5 unexpected ways to use wallpaper in your home
When decorating your home, sometimes a room needs an extra layer of punch – some va-va-voom – either to highlight the architecture, show off a collection of furniture or decorative objects, or simply for a bit of decorating fun and fabulousness!
Wallpaper offers pattern, colour, texture and visual stimulation like no other surface treatment in decorating. Beyond a bold paint colour or textured finish on walls, it can transform a room in moments to take it from bland to beautiful.
Just how big a statement you make is up to you. Whether used in combination with the hanging of wallpaper on walls, or to create a little ‘wow’ factor all of its own, choose a design you love and let your imagination run wild - tropical wallpaper adds life to an outdoor room or entertaining area, whilst a more classic or art deco design may speak to a particular decorating style you love.
We spoke to Graham & Brown’s Design and Trends Expert Paula Taylor to find out what’s trending in wallpaper and found five inspirational ways to look a little differently at that alluring roll of pattern in your hand.
1. Stair risers
“Stairways are often ignored and unloved as they are a means to getting somewhere else and not a place to linger,” says Paula. “With a little bit of effort however, they can look really beautiful. Using wallpaper livens up the forlorn and creates a conversation piece, which will intrigue your guests. When wallpapering stair risers, either stick with one pattern, or create a hotchpotch of pattern and colour.”
2. The ceiling
“Along with the stairs, the ceiling is another commonly overlooked area when decorating,” Paula muses. “The truth is, a beautifully patterned wall above you can create a mesmerising interior impact.”
“Don’t be daunted by thinking it will be a hard task, new ‘paste the wall’ technology means that this can be created with ease”
Paula Taylor
3. Door panels
Pick up detailing in your home's architecture by wallpapering doors or sections of moulded walls. “Wallpapering your door panels are a great way to add a little colour and pattern to a room,” suggests Paula. “Adding wallpaper to the panels creates a picture frame around the pattern, changing it from a simple door, to a piece of art.”
4. Lampshades
“You can apply wallpaper to either the inside or outside of lampshades (or both!) creating a truly customised coordinated feel to your mood lighting,” says Paula.
5. Decoupage
Pick out some of the pattern detail in your wallpaper design and apply as cutouts to furnishings for fabulous results. “This is a great way to reuse wallpaper and create stunning bespoke pieces of furniture,” says Paula. “It can reinvent tired old pieces or liven up new inexpensive furniture and recreate something completely new and beautiful.”
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