In addition to those traditional wallpaper patterns that were popular in the 70s, more impressive ones from digital printing technologies have made their appearance. The good old tacky wallpaper is faced with so much competition now. Fantasy abounds. Choosing your wallpaper has become a pleasing dilemma. There are so many colours, textures, and patterns to choose from. Wallpaper is no longer just a decorative accessory. It has become artwork.
Over the past few years, new digital printing technologies have challenged artists to create spectacular patterns. Wallpaper has regained its popularity with unique, highly customized designs. Not only can you find flowers from the Victorian era, but you can also find numbers, letters, equations, math problems, houses, cats, Legos, fractions, beach accessories, TVs and just about anything you can imagine.
Best of all, today’s wallpaper designs are great at mimicking wood, fabrics, silk, stone, leather, marble, human skin texture and other materials. Metallic wallpaper does not replicate metal per se, but it creates light reflections, nonetheless.
Thrill-seekers can take their pick. Digital prints go from infinitely big to infinitely small. Between the two, you will find rare shapes, enchanting or even supernatural environments, marvels of nature perfectly depicted on walls, and a shattered graphic design. Inspiration does not lack here.
People who are more conservative prefer a panoramic decor, a romantic scenery, an Art Nouveau or Art Deco style or simply solid patterns.
Wallpaper offers a huge advantage. It can be integrated into any home decor: the 50s, 60s, 70s, industrial, ethnic, shabby chic, contemporary and more styles. When choosing your wallpaper, do not be afraid to pair two very contrasting patterns together. You might discover a stunning design.
Are you not a fan of wallpaper? You could always choose a wallpaper border that would add oomph to your decor. You can place it anywhere: flush with the ceiling, half-way up a wall, on a drawer, on the headboard, around a mirror, on an exposed beam, as a frame around a door or window, on the fridge or along a door’s centre.
Now, here is a few practical ways to use wallpaper. Bear in mind that vertical stripes make the ceiling seem higher while horizontal lines push walls farther away from each other. Both designs make a room feel larger in their own way. In fact, vertical stripes can be used in a non-conventional manner. Either a bunch of vases stacked on top of each other creating a wall column or a wiggly stripe. The possibilities are endless.
Here is a little reminder: light colours open spaces while dark colours make a room feel smaller. Another practical aspect of wallpaper: you can use it to make a piece of furniture or decorative accessory stand out.
Images: iStock.com
