Wallpaper FAQ
These are the most frequently asked questions we get.
- How do I decide whether to have wallpaper or paint?
- What are the advantages of wallcoverings?
- Is it true that if I wallpaper it will be hard to remove when I want to change the look of the room?
- Can I wallpaper a room myself or is it too difficult for a ‘beginner’?
- Where can I see and buy wallcoverings?
- Are there ‘test-pots’ for wallpaper?
- How do I work out how much paper I need in a room?
- Has wallpaper moved on from those scary florals that my nana had?
- What are the latest trends in wallpaper design?
- What about feature walls—are they still allowed by the ‘design police’?
With any luck this Top 10 list will answer your question; if not, just email us at whatif@visionwalls.co.nz. The Know-It-All Department will send you an informative reply…
1. How do I decide whether to have wallpaper or paint?
You don’t have to choose one or the other, they work well together.
Some rooms in your home can be painted, others can be wallpapered—it’s up to you. Designers happily use wallpaper and paint on different walls of the same room. Many wallpaper retailers also sell paint, and usually have wallcoverings that match most paint colours on the market, so you can easily co-ordinate the two finishes. Of course only wallpaper has a choice of patterns and textures; and it’s a ‘one-coat process’—when you have put the paper up, that’s it, there’s no need for a second or third coat to get the colour right.
2. What are the advantages of wallcoverings?
…one ‘coat’ of wallpaper is all you need to cover the wall for instant colour…
Wallpaper is now firmly back on the design agenda, for its new textures, modern colours and designs, and its re-discovered practicality: much like a cosmetic concealer, textured wallcoverings can hide less than perfect walls. And it can save time, often it’s quicker than painting—especially as one ‘coat’ of wallpaper is all you need to cover the wall for instant colour.
And wallpaper is easy-care too—many modern papers are washable, durable and wear well.
Wallcoverings have great ‘touch appeal’ too; adding an important extra element of texture to a room.
3. Is it true that if I wallpaper it will be hard to remove when I want to change the look of the room?
…now there are papers that can be easily stripped and replaced…
It used to be, but that was then—now there are papers that can be easily stripped and replaced. We make a very effective wallpaper stripper (Metylan Special Wallpaper Remover) that will make the job simple and quick. And if you make sure that the walls are properly prepared with a sealer before you put up new wallpaper, it makes re-decorating next time much easier.
4. Can I wallpaper a room myself or is it too difficult for a ‘beginner’?
Yes you can and no, it isn’t. It’s much easier now, with pre-pasted papers and new technologies like non-woven backings. Retailers will advise you; they have instruction leaflets and videos/DVDs that show you how. A great place to start is our How to Wallpaper section.
And if you’d rather watch—and pay someone else—put up wallpaper, here’s a list of professional paperhangers.
5. Where can I see and buy wallcoverings?
At decorating groups like Guthrie Bowron, Resene, Colourplus and Levene, and many other stores, from James Wren in Invercargill to Paint & Paper Superstore in Palmerston North and Wynn Fraser in Whangarei.
We have a wallcoverings display at the Auckland Home Ideas Centre and there’s wallpaper in many showhomes. Call us on 0800 WALLPAPER (0800 925 572 737) if you need directions…and check out our Colour & Design virtual showroom for ideas too.
6. Are there ‘test-pots’ for wallpaper?
Yes, in a way—your retailer will provide you with a good-sized sample piece of the wallpaper you like so you can try it at home. Just tape or pin the sample on the wall and see how it looks.
7. How do I work out how much paper I need in a room?
Most wallpaper rolls are about half a metre wide and 10 metres long, so that will give you about 3 drops given the standard wall height of 2.4 metres—about 5 square metres per roll. A normal-sized living room would take around 7 rolls, generally speaking but of course there are things like pattern repeats to be considered.
As a starting point see our roll reckoner, and double-check with your retailer when you order.
Tip: Pick up an extra roll
It’s a good idea to have at least one extra roll of the same batch number in case you need more in the future.
8. Has wallpaper moved on from those scary florals that my nana had?
There’s hundreds of new designs on the market, and some old classics that are still going strong.
Absolutely yes, and to be honest, not completely!
Wallpaper has had a bad rap in recent years—many thought it as just being the stuff your gran used to have in the lounge. It’s come a long way since then. Homeowners shown contemporary wallpaper collections are often pleasantly surprised and impressed. There’s hundreds of new designs on the market, and some old classics that are still going strong.
Today’s designers often reference the past, and re-style patterns that were popular at various times. Motifs like flowers have been updated and re-scaled; retro patterns return but with a very current character. Check out some of the wallpaper style in our Colour & Design section.
9. What are the latest trends in wallpaper design?
Every year there are new colours and designs in every product area responding to global and local influences, cultural and lifestyle trends and changes.
Wallcovering manufacturers regularly bring out new colours and designs too; sometimes subtle variations in colour and texture, or more dramatic patterns. The trend to patterned, printed and embroidered fabrics has seen an equal shift to dramatic, “look at me” wallpapers. Rich and rococo-inspired patterns slightly over-scale and often with a play of metallic shimmer against a matt background; updated retro geometric designs of the 60s and 70s; and re-worked floral and botanical prints are key trends featuring in design magazines. It’s all part of the international swing away from minimalism into glamour, luxury and pattern.
Have a look at some of the variety in our Colour & Design Showroom; we update it often, so visit it every now and again to see what’s new…
10. What about feature walls—are they still allowed by the ‘design police’?
…a cost-effective and easy way to update a room…
Yes, it is still a very good way to make a focal point in a room. Using an interesting wallcovering can highlight an important area of a room such as around a fireplace, or create a positive first impression in an entrance hall, for example. You could paper the wall behind the bed, making a headboard ‘wall’. It can be a cost-effective and easy way to update a room, but a feature wall in every room might be too much…
Even ‘dyed-in-the-wool’ minimalists can comfortably use wallpaper to add decorative effects to their homes—and if you don’t want to go the whole hog, then make a statement with a stand-out wallpaper on a feature wall. Bolder patterns can be used as 'statement' walls to add life to a dull room; some can even be framed as artworks.
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