Not Your Grandmother’s Wallpaper

Much like dial-up internet, hourglasses, steam locomotives, and gunpowder, wallpaper has fallen victim to the unrelenting march of time. The same reasons wallpaper became popular in the first place- its ornate stylings, inexpensive delivery, rapid resolution, room characterization- also led to its downfall into obscurity.

People saw the complications wallpaper presented and began to opt for plain coats of paint in their spaces. As the minimalist movement rose, the desire for more neutral walls and accents trumped the eccentricities of wallpaper. Wallpaper became synonymous with tackiness and the 19th century. If you want to disrupt the status quo of a space, however, a tasteful wallpaper can be an excellent style choice and add a boost of personality.

Wallpaper is commonly used on accent walls, which is the most predominant and eye-catching wall in the space. You want that to be the “WOW” moment when you walk into the room. The exception to that general rule would be for a bedroom, as you usually want to choose the wall that the bed is set against (where the headboard would be) for your accent wall.

Depending on how much you want the accent wall to stand out, plan your wallpaper selection accordingly. For a bold feel, try a bright or heavily-patterned wallpaper. To make the accent wall more subtly stylish, pastels and muted palettes work great.

For a more challenging wallpaper feat, consider adding it as your kitchen backsplash. If you’re bored to death with the standard subway tile, be bold with a wallpaper design of your choice and a little help from your friend, tempered glass. Covering it with a layer of tempered glass prevents staining, or worse, catching on fire. Now you have a unique, easy to clean kitchen feature!

A nifty idea for even renters is to invest in stick-on, peel-off wallpaper sheets for kitchen cabinetry. These can increase your kitchen’s vibrancy tenfold, and make it a room worth hanging out in.