Rethinking Wallpaper

I’ve mentioned my infatuation with wallpaper on more than one occasion. I just love the polish it brings to a room.

Domino via

Domino via

Lonny

Apartment Therapy

Domino via

A lot of people don’t share my love, and I understand why. If you lived through the 70s or 80s, or have considered buying a house that hasn’t been renovated since that time, you’ve likely seen your fair share of teal and magenta floral wallpaper and have possibly learned some new curse words from someone trying to remove it.

The promising thing is, wallpaper has come a long way since those days. When applied correctly, wallpaper can actually be fairly easy to remove.

It all comes down to the method of adhesion and whether or not the walls were sealed prior to applying the wallpaper (both things you can control if your walls are currently paperless.)

Lonny

Wallpapers come with three different hanging options:

• Pre-pasted, which already has the adhesive on the back of the wallpaper. You just have to use water or a special solution from the manufacturer to activate it.
• Self-adhesive, which is like a big sticker. Simply pull off the backing and apply the paper to the walls.
• Non-pasted, which requires a special paste to apply.

If you’re worried about removability, stay away from non-pasted wallpapers. They’re the most difficult to take down. Pre-pasted and self-adhesive are fairly easy to remove. If the marketing info says the paper is dry-strippable, it will peel off completely. If it is ”peeling” wallpaper, it peels off the wall without much effort but leaves a film. The film can be removed with either water or wallpaper remover solution.

Hygge & West

Now, as mentioned, the key is to seal the wall. If the wall was not properly sealed, well it doesn’t matter what kind of adhesive was used—you’re going to have a long weekend of wall repair in front of you. This link has a great explanation of why it’s necessary to seal the wall and recommends the best products to do so.

So there you have it. Wallpaper isn’t scary; it’s gorgeous (or can be atleast.) Have I convinced anyone? Who else has wallpaper on the brain? Does anyone already have wallpaper on their walls?