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 Natalie Weinstein is President of Natalie Weinstein Design Associates, The Natalie Weinstein Home Decorating Club and Uniquely Natalie, a quality consignment outlet. Hear Natalie’s design tips on WALK 97.5 FM, enjoy her Long Island Focus featured in House Magazine or call: 631.862.6198 |
| Wallpaper is back with a vengeance and it makes a big change in a room. From “pop” to texture, it all depends on how bold you are or what feeling you’d like to project. I remember my first design assignment. I can’t call it a real job because I was still a design student and the Institute sent me out because the couple couldn’t afford a “real” designer. Petrified as I was, I realized I knew more than they did when I entered their Howard Beach apartment painted with all white walls – and every architectural impediment (soffits, intruding wall indentations, etc.) was covered in blue and green flocked foil wallpaper! That was the 70s (yes, 1970s!) and now the wallpaper industry’s resurgence has attracted a new, do-it-yourself homeowner. And guess what – I often feel as if I should never have thrown out those old wallpaper books! They say that nothing is ever new in decorating – it’s been there before, perhaps with a different spin and wallpaper is a great example. Bold patterns, bright colors, soothing damasks, and interesting textures – they’ve all been around. It all depends on you and how “trendy” you want to be. If your comfort level in paint has been a safe neutral for years, I wouldn’t advise a red and white geometric all over your 2-story entry foyer. But you might experiment with one wall in your guest bedroom. If you’re looking for a change in your master bedroom, and it’s not the furniture, you might try a soft grey and white damask on the walls or a textural grass cloth (remember, those seams between strips are not supposed to match!). On do-it-yourself websites and HGTV, they show you how “simple” it is to hang wallpaper. Again – don’t start with your entry foyer. Practice on a large wall in your garage before you venture any project. It’s best, in my opinion, to hire a professional. Observing how many steps it takes to prepare a wall properly before you actually hang the paper might dissuade you. A quick flashback again to the 70s – remember that heavy stucco look on the walls and getting injured by the points jutting out? When that trend was over, many homeowners had to deal with the sheetrock coming off with the stucco, or a messy, messy sanding job. (I put wallpaper liner under the stucco and we just pulled!) So, I advise you to do some homework. We, in our design studio, have loads of “new looks” (that actually look really familiar to me). Take a little time to check out what’s out there and find a look you like for a needy space in your home. While wallpaper is an additional expense in labor, materials and removal at some point down the road, it is a welcome companion to a new, fresh paint job, and they can make a world of difference! |
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