Wallpaper is back - Brief Article

Sunset, Feb, 2000 by Jane Horn

Nature-inspired patterns and textures give today's wall coverings an updated look

* AFTER TAXING A BACKSEAT TO PAINT, PARTICULARLY FAUX FINISHES, WALLPAPER IS MAKING A fashionable comeback. No longer a wallflower, it's now avidly wooed by designers and savvy homeowners because of its warmth and personality. "My clients don't want to furnish, they want to decorate; they want a look," says designer James Stocking of retailer Ethan Allen. "They consider wallpaper a decorator touch that ties it all together." Wallpaper, he says, is instant rejuvenation.

Florals, stripes, and country toiles have been updated in fresh, clean colors--rich hues like brick red and olive green, and soft neutrals. But along with such enduring classics, subtle patterns are being used to add depth and dimension.

According to Tina Gonsalves, marketing director for the Wallcoverings Association, today's look is natural and textured, with delicate Asian influences, muted colors, and leafy patterns such as bamboo.

Designers appreciate the new textured papers, often described as "architectural"--because they enhance both cutting--edge and traditional decors--or as "transitional," meaning they effectively bridge the gap between old and new decorating schemes.

Most of the new designs are inspired by nature. Some resemble granite or other stones, with a look so real that you have to touch the wall to determine what it really is. Other papers copy wood grain or use real wood veneers. There also are burnished metallics and grass cloths in boldly scaled weaves.

Custom finishes

At the very high end are custom patterns hand-painted on everything from vinyl to the finest rice paper to a non-woven rocket-science material that went up in the space shuttle. These papers can be expensive, but they result in a beautifully customized wall that's comparable in price to a professional faux-finishing job.

Wallpaper artist Sondra Alexander reports an upsurge of interest in her hand-painted and hand-textured papers. "People are buying them for the warmth; they like having something on the wall. And they really seem to resonate with the fact that we do paper by hand. It's a human touch in a high-tech world."

Designers also favor hand-finished paper because it allows them to explore new dimensions in decorating. "Some of these papers go up in blocks," says designer Geoffrey de Sousa. "They are available in hundreds of different colors, and the blocks themselves can be cut into different shapes to create patterns, the edges overlapped to form a grid." This makes for all kinds of design possibilities, reinforcing the effects of depth and texture.

Stepping out

People are reacting positively to the new looks in wallpapers. "We hung a paper in the front of our showroom that looks like small squares of overlapping silver leaf," Stocking recalls. "It flew out. We couldn't keep up with the demand."

In addition to the textured designs, manufacturers are also reporting strong interest in tone-on-tone looks, where different shades of a color have been incorporated into a pattern. For example, a wallpaper featuring two shades of green (pictured on page 116) is an updated variation of the classic stripe. Anaglyptic papers--heavily embossed white papers designed to be painted over--are also becoming popular.

If you'd like to give wallpaper a whirl, consider these tips from designers, retailers, showrooms, and professional paperhangers. Our guidelines will help you estimate how much paper to buy.

Tips for easy dress-ups

* Start right. Bring color samples, fabric swatches, photos, and room measurements to the shop or showroom.

* Mix patterns with savvy. You can vary the pattern if you keep color the same or complementary; for example, use a gold vine border on a wallpaper of gold harlequin diamonds.

* Add a border. Use a border at ceiling height, down about 1 foot like a molding, or as a chair rail. To coordinate adjoining rooms, pair subtle tone-on-tone wallpapers and borders.

* Paper the entire room. The stylish look now is a room that's fully papered, especially with the new architectural textures. Forget the accent walls.

* Hang it yourself. A retailer can supply information, offer clinics, even rent Out videos. Many books are available to guide you through the steps. Start in a big room with flat walls, open spaces, and few architectural features. Leave the kitchen or bathroom for later, or for a pro. Avoid tricky patterns whose designs have to be aligned and papers like grass cloth and foil--because of their texture, they require more specialized skills to paste effectively

* Get help. Hire a pro if the paper is very expensive, if the room is full of obstructions like cabinets and fixtures, if the paper is a foil or glossy that will hug the wall like a second skin (requiring an ultra-smooth surface), or for your own convenience.

* Most important: Order enough paper. It's disastrous if you need more and can't get the same dye lot.

Covering the costs

Prices range from a few dollars per single roll (machine-printed) to $200 (hand-painted). Other factors: minimum orders, preparation of less-than-perfect walls, and professional installation, if you don't hang it yourself, at $20 to $50 per single roll. That said, compared with flat-out redecorating, wallpaper remains a very cost-effective instant face-lift for any room. Plus, according to industry statistics, wallpaper lasts considerably longer than other wall finishes--a life span of 7 to 10 years versus 2 to 3 years for paint.