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Wallpaper Ideas

I like wallpaper. I’ll admit, it has been a love/hate sort of thing. I’ve hated layers of wallpapers that I have had to remove, but loved wallpaper that I chose myself. In the right place, with the right paper, and the right wallpaper hanger person, I love it.

I know that wallpaper has had a bad reputation for the last number of years in some circles. We can blame that on whoever decided we all needed the country blue geese borders of 1980 or other hideous papers that were all the rage back in the day. Yep, I’ve seen some really ugly wallpapers! And I’ve dreaded pulling it off for the damage it might do to the walls thanks to the industrial strength paste that was used. Good thing times are changing and the paper is much easier to remove now!

Blue Wallpapered Room: Traditional Home

No matter what your particular feeling is about wallpaper these days, I think it has its place. I have never fallen out of love with it, so to me it is not a matter of whether it is “in” or “out” or “trendy” or not, it is whether it serves a purpose and achieves the look I want. Keep in mind that wallpaper has been around forever, even if it has had some unfortunate periods in history.

Wallpaper can be a great style tool, if you choose carefully. It can define your home as something unique and personal to you. So, since we discussed the use of paper for decorative purposes a previous Style Tips post, let’s continue this topic by diving in to some photos that show where wallpaper can be quite effective for defining individual style.

Wallpaper can give walls a great texture and depth that you just can’t achieve as well from paint. There are lots of great natural textured papers out there now. I love this grasscloth look in Barclay Butera’s entryway. I also love the soft pattern in Barclay’s bedroom, below.

Love the paper in the back of the shelves. It is a great added touch. It doesn’t call too much attention to itself but gives a nice textured background for the accessories.

Barclay Butera

Barclay Butera (above five photos)

Love this entry and its mood.

Domino Magazine

Wallpaper can make a cold typical room suddenly cozy and oozing with style and personality. Your personality, you can choose traditional papers, modern styles or whatever suits your fancy. Don’t worry about the next owner of the house unless you are moving any time soon. This is YOUR house. You might as well love it.

Little alcoves like this are well suited to wallpaper’s added touch.

Domino Magazine

Martha Stewart

I have always adored wallpapered closets, powder rooms and tiny nooks or crannies. And, since wallpaper can be expensive in a large room, this is a great way to add a little pizazz without a huge expense.

Wallpaper can even be glamorous! And murals can add a lot of interest, depth, personality and drama to a room.

Traditional Home

Domino Magazine

If you are an artist, you can create your own wallpaper look with paint and stencils, like in the leaf pattern above.

Domino Magazine

Or, use paper to cover unsightly things like file cabinets.

Domino Magazine

Use strips of wallpaper to create unique wall borders or designs. Just please, no geese. Please, for the love of all things stylish. Stick to something more classic or artistic.

Domino Magazine

I wouldn’t want the job of papering a ceiling, but I’ve always liked the look.

Martha Stewart

We used to paper light switch plates to disguise them on a wallpapered wall, but if you want to make a statement, go ahead and paper them to stand out.

Martha Stewart

I love the idea of wallpaper (or craft paper for that matter) to cover mats in frames to give them some flair.

Martha Stewart

If you don’t want to deal with paint and stencils, you can cut patterns out of wallpaper to add a custom design to plain painted stairs. Or, put paper on doors for a punch of color or pattern.

Give wallpaper a chance.

Girls’ Rooms: Fanciful Rugs & Lamps

It’s all in the details. My philosophy for decorating kids’ rooms is they should begin with a few elements of whimsy to bring the room to life. The key is to select whimsical items that are fun and encourage children’s fanciful imaginations, but that don’t appear tacky, cheap and dated. This is where many kids rooms go tragically wrong.