budget. These are old patterns hand-painted by artisans and applied to your walls. Not inexpensive- but other worldly!
Wallpaper vs. Paint—Which Should You Choose?
Balance the visual impact of wall paper as you move from room to room in your home. Rarely can you successfully transition from a large, multi color print in a foyer straight into a dining room with another print with a large pattern and lots of color.
Wallpaper in foyers and powder rooms is ALWAYS a yes for me - but you have to consider how they transition from one space to another if they are not alternated with a painted space. Think small pattern to large, loud to quiet if wallpapered rooms are next to one another. When in doubt, engage an interior designer.
Local Wallpaper Resources
Talking walls is the best local Milwaukee area wall paper resource.
Chasing paper is a wonderful online wall paper vendor that happens to be owned by a local Whitefish Bay resident. I love their faux grass cloth options for mud halls, kitchens and baths the most!
Buy English Wall Paper
The traditional English vibe is super on trend yet classic enough to last. English design houses have a longstanding tradition of beautiful wallpaper making techniques. Their papers are stunning and made in traditional ways- printing one color at a time in a traditional press. When you glance at the per roll price it may seem high at first blush. However they typically will sell in 11 yard rolls. Depending on your pattern repeat, this can cover 3-4 strips of a wall. American papers are generally either sold by the double roll and priced by the single roll. It's all quite complicated and confusing - however, the upshot is the English brands just go further for much less cost in my experience.
my favorites include:
How Much Paper do I need to purchase?
The short answer is ..... you must have your installer measure your space and make a determination. They need to study the paper, how it's pattern falls in the space, how it's sold and packaged, and account for the width and length of the roll. They will tell you how much to order.
Homeowners generally vastly underestimate how much paper is needed. Determining how much paper is needed is very complex and every manufacturer packages and sells paper differently. Depending on the maker, papers can be sold by the single roll, double roll , yard or meter. If that isn't enough variation, the rolls can differ dramatically in length.
Finally - papers come at various widths. 27". 20" and 36" are all common widths. If those variations are not enough, the next wrinkle is pattern matching. You need to account for waste and pattern matching. How the pattern lands will be determined by where the installer begins laying paper - which corner of the room. For this reason they must be the one to determine how much is needed. In a nutshell it's not easy to do even for a seasoned professional. You should not try.
Conclusion
Wall paper is a fantastic way to add color, warmth, interest and style to your home. It goes so far beyond paint in terms of creating a sense of soul and the energy you want to evoke in a room. Embarking on a wallpaper decision may seem overwhelming, but take your time when selecting the paper that speaks to you. Get samples and tape them up on the wall for several days - eventually one will speak to you and say "I am the one !!!"
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