Before you reach for that paintbrush, think about wallpaper. We are not talking about the green or yellow floral wallpaper designs you remember from your grandmother’s kitchen. Today, wallpaper can bring exciting colors, patterns, and textures into any space. Know the pros and cons of wallpaper before you decide to paint your walls.
If you have a room full of solid color furnishings, patterned wallpaper can add new dimensions to your home. Without changing a single piece of furniture, you will feel as though the entire room has changed.
The Pros of Choosing Wallpaper
Long-lasting durability – paint often needs retouching or repainting every two to five years depending on children, pets, and traffic. Using wallpaper for a room instead of paint can provide 10 to 15 years of durability.
Cost-effectiveness – although the upfront cost of wallpaper vs. paint is higher, its durability will save you money over time.
Visual appeal – wallpaper provides a level of creativity you will not find with paint unless you hire someone to paint designs on your wall (higher cost). New styles of wallpaper today offer the look of faux suede, cork, velvet, vinyl, embossed finishes, textiles, and more. Using wallpaper for a room provides a level of versatility you just will not find with paint.
Damaged walls – wallpaper can make even poor condition walls look good. If your walls have defects that you do not want to fix, a good quality, thick wallpaper can make them look spectacular.
Versatility – using wallpaper for room décor also has come a long way. If you find a pattern that you love, but do not want to wallpaper an entire wall, consider placing it inside a picture frame for a new take on artwork. The monetary savings can be tremendous over purchasing fine art. It is also easily changeable when you want a new “look.” You can also use wallpaper behind shelving to add dimension to a room while accenting your displays.
Easy to clean – textured wallpaper is readily cleaned by vacuuming, brooms, cleaning cloths, or even wallpaper dough. For families with young children, easy to clean vinyl wallpaper can save you from frequent repainting of your walls.
Wallpaper adds a lot of personality to a room, allowing you to use it as an accent on just one wall to coordinate with paint colors, or to cover an entire room. Many wallpapers today even come in complementary partner patterns and solids. That allows your wallpaper room décor to take on a more customized appearance.
Cons of Using Wallpaper
Higher cost – yes, the cost is more upfront. However, remember the pros; wallpaper can save you money in the long run.
Hard to replace – wallpaper patterns come and go. If a wall becomes damaged, and you need to replace the wallpaper, that could be a problem. Dye lots also come into play. If you need to repair a wall with wallpaper, ordering another roll might not match.
Humidity and climate – choose the right paper for the room. Luckily, there are new wallpapers designed to withstand moisture for humid areas.
Difficult to install – Yes, it is easy if you know what you are doing. Most people do not. Hanging wallpaper is a lost art. You want to match patterns at the seams, and that requires a great deal of skill. An experienced wallpaper hanger will know which adhesive is the correct one for your type of wallpaper.
Running out of paper – a qualified professional will ensure that you have enough wallpaper ordered to complete your job.
