Whether covering an entire room or simply accenting one wall, wallpaper is a striking decorating feature that can add scale, texture and instant pizzazz to your home.
According to Canadian interior designer Michelle Mawby, principal designer of Lucid Interior Design and star of the Discovery Channel’s Junk Raiders, today’s top three wallpaper trends are bold geometric patters, oversized damasques, and luxurious textures such as leather and silk.
“A feature wall is always a great way to dip your toe into a bold pattern or colour, but make sure your painted walls work with the paper,” she cautions.
“You can also consider using paper within wall moulding or on canvases and hung like art work.”
When it comes to wallpapering, here are Mawby’s top dos and don’ts:
1. Do use sparingly. Don’t paper every room in your house. “Pick a feature room like your dining room, powder room or bedroom,” says Mawby.
2. Do make sure it blends with the existing colour palette in your home unless you are changing the entire house.
3. Don’t cheap out. Ensure you order sufficient quantities. “It’s always better to order extra. Trying to reorder the same dye lot can sometimes be a problem,” she explains.
4. Don’t ask too many people’s opinion. “If you love it, go for it!” she advises.
5. Do consider mixing and matching styles. “Try contemporary paper in a traditional house or traditional paper in a more modern house,” she suggests.
