For The Love of Wallpaper!
By Julie Schmale
People have very strong feelings about wallpaper. Either you love it, or you absolutely hate-and-will-never-ever-put-it-on-any-wall-anywhere-ever!
Many of us have scraped wallpaper off the walls of an older home. And you probably had to scrape it down layer after layer till you finally reached drywall (if you were lucky) and then it took off the entire paper layer of that too!
Yep, I get it. Been there. Done that.
BUT! Wallpaper has come a long way since then. The application methods (as well as removal!) are so much easier and way more user-friendly. Especially the newest type of wallpaper; the peel and stick. This is something any true DIY’er can do. -Even if you’ve never done wallpaper before.
Putting up wallpaper always seemed scary to me. The peel and stick was the first type I did completely on my own and it was VERY easy to work with. It’s easy to adjust and re-peel until I got it just right.
Non-Pasted / Pre-Pasted / Peel and Stick
Non-Pasted means you need to put glue on the wall and then apply the paper. This is the only method I have not personally tried. It somehow seems more tricky to me, but the installers I have talked to actually prefer this method. They find it easier to work with. I will say, that this type of paper is most often found in the higher end of the price range. But when you feel it, you instantly know you have a really nice product in your hands. It’s thicker and the surface has more texture, so it feels much more luxurious. In comparison, the pre-pasted is smoother and not as thick. The peel and stick is a bit thinner again and feels less luxurious. -But the advantage of it being smooth is that it’s easy to wipe down.
Pre-Pasted means that it has a glue on the back which gets activated with water. Most instructions say to spray with a bottle, but if you attended our wallpaper event, you will remember that prairiegalwallpaper uses a paint roller with water instead. This method applies the water more evenly and gets the edges nice and wet. We really like this tip! Once the paper is wet, you book it and let it sit for a few minutes. Then apply to the wall. I have found this type a bit more tricky to work with. By the time I am done hanging the top half, going around doors and cabinets etc., the bottom is drying up. I’m far from pro at this point though! I have lots to learn still! But hey, we all start somewhere.
Peel and Stick is basically a big sticker you apply to the wall. You might think that makes it sound like an inferior product, but it is not! It still looks fabulous! It goes up really easily and is a great DIY. There is no water and therefore no mess. It smooths out very easily and if you need to adjust it you just peel it off and put back up. I didn’t find that it lost its stickiness at all when peeling back and re-applying.
A little history lesson
I’m a bit of a nerd…. I like learning. Sooooo, I read about the history of wallpaper. If you hate useless information just skip this section, lol.
Wallpaper is the child of Tapestry, and back in the day was used in castles to keep the drafts out. So interesting!! Louis XI of France had tapestry hanging on his walls and whenever he went somewhere, he took the tapestry with him and it was re-hung wherever he stopped.
Wallpaper has gone from hand painted, large scale murals, to what we know today where most is digitally printed. The older process of block printing is very interesting though. There are still manufacturers today that continue to make wallpaper using the older methods like block printing, which highlights the craftsmanship and human element that a computer simply can’t replicate. If you’re a nerd too and want to read more about the history of all things design, this is a great book!
Wallpaper doesn’t have to be a permanent fixture
Wallpaper can be perceived as a big commitment because we think it’s permanent -but really, with the applications today it really doesn’t need to be. If you’re intrigued but feel unsure of wallpaper I would start with a peel and stick. It comes off so quickly and easily. Adding bold patterns or colourful prints to your wall can seem unnerving if you’re not sure if you’ll love the result -again, the peel and stick is a safe place to begin your wallpaper adventure. It might be a bit like getting a tattoo??! I have been told that after your first one you’re hooked and want more….. I feel that wallpaper has had a similar effect on me.
My own main floor half bath has wallpaper. In fact, that was the first decision I made for the interior of our new build. I had tried wallpaper, and I knew I wanted to do it again. I love really big floral print -and the one I found was custom made by Ellie Cashman -of course I tried to find something cheaper that was similar but with no luck. In the end I knew that I would not be happy with the alternative, so we did it (and picked cheaper items for the rest of the bathroom, to even out the cost -and we hung it only on one wall). I have never regretted that choice. I absolutely LOVE it.
“Hanging wallpaper on one focal wall rather than everywhere allows you bring pattern into the room in a more subtle way. Wallpaper, with its many prints, textures and patterns has the unique ability to add individuality to a room. In a bedroom, accent wallpaper can set the tone for the room’s furniture and decor and bring in visual interest behind a bed frame. In a kid’s space, it can reflect their style and personality in a way that a shade of paint just can’t convey. ”
Grass Cloth
To echo the quote from Magnolia; there’s something wallpaper does to a wall, that you cannot achieve with paint. It creates texture, luxury, introduces colour, plays with pattern -and if you want a rich luxurious look, grass cloth is your friend! It actually looks very unimpressive when you see it as samples or in the rolls, but when it’s up on the walls it becomes this amazingly soothing, subtle, and interesting wall treatment. The transformation from roll to wall is what makes grass cloth so intriguing to me, although at this point, I do not have it in my own house. I believe that your home should reflect who you are, and wallpaper is no different. It has to “suit” your style and personality. And for me, I’m just not quite there yet when it comes to grass cloth (even though I LOVE what it does to a wall!)
I have found that wallpaper takes more abuse than just a painted drywall surface. I had put it behind a built-in bunk bed, but I didn’t realize how well it protected the wall until we moved and my boys’ beds were up against just the painted wall…. There were so many dent and dings I couldn’t believe it! I often see the wall behind the crib in a nursery done in wallpaper. And even though its main purpose is to beautify the room, I always think of the practical side of that: your wallpaper will protect your wall while looking fabulous!
Current Project…
Fun places to use bold wallpaper include small rooms or feature walls. Especially when it’s a bold pattern or very colourful. If you did it in an entire room it would be overpowering. That being said - I am currently in the process of hanging Magnolia Home Olive Branch in green on every wall in my laundry room. It’s a small and very stark room with all it’s hard white surfaces, so I think it will infuse it with some life and softness, which is what I want for that room.
Intrigued?
As you can probably tell, I LOVE wallpaper!
My take on it is, we all have a desire to express ourselves in a way that is unique to us. Wallpaper will do that in our homes. Wallpaper can also promote feelings of joy and well-being much like art does…
Like I said earlier, our homes should reflect who we are -and if you feel hesitant but intrigued when it comes to wallpaper come talk to us! We can help you chose an area and a style that could be a good starting point. Sometimes, we just gotta be courageous enough to try something different! Who knows…. maybe you’ll come to love it as much as we do!