Selecting A Wallpaper Pattern
So, you're ready to select a wallpaper pattern. Basically, your choice depends on two items, your preference and the proportion of the room you're planning on wallpapering.
Wallpaper can be used to manipulate the visual size of a room, however. Vertical stripes, for example, can heighten ceilings. Darker paper makes a room appear smaller. Plan on pouring over wallpaper books borrowed from area stores. Never choose wallpaper without at least seeing a fabric swatch in the room in question.
MINIPRINTS
Generally speaking, a miniprint is best used in a small room, such as a bedroom. Patterned wallpaper brightens up any room.
STRIPES
Horizontal stripes, or wood paneling, makes a room appear wider. On the flip side, vertical stripes heighten a room's ceiling.
GEOMETRIC
Geometric prints give the impression of greater space. They also effectively hide faults. Geometric patterns coordinate well with bed linens and window treatments in abstract, florals or plains because they rarely dominate.
LARGE PRINT
Large print wallpaper can actually do a variety of things for a room depending on its size. Large prints are traditionally paired with large rooms because it helps shrink the roominess. While large prints on walls and ceilings tend to downsize, large prints just hung on walls tends to heighten walls. A large-print wallpaper in a small room, on the other hand, can abolish the confines of space.
TRADITIONAL
Traditional wallpapers continue to be a favorite for Americans, especially those with period homes. Old-fashioned prints are as popular as ever in bedrooms, blended with matching fabric and paint.
CONTEMPORARY
The beauty of contemporary wallpaper is that its range is so diverse. Contemporary paper belongs in any room in the house. Contemporary paper incorporates everything from simple geometrics to bold, colorful designs. Use your common sense, however, when it comes to choosing a contemporary paper. If you were decorating an 18th century home, a contemporary paper wouldn't necessarily belong.
Written by the editors of HouseNet