WALLPAPER – I LOVE it and the power it yields to completely transform a space with personality, individuality and style. From large dramatic designs to subtle depth and dimension created by small patterns and textures, the ever-increasing choice available is exciting, if not a little daunting. If you are tempted to incorporate wallpaper somewhere in your home, read on for my top tips on finding the ideal wallpaper to complement you and your home’s personality.
PURPOSE
First and foremost decide what impact you are aiming to create and how you would like the space to feel. Is it a dramatic first impression in the entranceway of your home? Are you looking to create just the right amount of interest and depth in a living room without it being too busy? Or perhaps it’s a bit of whimsy you are after in a child’s bedroom or reading nook.
The number one rule for ensuring you can live with and love your wallpaper is to know that the purpose of the wallpaper and the function of the space work together. A wallpaper with dynamic colour and pattern is not going to create the right feeling in a room intended for rest and relaxation. It could be perfect however to set the mood for lively conversation around a dining room table.
POSITION
Some spaces are an obvious choice for wallpaper – a feature wall behind a bed, the attention seeking wall in your entrance way and one wall of your stairwell or hallway.
But thinking outside of the box when positioning your wallpaper can reward you and your guests with unexpected joy and impact from the space.
I love to use wallpaper in a functional room such as a guest bathroom or laundry to bring a feeling of fun and surprise to a largely practical space. Other examples include using wallpaper to visually assign space for a reading nook or wallpapering a ceiling.
PATTERN and PROPORTION
Use the proportions of your space to guide you to the form and scale of pattern to choose. For example, a large scale pattern may not repeat more than once in a small room. And a vertical pattern such as a thin stripe can be used to give the impression of greater height in a room with low ceilings.
In general, large patterns are more stimulation making them a good choice for spaces you pass through, spend short amounts of time in or are relatively active in. In contrast, smaller repetitive patterns are less demanding and therefore more suitable for rest, relaxation and sleep.
COLOUR
Like choosing a paint colour, consider the amount of natural light a room gets and how the room is used before selecting the wallpaper colour.
Lighter colours are a better choice if a sense of space is important while a well-chosen darker colour can make a room instantly cozy.
Cool colours like blue and green are calming, while warmer tones like red and pink inspire activity
Metallic highlights are valued for bringing a reflective quality and touch of luxe to many options.
TEXTURE
Textured wallpaper is particularly hot right now and deserves it’s own special mention for its ability to bring a different and unique decorating scheme into the mix. If too much pattern or colour is not for you then textured wallpaper could be just the answer to bring depth and dimension to your room.
Invite the outdoors in with papers that emulate the texture of stone, concrete, wood and animal skin. Or consider the impressive range of fabric wallpapers in linen, silk, vinyl and the amazing grasscloth.
If you are ready to bring some serious style and personality to your home with wallpaper, I would love to help you make the right choice.
Get in touch now – call or email me to book a consultation.