How To Select The Right Wallpaper For Your Home

The Perfect Wallpaper Selection

Hey, Ya’ll! Today we are going to talk about wallpaper and how to select the correct and trendy wallpaper style to put in your desired room. Hey, I know it sucks to see 60’s to 80’s wallpapers from those old movies. However, with new technology and great timeless computerized designs, wallpaper can add an elegant charm to any room in your home. 

When we purchased our very first house, we were super excited to be first-time homeowners that I felt like I was in seventh heaven. I was that happy! I was totally in love with my new home except for our kitchen. Yikes, it was full of 70’s wallpaper! Well, the house had way too much potential in it, so we ignored the wallpaper for the moment and were excited about the makeover our house was going to get. 

Today is totally different. Everyone likes to pick some sorta wallpaper and in this post, we will learn the tips and tricks on how to select the correct one. 

Designer tips to be considered before you purchase your wallpaper by keeping end-use of space in mind. 

1-High Traffic vs Low Traffic Areas

Before you decide on any types of wallpaper, you need to consider if it’s a high traffic area or a low traffic area. If it’s a really busy room, for instance, the family room in your house where you gather all the time to hang out with each other, then don’t go with grasscloth.

Grasscloth was really popular back in the 60s and apparently “Old is gold”. Therefore, it’s a hot trend these days, but with high traffic areas, this will not work. It is a bit fussy to work with. 

That should be perfect for your bedroom, as you don’t spend as much time there as you spend in the family room. 

2- Low Ceilings vs High Ceilings 

The second most important point to consider while picking a cool wallpaper is to look at your ceiling in the area where you are going to install it. If it’s very low, don’t go with busy designs. Instead, choose small prints or plain wallpaper. Large prints will make your room look very crowded. On the other hand, do the opposite for high ceilings. 

Striped wallpapers are always great for low ceilings. 

3- Vintage vs Modern Rooms

A lot of you like a vintage style in your decor. So, with vintage style, go for more of the light green color palette or neutral to dark grays. Whereas, if your space is more minimalist or modern, then geometrics prints are the best. 

Although, you do have to consider going with geometric design wallpaper. Plain furniture is the best to match with this. 

You can also draw inspiration from the other pieces from the room. Let’s say you have a beautiful pair of lamps with a nice design on the lampshades which is prominent in the space. Pick a color to match with it, and add a nice texture and warm vibes into the overall design scheme. 

4- Bright Room vs Dark Room Wallpaper

Look at the paper pattern in the daytime and in the evening so you can have an idea of how the light catches it. For less light, use a lighter color.

5- Masculine vs Feminine

Grasscloth or geometrics prints are better for the office, men’s libraries, or boys’ bedrooms. Whereas floral and botanical wallpapers are most common for feminine spaces. Pink floral wallpaper looks great for rooms meant for girls. Geometric wallpapers are also popular with the modern style.

6- Moist vs Dry Areas 

Use vinyl paper for bathrooms as it is an area where you can see a lot of moisture. Vinyl wallpaper is the best as it’s the most stain-resistant. Or, if you go with a different type, apply it on a wall that is away from the sink so it doesn’t get wet. 

If it is in a moisture-free area, such as a bedroom, any type of wallpaper will work. 

7- Pattern, Color, and Texture for wallpaper to keep in mind

For smaller rooms, use less busy colors and patterns, or maybe color and texture, and not a pattern. Monochromatic designs with texture also work the best in small spaces.  

To make task area fun, such as your laundry room, closet, or mudroom, use bold styles or colors.

8- Create a focal point with wallpaper 

Wallpaper can enhance any focal area and add so much charm to it. Especially above the fireplace or any main focal wall in the room. I know that sometimes people think that wallpaper is pricey but think of it as if you were to buy any large piece of art to cover your whole wall that would be much more expensive than any trendy and cool wallpaper.  

Sometimes adding wallpaper to the ceiling can enhance the look of your entire room, and is more than enough.  

The Most Handiest Tip 

As you know, wallpaper comes in endless colors and patterns, which makes it become hard to decide which one you want to go with. The best advice I can give you is to order a few samples first unless you are absolutely sure of what you exactly want after keeping the above tips in mind. 

Check your sample out in the daylight vs in the evening to see how it looks. Once you are pretty sure about your choice, then order the larger rolls. I like to buy large rolls as I am pretty used to online shopping and being impatient I just want to start working on my projects in order to see the end result, lol! 

How many wallpapers rolls do you need?

You can measure your space easily and calculate the exact measurement to order. Here is the formula to measure it:

• 1– Measure the wall and multiply the width by the height of the wall.  
• 2– Minus the windows, doors or any other opening in the wall. 
• 4- If it’s only one wall then you already have your total measurement. 
• 3– If it’s a whole room, then measure all 4 walls by repeating the formula. Then, add them together, and there you have it.

Once you have your measurements, check out the measurements on the rolls of paper and order according to your needs. I order one role extra just in case I make any mistakes. 

Here is the post I did on how to hang wallpaper. Properly hung wallpaper lasts three times longer than paint. 

Since you are now a pro, don’t be afraid of wallpapers. Go ahead and order yours! Don’t forget to share pictures on our Facebook page once you are done with your space. 

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Let me know if I missed anything or if you would like to add any other tip in addition to what I have mentioned above. 

Also, what kind of wallpaper do you like the most? For example, I like floral and geometric wallpapers.