Wallpaper coming back into vogue
Denise Jordan has seen wallpaper come and seen it go.
She and her husband, owners of Jordan Wallcoverings based in Gastonia, N.C., and highly rated on Angie’s List, have made a living covering walls in the Charlotte area and beyond for more than 30 years.
For decades, the wall-covering business was dominated by wallpaper, adding accents and personality to rooms, and making cleanup in bathrooms and kitchens easier. Then it fell off, as people removed wallpaper and painted rooms.
Interest in hanging wallpaper has ebbed and flowed over the years, but seems to be flowing again, Jordan says.
Wallpaper trends
Jordan spotted these wallpaper trends:
Textures: More homeowners are showing interest in wallpaper with a textured finish such as metallic foil, shiny or wall coverings that simulate wood paneling or grasscloth.
Kitchens and bathrooms: Wallpaper tends to hold up best in kitchens and bathrooms, Jordan says. The pattern and texture can offer the small space a special style — and depending on the type of covering chosen, a wipeable finish.
Accents: Instead of papering an entire room, the trend seems to be toward accent walls or even a traditional border style at the top of the wall.
One holdup in the wallpaper comeback? Expense. “It really has gone up in price,” Jordan says.
Prices range from $14 to $45 a yard in this area — pricier than a can of quality interior paint that can cover an entire room.
Before you start
If wallpaper is hung and installed correctly, it can look fresh for a decade or more. To do this right, you might want to hire someone who specializes in hanging wallpaper instead of opting for DIY wallpaper installation.
A key to hanging it well is sizing the wall. To do this, Jordan applies a substance that creates a slippery surface on the wall that helps the wallpaper grip the wall better, and this makes it easier to peel off wallpaper later when the trend ebbs again.
If that step is done correctly, the paper will stick just right and it will come down when you want it to, she says.
