Why Wallpaper Works When Designing a Room

Paint and wallpaper are both popular choices when designing a room. Although both of these treatments have their advantages and disadvantages, many people have a preference for wallpaper. Although paint is usually less expensive and is easy to apply, there are many advantages to choosing wallpaper.

Overall Advantages of Wallpaper

Even though wallpaper costs more than paint initially, it also tends to last longer. A good quality of wallpaper is often expected to last ten years or longer. In the case of paint, many people find it necessary to repaint every few years or so, since it is easier to scuff, chip and scratch. Plus, although it is quite durable, modern varieties of wallpaper are designed to allow for easy removal. This can make it easy to repaper a room or change the overall look whenever you desire without a lot of difficulty. In the case of paint, adding a new coat is certainly easy, but over time you are continuously adding new layers of paint, which could encourage chipping or peeling. With wallpaper, you have a fresh surface every time, since you always remove the previous layer.

The Design Appeal of Wallpaper

From a design standpoint, there are many advantages to wallpaper as compared to paint. It tends to add a degree of character and warmth to a room that is hard to match with paint. Because of the many varied patterns and colors, it can be used to easily transform the look and mood of the room without the need for a lot of other decorating touches. Textured wallpaper can also add a lot of design appeal to a room, in addition to helping disguise difficult walls or uneven surfaces. If you desire a texture or a pattern on your walls, using wallpaper is usually easier than trying to achieve faux and textured finishes with paint and glazes. Wallpaper from natural material such as grass cloth can also be used to add a fresh modern look to a room. There are also wallpaper patterns and textures that are designed to simulate natural materials, such as leather, wood or fabric; such choices provide a wonderfully rich backdrop to highlight any dramatic artwork, such as fleur de lis or musical wall decorations. Although it is often possible with advanced techniques to simulate these surfaces with paint, wallpaper can greatly simplify the job.

Interesting Techniques with Wallpaper

For added visual interest in a room, try wallpapering a focal wall while painting the other three walls. This can often create a more appealing look than simply painting or wallpapering all of the walls in the same fashion; it will also make the wall art and decor on the painted walls stand out all the more. Using a chair rail as the dividing point between two varieties of wallpaper, or between wallpapered and painted areas of the wall, is also a good technique to use in order to add visual interest. For a truly coordinated look, some decorating companies provide wallpaper and fabrics in coordinating or matching styles, allowing you to match curtains and other fabric features to your walls. This can be a very effective technique to use if you embrace a traditional decorating style. For contemporary rooms, try unique wallpaper with a metallic finish on one or more walls for an interesting effect.