Using wallpaper to transform a space is very ‘on trend’ right now!  With advances in technology and production, interior designers have gotten their creative juices flowing, and are coming up with stylish, and quite frankly, stunning designs that can bring even the dullest of spaces back to life.

Gone are the days when your choice in wallpaper covering was either anaglypta, wood chip or vinyl!  We’re talking, quite frankly in some cases, supreme works of art!

Using Wallpaper to transform a space pretty much died a death in the late 80’s and 90’s in preference of plain, flat, painted walls.  But it wasn’t always the case.  Wallpaper was at one time, the only way to decorate a home.  It was thick, unyielding and a pain to hang, but it’s main function was to cover up the poor quality plaster on the walls and to provide an ever so slight bit of insulation.

Then as the decades progressed, we saw the use of wallpaper become more minimalist and used as borders between the walls and ceiling, or at chair height around the room.  Think back to the Laura Ashley days of kitsch, bold flowery patterns adorning the walls of your lounge and you’ll know what I mean!

Painting walls with different techniques to add interest and texture took over in the trend department, which soon gave way to painting and paneling.

But now, there’s been a real resurgence in the use of wallpaper.  There are endless options these days, to add texture, colour, design and interest.

But before you delve into the world of wallpaper, here’s a few pointers as to what to consider before you rush out and buy your room transforming product!

Considerations of using wallpaper to transform a space

1.  Consider the size of the room – if you’ve got a small space, then hanging a bold, bright and big pattern over every wall is going to make it look even smaller.  The idea is to make the space appear bigger than it is.  A smaller patterned paper hung on the focal wall of the room will brighten it up, but not compromise of the feeling of space.  Conversely, if you’re thinking of a large lounge, with tall ceilings and an expanse of walls, then you could be bolder in your choice of pattern.  Again, it may be that you could use one wall as a focal point and be really creative in your choice of paper.

2. Consider the light source in the room – how light is the room that you want to paper?  If you’ve found your perfect wallpaper that’s dark and moody, you won’t be doing it justice if your light source is poor.  Also, the room itself will look even darker.  If the light source is bright, then you can get away with darker patterns and elaborate textures.

3.  Consider the mood you want to create – how do you want to use the space and how do you want to feel in the space you create?  If your bedroom is your calm sanctuary, then you’ll be mightily disappointed if you hang a bright and jazzy wallpaper in it.  Equally, if your home office is somewhere that you need to be creative, then a full wall mural of a beach in Antigua won’t help you!

Using wallpaper to transform a space in your home is exciting and can produce results beyond your wildest dreams!  Just a bit of thought and consideration for the space you’re trying to transform will give you the perfect look and feel to your room that you’ll be enjoying for years to come!

We are CAL Decorators – expert domestic and commercial decorators in Gloucester.  We’d be happy to talk through your project with you!  Take a look at our website www.caldecorators.co.uk or simply give us a call on 01452 540 067