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The Warmth & Charm of Wallpaper

by | May 4, 2010 | Decorating Inspiration, Details

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The Warmth & Charm of Wallpaper

I know some of you are still very very scared of wallpaper. Especially those of you who remember your mom’s yellow and orange wallpapered kitchen or your grandma’s flowered wallpapered living room. Wallpaper definitely went through an awkwardly ugly phase. Not to mention how awful old wallpaper is to remove.

This photo is probably all it will take to remind you of how much you hate wallpaper.

The Warmth & Charm of Wallpaper

But give wallpaper another chance! It doesn’t have to be that awful.

How about papering just a small entry? A powder room? Or just an accent wall? Don’t be afraid. Wallpaper is back in vogue in spite of those painful memories and there is nothing like it to warm up a space and give it instant pizazz!

The Warmth & Charm of Wallpaper

I put some beautiful wallpaper in my shop (above), and I am thinking about using it for my powder room or bedroom. Someday. When I have time to think about projects like wallpapering. For now I have people over with half-painted rooms and I have to be content with that. But I do love rooms with wallpaper!

The Warmth & Charm of Wallpaper

Don’t you love that entry? So pretty.

So are you brave enough to try wallpaper to are you gonna “just say no”?

images: Country Homes

38 Comments

  1. Amber T.

    I for one, love wallpaper! Great post Melissa, I really like the idea of just doing an accent wall too- just to add interest to a room.

    Reply
  2. Annelise Wilcox

    I have so much paneling in my home, all painted out but it is hard to paper over it. I love the look of my friends house who has it below the chair molding. A punch of colors adds a lot of character. I should start carrying wallpaper samples when I do color consulting. Good thoughts. Thanks
    .-= Annelise Wilcox´s last blog ..I love my Sectional Because… =-.

    Reply
  3. Heather

    We moved into a house with wallpaper in every room. It’s been a long haul to remove everything from the first floor (still have the bedrooms to do). So what do I do? I wallpaper the kitchen again! My cupboards are a funny whitewashed pinky oak and it was so hard to pull everything together with paint – so I found some terrific wallpaper which seems to take the pink out of the cupboards. Sometimes wallpaper works.
    .-= Heather @ what’s happening this week´s last blog ..Words to Inspire by Henry David Thoreau =-.

    Reply
    • Melissa

      That reminds me of my own kitchen a couple of houses ago, wallpaper was the best solution to floors that didn’t quite fit in! It really made a huge difference in a way paint never could!

      Reply
  4. Franki Parde

    Count me in as a wallpaper fan. If it’s not overdone it just gives that pizazz a room can use. I’m using it this week to give a fresh look to the back of the guest room armoire. Wallpaper is a go! franki

    Reply
  5. Nanci

    I love a nice wallpaper. I put a pretty toile in my guest bath 6 years ago and still love it! I have a subtle wall paper in my entry and still love it too.
    Now I wouldn’t want it in every room they way my parents did but I think it can add something that paint can not. I love that blue paper in the entryway photo shot.

    Reply
  6. Ashley

    I’ve seen some really cool wallpapers lately! I thought they were out of style…but they are making a big comeback. Paint is so much easier, but you are right, to add some pattern and texture for a small area can make a really nice design addition.
    .-= Ashley´s last blog ..Bud Break, Weed Control, and Then and Now =-.

    Reply
  7. tina

    Count me in as one who will just say no. LOL We’ve had wallpaper in our homes and after removing it from the kitchen in this house, I vowed I’d never have it again. Who knows? I do love seeing wallpaper in other people’s homes. I especially love it in a bathroom. My problem is I get tired of it, I like to change things up fairly often.

    tina

    Reply
  8. Bekah

    I love it. I would probably put some up where I love to sit and read. I think it can be done well and it can be done…not so well.
    .-= Bekah@Ifworkpermits´s last blog ..El Guapo =-.

    Reply
  9. Hip Hip Gin Gin

    I love the look of wall paper, I’m even coveting a few designs for the wall in front of my desk right now. But I have to say no. After removing the hideous yellow flowery wallpaper from our dining room I just can’t wrap my mind around putting more of it up. And the husband? Would pretty much run away from home if I said wallpaper to him.
    .-= Hip Hip Gin Gin´s last blog ..Eva Zeisel =-.

    Reply
  10. Sherry

    I have a renewed love for wallpaper! I have been thinking of adding it to my powder room.
    .-= Sherry @ No Minimalist Here´s last blog ..Cottage Charm Giveaway Here! =-.

    Reply
  11. Kacey

    Not brave enough (yet!) to try it – but dying to! I think wallpaper is so fun and timeless (depending on the print). If I could just convince my husband…
    .-= Kacey´s last blog ..It’s giveaway time! =-.

    Reply
  12. Rhoda

    Hey Melissa! I too love the accent walls with the new graphic papers. And how funny, I have that Cotswold paper in my shop too & have ordered a roll of it for my little office nook. Project on my list! Be aware though, it looks green & white in the pic, it’s really green and silvery/pearly. I’m still making it work, but I was surprised when I got it in.

    Reply
    • Melissa

      Can’t wait to see what you do with it!

      Reply
  13. Jennifer

    After having to remove wallpaper from nearly every room when we moved into this house… I am not so sure about using wallpaper. But these photos almost make it worth trying! They are beautiful!!
    .-= Jennifer´s last blog ..I’m sponsoring Tutorial Tuesday.. GIVEAWAY time! =-.

    Reply
  14. Bonnie Mattson

    I love the look of wallpaper but I am pretty done with it. We just got the last of it off this year and I felt like that no matter how much I love it…..no thanks. It took four people 8 hours to get it of our kitchen walls and we had it in every room at one point. Now it is gone. Liberating!

    Some things I know for sure…if you do use it, take the time to prepare the walls properly, don’t ever paint over it and when you do remove it get every speck of the backing off before trying to paint it again.. and don’t hang over the old wallpaper. As a home stager I have seen all of that. I also learned no matter how much you love it, your buyer will not. It is just to individualized for someone else’s taste and more than likely it is a deal breaker, especially if they have just fixed up the house they are selling.

    All that aside I do love the way it gift wraps a room!
    .-= Bonnie Mattson´s last blog ..A Simple Woman’s Daybook~ May 4, 2010 =-.

    Reply
  15. Mary Joy

    Melissa,

    I had sworn off wallpaper but the pictures you share are gorgeous!!! Someday when we are able to buy a house I think I will use it for accent walls. It really does make the rooms you shared something really special!!
    .-= Mary Joy @ Snapshots from my Heart & Home´s last blog ..I am the featured blog on Homebody today!!!! =-.

    Reply
  16. Gina

    Hmm, I do like the look of some wallpaper-but the thought of ever changing my mind and having to redo it is enough for me to say no thank you. I guess in a the right place with the right pattern it’s probably okay-growing up in a very wallpapered house was enough for me! :)
    .-= Gina´s last blog ..Garden Getaway =-.

    Reply
  17. Melanie

    I love wallpaper. I had a toile San Francisco print in my half bath in Florida and I am putting it in my half bath in my new home too.
    .-= Melanie´s last blog ..This is beautiful! =-.

    Reply
  18. Bree

    YES to wallpaper, for sure! I love it and I love you blog, too.

    Love, Bree

    Reply
    • Melissa

      Thanks Bree!!

      Reply
  19. Irene

    I’ll admit it…I don’t like wallpaper. Particularly the work involved in removing it.

    However, I will also admit that I’ve seen some that is really modern and elegant, not old lady looking at all.

    I might even use some as an accent wall at the new house.

    maybe.
    .-= Irene´s last blog ..Painted Furnishings Week – Nightstands =-.

    Reply
  20. maggie

    After struggling to remove the wallpaper in my kitchen I swore ‘NEVER again!!’. Just recently I read somewhere that they now have a new removable wallpaper. hmmmm….

    Reply
  21. teresa

    Yes, it’s very tempting. I have some bad wallpaper memories. =)
    Maybe this post is just the therapy I needed. =)
    .-= teresa´s last blog ..Back to working on the Hamlet- =-.

    Reply
  22. Kristen

    Has anyone tried the “Easychange” wallpaper by Shirwin Willaims? I would love to put up wallpaper but have nightmares about taking it down. I found some cool patterns and thought this might be a great solution but didn’t know if it really was easy to change.

    Reply
  23. ella ~ lifeologia

    I just found your blog. This is a great place to be.
    I don’t have any wallpaper up but I do love the look of it – I’m sure that one day it will end up somewhere on an accent wall. Cheers.

    Reply
  24. Mary Joy

    LOL…I decided that I may not be able to wallpaper our walls due to lease agreements but that doesn’t have to stop me from beautifying a bookcase with it on the back as a backdrop for the books & things…

    I knew I would find a way to use it!!! LOL Again you have inspired me!!!
    .-= Mary Joy @ Snapshots from my Heart & Home´s last blog .."Snapshots Prayer Party"–celebrating the Linky way =-.

    Reply
  25. meg duerksen

    after having just spent a whole week removing 3 layers of wallpaper again….i will never hang wall paper ever again.
    no matter what.
    ever. :)
    .-= meg duerksen´s last blog ..twelve. =-.

    Reply

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