INTERIOR STYLE - Notes on Wallpaper: potentials and pitfalls
Wallpaper is in a period of ultra resurgence. It is everywhere. Big bold prints and jungalicious looks on walls and ceilings. I have even seen floors being wallpapered and varnished. Tiny florals, star struck sky murals, forests and cityscapes - you name it and you can find it on wallpaper. Do you think you can live with it long term, or is it a whim, like fast fashion.? However, at a cost of between 12 euros a roll right up to 600 euros or more for a seriously fancy mural print, you should carefully consider your choices.
I grew up in a country home that my Mum and Dad completely renovated. My bedroom had a wallpapered ceiling that was years ahead of it’s time. And cleverly my Mum put large square cork board tiles all over one wall so I could go wild with my own decorations and posters as I flitted from passion to passion in my teens (Steve McQueen mainly, there I’ve said it!) but the original wall was never damaged by blue tac or pins. Brilliant! The prefect alternative to wallpaper for children’s rooms.
My daughter doesn’t know it yet, but she is allowed to decorate her own bedroom when we buy our own home… as long as she chooses this wallpaper that I am crushing on by Isidore Leroy in Paris: “Abracadabra Jour” by Isidore Leroy. Let children’s minds wander in the enchanted forest ….
Notes on wallpaper:
If you are wallpapering the ceiling and have a picture rail, as in a period home, bring the wallpaper down the walls to meet the rail.
For wallpapering the ceiling, make sure you choose a pattern that does not need to run on the vertical. Instead choose something less symmetrical.
Using wallpaper to add a feature in your rooms by wallpapering from the ground up to the dado rail (or if you don’t have one, nail on on). Or alternatively, paper above the dado rail and paint below.
Be brave with wallpaper patterns. We are in an era where anything goes. I’m a big fan of Rebel Walls - have a look at their website to pick up some top room styling ideas too
Make your own wallpaper with the clever people at Bags of Love - if you are feeling brave enough. Or have a look on Etsy to find a designer to do it for you.
If you want to dip your toes in the water and left your bathing suit at home, then go wild in the downstairs loo with whimsical patterns and clashing designs. Add an element to tie it all together and then see how you feel. With less square metres to cover, if you make a mistake it won’t hurt your bank balance as much.
Do mood-board this. You can get samples from most stores, so see how they correspond to paint colours, metallics and soft furnishings. Remember your art too - how will that tie in with the designs?
Use leftover wallpaper for the back of cabinetry or insides of drawers, or as we did - to “do up” the dolls house.
Read up on the eco-credentials of your supplier to ensure you are not putting any nasties on your walls. A great place to start is the wonderful world of Graham Brown.
In the case of a high humidity area, such as a bathroom - mix it up with tiles to avoid direct contact with water and use specialist wallpaper.
Image from The Blog Deco de MLC