Washingtonian: Wallpaper Is Back. Here’s How to Transform Your Home.
Forget your grandma's dated prints. Reinvent your space with these bold looks and scenic landscapes.
Written by: Eric Wills
To elevate the sunroom in this Old Town house, designer Maria Crosby Pollard chose a paper by Colefax and Fowler. Photograph by Nick Johnson.
No longer. Wallpaper’s back and, with its bold patterns, rich textures, and vibrant scenes, can play a leading role in a room’s design. “It’s such a valuable tool when trying to create a feeling in a house. You can add texture, a different depth of color, in addition to bringing in a pattern,” says Maria Crosby Pollard of Alexandria’s Crosby Designs. “It’s an instant upgrade of a space.”
Why the resurgence? Theories abound. Maybe homeowners who stared at their greige walls during the pandemic were inspired to give spaces a vibrant refresh. Perhaps the abundance of wallpaper designs that have pinged around Instagram convinced newbies to take the plunge. Maybe technological advances helped generate better options. “Digital printing has really improved the quality” of the imagery, says Pollard.
How to Transform Your Walls
. . . But Not Too Big
“Choosing patterns that overpower the space or using designs that don’t align with the room’s overall color scheme” can also be a missstep, says Feldman. She’ll balance scenic and bold papers with neutral furniture or simple accessories. And remember to factor in the flow of your house. “You can’t be too overpowering in every room,” says Pollard. “You need to think about a variety of scales and textures and colors and how they all relate.”
Go Custom
We live in a golden age of wallpaper, with an excess of options. But in some cases, a homeowner will want something more personal. Maybe an artist friend has designed a cool motif or the family has a print or pattern they discovered during their travels. An interior designer can help turn that inspiration into a custom paper that might imbue a space with an added layer of meaning.
On a Budget?
Peel-and-stick wallpapers can be a temporary or easy-to-remove option. And vinyl versions are not only kid-friendly and easy to clean but can keep costs down. (Some may not even look like vinyl.) Another cost-cutting tip: To minimize waste, Pollard suggests choosing a paper that comes in larger 11-yard rolls.