Having been used since centuries, wallpapers are increasingly becoming a popular choice when it comes to enhancing the look and feel of your wall.  From quaint, cottage style florals and botanicals to contemporary artsy and abstract patterns, wallpapers today come in a variety of designs, patterns and textures.  Convenient and hassle free, they are a great way to add an element of sophistication and a unique character to your space.  “They are cost effective too as you have multiple options starting from Rs 50 per square feet to Rs 1500-2000 per square feet depending on the type, design and quality of the wallpaper” says Neha Jain, Interior and Wallpaper Expert, UDC Homes. 

Design cues

There are several ways to use wallpaper with the most common one being covering all the four walls in the room with it.  This adds a sense of warmth and in case your room is large, small prints work the best.  For smaller rooms avoid dark colours and small prints.  Large sparse prints and prints with horizontal strips create an illusion of space and are hence suited for smaller rooms.  Further, if you have a low ceiling go in for vertical strips to make your room “look taller”. 

If you are a fan of the understated, classy look, choose to cover one half of your wall, mostly the bottom half with wall paper. You can also use it on a single wall to create a wallpapered feature wall by using abstract or thematic prints, giant sized wall murals etc.  Want to go bold and be unconventional? Then consider installing two wallpapers on one wall; just make sure that the patterns and colours complement each other. 

Installation tips, dos and don’ts

Before sticking the wallpaper, it is key that the underlying wall is well primed. While installing always ensure that the pattern is lining up correctly and not in a haphazard manner.  It is also important that the borders and seams are not visible.  In order to clean wallpaper, it is recommended to wipe gently with a wet cloth.   
“In case you see your wallpapers’ edges coming off, contact your dealer at the earliest and get it fixed.  If it is left for a month or more, the paper would become very tight and it will not be possible to paste it back on the wall” quips Jain.

A detailed version of this piece was originally published in the New Indian Express.