Murals and Wallpapers go long way
There are many choices when it comes to wallpapers, but for now, let’s focus on the main two: paint and wallpapers. Many people seem to overlook wallpaper and move straight to paint. It is the obvious option, and it does have clear advantages. Paint requires minimal preparation, is relatively inexpensive, and is easy to apply. But the possibilities offered by paint are limited. Paint can be used for flat colour and sometimes even for textured finishes. But the possibilities effectively end there.
Now consider the alternative. Wallpapers offers all the same options as paint: flat colour, feature walls and textured finishes. But it can be taken so much further! Wallpapers can provide a huge variety of textures, patterns and effects. Photos, digital prints or patterns, custom images, faux finishes and natural or velvet surfaces can all easily be applied to walls. Wallpaper can provide a nostalgic or historic feel that paint fails to achieve. Paint will never be able to give the same individuality to a room that wallpaper can.
Wallpapers are not costly!
One of the greatest barriers to the widespread use of wallpaper in homes is the cost. Many homeowners feel that it is unjustifiable to spend up to twice as much money having wallpaper installed than they would having the walls painted. This is a narrow minded way of viewing the situation that fails to take into account the unparalleled durability of wallpaper. It’s found that the lifecycle of wall coverings lasts five times longer than paint under normal usage conditions. The cost of the wallpaper is a once-off investment, whereas paint often needs to be reapplied every few years. In fact, over time, wallpaper has been found to be less expensive than paint.
Of course, you must be careful when choosing which walls are suited to wallpapering. Wallpaper can tend to loosen in humid conditions so is a poor choice for bathrooms, for example. One must also think very carefully before making a purchase, as wallpaper will be lasting more. Not only that but some patterns and textures can have a very intense effect – wallpaper is almost always noticeable, as opposed to many of the muted tones of paint. But it this very prominence that gives wallpaper its beauty. When chosen well, wallpaper does something paint cannot. It gives a room a mood – a personality – and makes it uniquely yours.
