Look out, DIY home decorators – it’s time to ditch the paintbrush! If you have never taken advantage of a stylish, vibrant, and easy-to-apply wall covering, then you don’t know what you’re missing. Wall coverings take less time than paint to apply, and they can lend any room a dramatic note that you could never achieve with paint. Here are a few things to consider when choosing the style and finish that will best suit your interior décor.
How Durable Do You Need Your Wall Covering to Be?
A quiet, elderly couple may be able to sustain delicate wall coverings in their home, but if you are a family of five with pets and babies, you will need a very durable wall covering that won’t rip, tear, or stain easily. Vinyl coverings are the most common for these types of homes, because they are easy to clean and virtually indestructible. However, fabric wall coverings are also an excellent choice. These coverings create an interesting design and texture, and are less likely to show greasy finger smudges or crayon markings.
What Type of Wall are You Covering?
Some wall coverings are ideally suited for smooth, flat, and properly finished walls. Coverings with a foil or silk finish, for example, will clearly show imperfections in the wall. If you want to effectively cover uneven paint or visible cracks between drywall, choose wall coverings with raised textures, embossed designs, or relief patterns to hide imperfections. You may also consider a flocked paper to give your room a stately, antique look while hiding imperfections with its velvet-like texture.
Do You Want to Make the Room Look Bigger or Brighter?
Just as you would choose a light color with a glossy finish if you were painting a room, a wall covering with a shinier texture and lighter colors will help a small room look bigger and a dark room look brighter. Foil paper is great for small, dark corners, while many embossed papers are mildly reflective as well as textured. If you need a large room to feel warmer and cozier, on the other hand, fabric or flocked coverings in coffee, burgundy, or rust shades may do the trick.
A Few More Things to Think About…
While a certain pattern or texture may look great on the square foot sample in the store, it might not look so great multiplied by a hundred and overpowering the carpet on your floor. You should always take a few samples home with you, if at all possible, to see how the design looks in the lighting in your home and against the carpet, curtains, and upholstery in the room. Follow these few tips, and you are sure to find the wall covering that you will love for years to come.
