How To Pick Wallpaper

Ever walked into a room and been instantly captivated by its walls? Wallpaper has the power to transform a space, injecting personality, style, and even a sense of luxury. Unlike paint, wallpaper offers a huge range of patterns, textures, and colors, allowing you to create a truly unique environment that reflects your individual taste. But with so many options available, choosing the right wallpaper can feel overwhelming. Don't worry, you're not alone!

Selecting the perfect wallpaper is more than just aesthetics. It can impact the perceived size of a room, create a specific mood, and even camouflage imperfections. The right choice can elevate your home's overall design and increase its value. Whether you're aiming for a cozy bedroom retreat, a vibrant living room statement, or a sophisticated dining space, understanding the fundamentals of wallpaper selection is key to achieving your desired look. Let's dive in and unlock the secrets to finding the perfect wallpaper for your home.

What factors should I consider when choosing wallpaper?

How do I choose wallpaper that matches my existing furniture?

Choosing wallpaper to match your existing furniture requires careful consideration of color palettes, patterns, styles, and scale. The goal is to create a harmonious and visually appealing space where the wallpaper complements, rather than clashes with, your furniture. Start by identifying the dominant colors and styles in your furniture, then select wallpaper that incorporates those elements or offers a complementary contrast.

To begin, analyze your furniture's undertones. Are the woods warm (red, orange, yellow) or cool (gray, blue, green)? The same principle applies to upholstery. Once you understand the undertones, you can choose wallpaper with similar or complementary undertones. For example, furniture with warm wood tones might pair well with wallpaper featuring warm golds, creams, or even a contrasting cool blue that will make the warm tones pop. Consider the style of your furniture as well. Modern furniture tends to pair well with geometric patterns or minimalist designs, while traditional furniture might suit floral patterns or damasks. Think about the scale of the patterns on both your furniture and potential wallpaper. If your furniture has large, bold patterns, opt for wallpaper with a smaller, more subtle design. Conversely, if your furniture is mostly solid and understated, you can be bolder with your wallpaper choice. Don't forget to obtain samples of the wallpaper you are considering and hold them up against your furniture in different lighting conditions. This will help you visualize the final look and ensure that the colors and patterns work well together in your space.

What's the best wallpaper for a small, dark room to make it feel bigger?

To maximize the feeling of spaciousness in a small, dark room, opt for wallpaper that is light, bright, and features a small-scale, sparse pattern or a vertical stripe. These choices will reflect the limited light available, create an illusion of height, and avoid overwhelming the space.

Picking the right wallpaper involves carefully considering color, pattern, and texture. Light colors, such as off-whites, pale blues, soft greens, and pastel yellows, reflect light much better than dark hues, instantly brightening the room. Avoid overly busy or large-scale patterns; they can make a small room feel even more cramped and claustrophobic. Instead, choose wallpapers with small, repeating patterns, subtle textures, or even a faux effect like a lightly distressed plaster look. The key is to create visual interest without overwhelming the limited space. Vertical stripes are a classic trick for visually elongating walls, making the ceiling appear higher. Consider stripes in light, contrasting colors for a sophisticated and spacious feel. However, avoid horizontal stripes, as they can visually widen the room, making it feel shorter. Ultimately, obtain samples of your favorite choices and tape them to the wall to observe how they look under different lighting conditions. This will allow you to make an informed decision and select the wallpaper that best enhances the room's sense of size and brightness.

How much wallpaper should I order to avoid running out?

To accurately determine the amount of wallpaper you need, carefully measure the height and width of each wall you intend to cover, accounting for any doors, windows, or other architectural features. Calculate the total square footage and then divide by the square footage of a single roll of your chosen wallpaper. Finally, add at least 15% to account for pattern matching, trimming, and potential errors. It's always better to have a little extra than to run short, especially considering dye lot variations between batches.

The first step is precise measurement. Use a laser distance measurer or a high-quality measuring tape to get accurate dimensions. For walls with alcoves or irregular shapes, break them down into smaller, manageable rectangles, calculate the area of each, and then sum them together. Don't subtract the area of windows and doors entirely; you'll still need wallpaper to wrap around the edges and potentially use leftover pieces above or below them, especially if you have a large pattern repeat. Make a detailed sketch of the room with all the measurements clearly labeled. Include ceiling height; most wallpapers are manufactured in standard lengths that will accommodate common ceiling heights, but unusually tall walls will require more careful calculation.

Next, understand the specifications of the wallpaper you've selected. Each roll's label will state its width and length, which will allow you to calculate the usable square footage per roll. Pay close attention to the pattern repeat measurement. A larger pattern repeat means more waste as you’ll need to align the design across multiple strips. When accounting for the repeat, add the length of the repeat to your wall height when figuring out how many strips you can get from a single roll. If your wall height is 8 feet and the pattern repeat is 2 feet, you'll need to treat the wall height as 10 feet when calculating strips per roll. This ensures a seamless, visually appealing result.

Finally, factor in the crucial overage. The 15% buffer is a minimum safeguard. For complex patterns or first-time wallpaper installers, consider increasing this to 20% or even 25%. Order all the wallpaper you need at the same time to avoid potential dye lot variations, where slight color differences can occur between different production runs. Store any leftover rolls in a cool, dry place, as you might need them for future repairs.

What type of wallpaper is easiest to install for a beginner?

Peel and stick wallpaper, also known as self-adhesive wallpaper, is generally considered the easiest type for beginners to install due to its simple application process that doesn't require pre-pasting or dealing with messy wallpaper paste.

While traditional wallpaper can offer more design variety and potentially a longer lifespan, the learning curve is steeper. Traditional wallpaper requires applying paste to the back of the paper and carefully booking it (folding the pasted sides together) before hanging. This process can be tricky to master, leading to air bubbles, wrinkles, and misaligned seams for novices. Peel and stick wallpaper, on the other hand, comes with an adhesive backing that is revealed as you peel away a protective layer. This allows for immediate application to the wall, making adjustments and repositioning much easier. The forgiving nature of peel and stick wallpaper is another advantage for beginners. You can easily remove and reapply sections if you make a mistake during the initial application. This reduces the frustration and waste that can occur with traditional wallpaper. However, it's crucial to properly prepare the wall surface before applying peel and stick wallpaper. The wall must be clean, smooth, and primed for best adhesion. Despite these prep steps, the actual hanging process is significantly more straightforward. Consider these additional benefits of peel and stick wallpaper for first-time installers:

Which wallpaper patterns are currently trending?

Currently trending wallpaper patterns include large-scale botanical prints, geometric designs with a modern or retro feel, textured wallpapers that mimic natural materials, and mural-style wallpapers that create a statement wall. These trends reflect a desire for bringing nature indoors, adding visual interest and depth to spaces, and creating personalized, impactful designs.

Expanding on these trends, large-scale botanical prints continue to be popular, evoking a sense of tranquility and connection to the outdoors. These patterns often feature oversized leaves, flowers, and foliage in vibrant or muted color palettes. Geometric designs are also making a strong comeback, ranging from bold, angular patterns to more subtle, repeating motifs. These can add a contemporary or mid-century modern touch to a room. Textured wallpapers are increasingly sought after for their ability to add depth and dimension. Options include wallpapers that mimic the look and feel of materials like wood, stone, concrete, or even fabric. These textured surfaces can create a more tactile and inviting atmosphere. Finally, mural-style wallpapers offer a way to create a dramatic focal point in any space. These often depict landscapes, cityscapes, or abstract artwork, transforming an entire wall into a work of art. Ultimately, choosing a wallpaper pattern depends on your personal style, the room's function, and the overall aesthetic you want to achieve.

How do I determine the right wallpaper texture for my walls?

Choosing the right wallpaper texture involves considering the room's style, the condition of your walls, and the desired effect. Assess the room's existing aesthetic: a smooth, modern space might benefit from a subtle, minimalist texture, while a rustic or traditional room can handle heavier, more pronounced textures. Critically examine your walls; textured wallpaper can help conceal imperfections like unevenness or small cracks, but heavily textured papers can highlight larger flaws. Finally, think about the practical aspects: durability, cleanability, and how the texture will interact with light in the room.

To further refine your selection, start by obtaining samples of different textures. Viewing samples in your actual room lighting is crucial, as texture interacts with light and shadow, and can appear different than in a store. Consider the room's function. High-traffic areas like hallways or children's rooms might require more durable, scrubbable textures like vinyl or embossed options. Bedrooms or living rooms can accommodate more delicate textures such as grasscloth or fabric. Pay close attention to how the chosen texture complements the other elements in the room, including furniture, artwork, and window treatments. Ultimately, the best wallpaper texture is one that enhances the overall design while addressing any practical concerns. Don't be afraid to experiment and consider different options. If you're unsure, consulting with an interior designer or a wallpaper specialist can provide valuable insights and guidance. Think of the texture as another layer of visual interest, just like color or pattern; it's there to add depth and character to your space.

What's the difference between peel-and-stick and traditional wallpaper?

The primary difference between peel-and-stick and traditional wallpaper lies in their application and removal methods. Peel-and-stick wallpaper features an adhesive backing that allows you to simply peel off a protective layer and stick it directly to the wall, while traditional wallpaper requires applying wallpaper paste to the back of the paper before hanging it.

Peel-and-stick wallpaper, also known as self-adhesive wallpaper, is favored for its ease of installation. It's a popular choice for renters or those who want a temporary design change, as it can be removed without damaging the walls, assuming proper surface preparation and removal techniques. Because no paste is needed, cleanup is significantly easier compared to traditional methods. However, peel-and-stick options may have limitations in pattern complexity and texture compared to traditional wallpapers. Traditional wallpaper, on the other hand, offers a wider range of materials, textures, and designs. It's generally more durable and can last longer than peel-and-stick options. Installing traditional wallpaper is a more involved process, requiring precise measurements, careful paste application, and proper alignment. Removal can also be more challenging, often requiring specialized tools and techniques to avoid damaging the wall. The choice between the two often depends on budget, the desired level of permanence, DIY skills, and aesthetic preferences.

So there you have it! Hopefully, you're feeling a little more confident about tackling that wallpaper project. Remember to take your time, have fun with it, and don't be afraid to experiment. Thanks for reading, and we hope you'll come back soon for more decorating tips and tricks!