Kippie Leland of Leland Interiors used Schumacher's Ming Cherry Blossom wallpaper in aqua in this bath.
Love it or hate it, wallpaper is back.
But these new designs aren't your grandmother's wallpaper. Gone are the pasty old flower patterns and shiny stripes that more closely resemble wrapping paper than something you'd want to put up on your walls.
"In the last three or four years you've seen a resurgence of wallpaper," said Kippie Leland, designer and owner of Leland Interiors. "People are kind of tired of plain walls and they're ready for more pattern. So you're seeing some of the old traditional patterns being re-interpreted in either a more simple pattern or a more updated color palette that looks fresh."
Today's wallpapers feature crisp, modern trellis patterns, energize a demure damask pattern with bright pinks and oranges, add texture and interest to a scroll pattern through beading and velvet, or offer detailed mosaic tile designs.
Designers have long utilized wallpaper as a way to bring life to a room and create artistic interest where there otherwise would have been a matte, painted wall.
But in the past few years, as the patterns, designs and color palettes of wallpaper began to change, designers have changed how they use wallpaper. You don't have to cover a whole room with wallpaper - especially with today's bold patterns - and can instead utilize them as an accent piece, similar to an eye-catching throw pillow or a piece of art.
"Ask yourself if your wallpaper is to substitute artwork, therefore making a big statement, or are you using it more as a texture or subtle backdrop onto which you will hang artwork?" said Touch Interiors owner and designer Bronwyn Poole in an email.
Textured wallpapers have also come back in a big way. Natural wall coverings, such as grass-woven or bamboo add texture and depth to the walls. Wallpapers also come with etched, elegant squares, raised wave and leaf patterns or mimic the look of an exposed brick wall.
Some of these textured wallpapers are even paintable, so you can decide later what kind of color you'd like to see integrated into the design.
And if you're nervous about trying out wallpaper, start with a small space like a bathroom, powder room or short hallway. But don't be afraid to expand into accent walls or covering entire rooms as you get more comfortable with idea of patterns dancing across your wall.
"People have different levels with how they live with patterns," Leland said. "It's a very individual feeling. Some people can live with a lot of pattern, a lot of stimulation, and some people can't."
To make things even easier, some wallpaper companies have started moving toward papers that are easier to hang and remove. Nonwoven wallpaper can be taken down and reused and lends itself better to the DIY installer. But don't expect high-end or designer wallpapers to head in that direction anytime soon, Leland said.
Wallpaper is still a slightly more permanent and expensive option than painting, so be judicious with your choices.
But if you can visualize it on your walls, there's no need to fear wallpaper.
Ilyce Glink is an award-winning, nationally syndicated real estate columnist, blogger and radio talk show host, and managing editor of the Equifax Finance Blog. Follow her on Twitter @Glink.
