How To Choose The Perfect Wallpaper For Your Home From Gunter & Co: Part 1
How to choose wallpaper for your home from London Interior Design Expert, Irene Gunter
Using wallpaper is a magical way of adding texture, colour, pattern and a luxury finish to a new interior. In this blog post, I’m going to guide you through some of our thought processes and considerations when searching for and choosing wallpaper …
There’s no doubt that including wallpaper in a scheme is often the way to elevate the look into a luxurious, elegant, and sophisticated finish which may often be missing with just paint and tiles alone. Fabric, of course, is another way of elevating the look – but we will take a closer look at fabric another time, here we are focusing on wallpaper which in general is a relatively simple way of adding a lot of texture and intimacy to a scheme, as well as practically having a more robust finish than a lick of emulsion paint.
‘Suit yourself’ wall covering by Phillip Jeffries
Wallpaper is truly the top choice for adding a sense of colour, texture and pattern that may often be missing when a decorating scheme is built around paint and hard finishes. Wallpaper doesn’t have to be intrusive; it can be a subtle way of adding delicate texture and hints of shaded colours – such as an all-over crackle glaze, paper-backed linen or vinyl fabric effect. Look at ‘Suit Yourself’ and ‘Herringbone’ by Philip Jeffries as beautiful backdrops to a scheme, as well as ‘Tulle’ and ‘Flamant Les Unis - Linens’ by Arte are ranges we often rely on. Their subtle designs have the appearance of fabrics (and some of them are!) and are a gentle way of adding to a scheme without going for dramatic patterns. ‘Plain’ wallpaper is a good way of creating layers of colour and texture. On the other hand, bold, patterned wallpaper is an excellent way of making a statement within a room scheme.
Extravagant wallpaper designs can draw attention to particular architectural details, and also create a focal point within a room. Wallpaper doesn’t have to be the star of the show within every scheme, however. It can appear unexpectedly around a corner or behind a door. Or it can lead the eye into a room by the simple fact that it’s a striking design that is the first thing that is noticed upon walking towards an open door.
Where to use wallpaper
Where does the wallpaper go? I often get asked which type of wallpaper is best for living rooms or can you wallpaper a full room? The answers, well, wallpaper can go anywhere! We often used paper-backed fabric wallpapers in bedrooms and living rooms for a softer dimension, and vinyl or other wipeable wallpapers in kitchens/bathrooms or hallways due to their robust nature. We’re not a big fan of feature wallpapered walls unless they are considered within the context of plain wallpapered walls. Here are some of our favourite options…
Wallpaper the whole room for a real statement. The whole-room approach works beautifully with all sorts of patterns, from dramatic botanical patterns (such as those De Gournay and Fromental) to more effects. A whole-room scheme means that any plasterwork, and the joinery, can be painted in perhaps a striking, contrasting or complementary shade that is specified to pick up one of the wallpaper colours accurately. Think along the lines of a glorious jungle green or peacock blue to enhance designs such as those from the Ardmore collection from Cole & Son. And don’t forget, it doesn’t have to be a huge room to benefit from wallpaper – an intensely patterned wallpaper is often an interesting choice for a smaller space, such as a cloakroom or study, creating instant impact!
Go for wallpaper with panelling if you want to elevate a wallpapered room to the next level. This is a great option for wallpaper designs for living rooms or bedrooms. We often come across the challenge of where to start and finish a wallpaper in an open plan space which may connect to a stairwell, or the challenge of wallpapering a wall with shadow gap skirting which often invites wallpaper to peel off. To overcome these challenges we used applied mouldings (contemporary metal ones in modern interiors, and traditional timber or polyurethane ones in more classical environments) to frame multiple sections of wallpaper.
Wallpaper detailed areas for a subtle approach, whilst still gaining the advantages of the inclusion of texture, pattern and colour. Again, the wallpaper doesn’t have to go everywhere, choose particular areas where the paper will add an element of interest. Above or below a dado or picture rail is a practical option and is a way of creating a ‘natural’ division between papered and non-papered areas. Wallpaper drawer fronts or wardrobe doors in a bedroom is another good choice to add a textural dimension when opening your day-to-day storage. It’s another way of including pattern and texture, whilst not taking over the whole room. In the kitchen or bathroom, consider adding an unexpected element of pattern/colour by including wallpaper inside a cabinet or larder cupboard. If the scheme includes glazed cabinets, a glimpse of wallpaper inside is cheering and can add an element of quirkiness.
Wallpaper the ceiling for a luxurious, cocooned effect, although be careful with directional patterns, which can look odd when the pattern may be upside down, depending on which side of the room you are sitting or standing! Wallpapered ceilings can look good in corridors, walk-through rooms and hallways or landings and of course when lying on your bed!
Homes with a grand stairwell where there are super-tall walls can look brilliant with a beautiful wallpaper running up through the centre of the house. This is where we often consider bespoke wallpapers, which are often in wider widths than standard, and which are printed to order. Lewis & Wood’s Adam's Eden is a favourite and works beautifully in homes with a relaxed, country style as well as a more formal or traditional look.
Adam’s Eden wallpaper by Lewis & Wood