The Washington Post and Herald Staff
I f you’re considering wallpaper, your timing couldn’t be better.
In recent decades, many people have thought of wallpaper as a fussy, old-fashioned choice – too permanent, difficult to put up and even worse to take down. Its bad reputation drove droves of homeowners to paint.
Designers insist that wallpaper has never gone away, and among their clients they are no doubt right. But when widely popular chains such as Restoration Hardware and Anthropologie come out with paper patterns, it’s a sign of a renewed trend.
“Wallpaper isn’t anything like it used to be,” said interior designer Stephen Marshall, owner of Stephen Marshall Design in Lynnwood. “There are so many different products and surfaces that can be accomplished through wallpaper now. It’s pretty exciting.”
Designers say the right wallpaper can make a room appear larger or a ceiling feel higher.
It can add interest where there are no architectural features, and it can help disguise damaged walls and other structural imperfections.
Wallpaper patterns, even new ones, still feature flowers, but they are also coming out in difficult-to-paint designs including large-scale graphics, metallics, silks, linens, velvet flocking, leather, grass cloth, bamboo, lacquer and burlap. Some faux-finish designs resemble silk, suede or marble, and others mimic metal, natural stone or brick.
Marshall recently completed a project in Edmonds with a particularly striking wall covering in the entryway.
“It’s actually made of tiny, tiny beads of Murano glass. It’s spectacular,” he said. “We’ve done a variety of projects with wallpaper.”
Marshall typically uses wallpaper in entry halls, guest bathrooms, common areas or “places that have a distinct, special function. It’s a real easy way to make a splashy statement.”
Though it typically costs more to hang wallpaper than to paint, wallpaper lasts longer, especially if it’s hung correctly, said Bob Bell, owner of Bell Wallcovering in Lynnwood, a painting, wallpaper-hanging and removal service.
“If you don’t have much wear and tear, wall coverings will last 15 to 20 years,” he said, adding that wallpapers can be easily removed if they’re applied correctly in the first place.
“People used to try to cut corners on jobs,” he said. “I stress prep work.”
Many styles, including those from Restoration Hardware and Anthropologie, have nonwoven backing, which allows for easier removal, says Nick Cichielo, former chief executive of the Paint &Decorating Retailers Association. “Grab a corner, pull it, and it comes off.”
If that’s true, the latest wallpaper trend could be sticking around for quite some time.
Reporter Sarah Jackson: 425-339-3037 or sjackson@heraldnet.com.
Check with local hardware, flooring and paint shops to peruse books in person, including extensive wallpaper sample libraries at the places below:
Rodda Paint and Decor Center 7825 Evergreen Way Everett 425-347-4989 www.roddapaint.com
Sherwin-Williams, 4201 196th St. SW Lynnwood 425-775-2550 www.sherwin-williams.com.
If you want to rid your home of wallpaper, you can hire a professional to remove it or try one of three basic do-it-yourself techniques. There’s dry stripping (peeling it off by hand if it comes off easily), soaking and scraping (using warm water and a wallpaper-remover solvent) and, finally, steaming it off with a rented steamer. Your technique will depend on the condition and type of wallpaper and walls in your home. Learn more at local hardware stores or see www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/ DummiesArticle/id-2494.html.
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