Wallpaper Revival

It’s back!  It’s been back for quite a while, and although most of us associate wallpaper with the 1970s velvet flocked granny papers, modern times have propelled wallpapers into the future.  No matter your design ethic, wallpaper can add anything from some simple texture, a splash of colour or an artistic element.  Use it to complete your design, add sophistication or even frame it as an inexpensive, yet unique, piece of art.

Super thank you to Joanne Fabrics (www.joannefabrics.com) for these great wallpapers, and for providing Monaco Interiors will all the books for our clients!!

Let’s look at different styles and how wallpaper can be used to enhance a space.

Cottage/Vintage Chic

Pretty wallpaper, in either a neutral as shown, or a lovely shade of your favorite vintage inspired colour, can really create the look you are after by acting as your jumping off point.  Here we can see that the paper used initiates the colour palette, and instantly gives the homeowner that cottage chic, almost French inspired look.  Add some feminine furnishings, and there you go.  Design done.  Un fait acompli! (means job well done)

Hollywood Glam

Going black and white is a classic, Hollywood inspired design concept.  Blending in shades of grey, or pops of your favorite colour, be it red or yellow (or anything else!), really adds that final touch.  Here, classic furnishings are offset by the fun wallpaper.  The wall acts as the stage, while the furnishings and accessories keep the space within the style that the client is after.

Ethnic Elegance

I love a more ethnic look in home design.  It promotes a sense of the exotic, and even if you can’t travel there, you can bring worldly places right into your home.  The overall feeling ends up being that of warmth and character.  A simple damask on the right background doesn’t have to be the stand out piece in a room, but can also serve as the completion of a space, tying in all your accessories and furniture choices to create one space that speaks of your families past, or places you dream of.

Mod Mod Modern

Most modern enthusiasts verge on overly minimalistic in their designs.  Yet that can start to get boring, and who wants that?  A great graphic print, be it tone on tone, or bold and beautiful, can jazz up the most basic of designs.  Doing an entire room in this would probably make you dizzy, but one wall would power-up your otherwise blah surroundings.

Boho Chic

For that person who really loves colour, and nature, take a look at this one!  It totally sucks you in to its happy vibe, and give you all the freedom in the world to add lots of colour and fun to a space, all while resisting the urge to go too far.   I’m a lover of this one.  It’s made up as a mural, so created to fit your wall and space.  The choice of colour option is almost unlimited, and works perfectly if you are looking to throw a bunch of different coloured toss cushions onto your black sofa.  It’s daring, but if you’ve got what it takes, it’s awesome.

Pure and Simple

I had to add one more, for those looking for more soothing surroundings.  Adding a simple texture such as grasscloth (the paper du jour) is pretty safe.  And, it brings in an outdoor vibe, creating a relaxed yet still refined ambiance.  Grasscloth is available in about a billion colours too, so you’d have zero issues finding the perfect one.  But if that doesn’t feel like the right move, try a simple tone on tone, ore mini stripe as pictured here.  It’ll kill the plain wall blues, without triggering your “oh no not wallpaper” panic button.

Keep in mind a few things when picking out your wallpaper!  Paint colours for adjoining walls should make sense.  Picking a shade that’s already in your paper choice is a smart, easy way to ensure you don’t end up with a mish-mash of colours.  Remember to prepare your walls, you don’t want bumps.  Get it installed by a professional if you can, so it lines up well and looks great.  Measure well (your installer can do this for you), so you have enough paper of the same dye lot. And have fun with it.  Sometimes the safest choice becomes the most boring choice, so take a bit of a leap.

Have a terrific day!
XR