Paper paper… on the wall!

The history of hanging paper on the wall dates as early as 200 BC when the Chinese decided to glue decorated rice paper on their walls. Story goes that in the 8th century, a group of Chinese prisoners taught their papermaking skills to Arabs that in turn led to the spread of papermaking in the Middle East. Developments by the 10th century resulted in the use of linen instead of wood or bamboo to create a finer paper – literally providing the base experimentations with printing. Europeans, on the other hand, used textiles not only to decorate their walls, but also provide insulation. These tapestries were extremely expensive and hence available only to the rich. The period of Renaissance witnessed development of wallpaper was developed as an inexpensive alternative. Over the next few centuries, wallpaper went from being block printed and hand painted to flocked to finally machine produced. Industrial production of wallpapers allowed its availability to masses.

Wallpaper continued to be very popular in the beginning of the 20th century, until the influence of mid-century Modernism made white walls beautiful. Technological advancement and the ever-evolving design trends are signaling a comeback for wallpapers now. They are more durable, digitally printed, and can be easily applied and removed. The patterns range from flora and fauna to large-scale murals and unusual patterns.

Many of us love wallpapers. Look at our Pinterest boards, right?! But choosing that special one from the seeming endless selection to best express your individuality, and more importantly the one you can live with, forever (well, kinda forever) can be difficult. It struck Oscar Wilde on his deathbed, when he said:

“This wallpaper is dreadful! One of us has to go”

Let me try and put down a few helpful guidelines, as you choose your special one:

• You first
  • If you are choosing the wallpaper for yourself, identify what patterns/colors may be the best to express your individuality. For example, you may be an outdoor person who would loves hiking and camping in the woods and would trade anything in the world to do more of that. Chances are you would love patterns of trees, and birds, and flowers, and skies.
  • What feeling/mood  do you want to experience when surrounded by the wallpaper? Romantic? Peaceful? Excited?  A splash of red and gold is all you may need to create that romance in the air.
  • What would you like to do in the room? Sleep? Cook? Read? Entertain guests? A war scene depiction may not help with your beauty sleep.
  • Who would you end up sharing this experience with? Kids? adults? Pets? A fragile wallpaper may not work in a kids’ room?
  • How much maintenance is too much for you? If you don’t want yet another thing to worry about every time their is a party, go for washable, soil resistant and easy to clean wallpapers. Vinyl-coated papers will fulfill all these requirements. For kitchens, go for solid sheet vinyl wall coverings which are the most rugged, stain resistant, and scrubbable.
• The room next
  • What are the dimensions of the room?
    • Vertical patterns make the ceiling appear higher. Horizontal patterns seem to widen a room and bring ceilings down.
    • Stick to small patterns and light background colors in a small room. Large rooms can handle big, bold patterns.
  • How many walls will you cover?
    • All four? Stick to subtle, classic and simple to avoid overwhelming the room.
    • Accent wall? License to go bold and dramatic.
  • What is the condition of the walls? Rich textured wallpapers can magically hide minor imperfections on the walls. Go for grasscloth, hemp, or other cloths-on-paper ones instead of the ones with smooth surfaces for less-than-perfect walls. Equally good choice would be flocked papers with raised, velvety patterns.
  • How much light does the room get? Foils and Mylars are good choices for small rooms with little or no natural light.
  • What is in the room, and will complement the wallpaper? Furniture? Rugs? Lighting fixtures? Books? An antique oriental rug may not complement a contemporary geometric wallpaper pattern.
  • How long do you predict your relationship with wallpaper to be? You own the place so till death do us part? You own it but would rather sell it in a couple of years? Or, perhaps it is rented? Look through the several options available including wallpapers with non-woven backing can be peeled off completely when required.
• The budget
  • Have all the money in this world for wallpapers! You can choose the most expensive ones such as flocked wallpapers, more involved textures or natural products backed with paper for hanging. Always hire a professional to hang these.
  • Are on a budget? Vinyl coverings are definitely a more reasonable alternative to natural ones. The new ones look incredibly similar to the real thing. It is also easier to hang and more durable.