I N T E R I O R S
By Lorna Sixsmith
Wow your walls with wallpaper
If the wallpaper has quite a busy pattern, ensure that the pattern of the sofa, flooring and lamps is plain in order to contrast and stand out against the pattern. Wallpaper by Designers Guild
Spring and early summer are the perfect seasons for decorating, light is at its best, our energy is increasing with the longer days and we are inspired to create a new look within our homes. Wallpaper is back with a bang, feature walls have been popular for many years and while they have lessened in popularity, they are still ‘in vogue’ partly due to some rooms being overwhelmed by wallpaper on all four walls, somewhat due to the cost, and partly due to people’s nervousness of decorating with wallpaper. So, how do you decide whether to wallpaper the whole room or a single wall? Look at the size and shape of the room. Does it have a ‘natural feature wall’ such as the chimney breast wall in a living room or a blank wall behind the bed in the bedroom (unbroken by windows for example) or in the bathroom? If the room feels off-centre, for example, if it is a long living room with windows at one end, doors at the other and the fireplace isn’t central, it may be best to paint or wallpaper the whole room. If the room has limited furniture and is of a reasonable size, a patterned wallpaper on all four walls will look wonderful. Remember too, that wallpaper in the smallest room in the house (the downstairs loo) will be superb and this is where you can really be brave and go for a vivid design as it can carry it. 30
Feature Wall
A feature wall is created by making one wall in the room the main focus of the room. Ideally it should be a blank wall, that is, uninterrupted by doors or windows. It is usually the wall that is opposite the entry door into the room.
or use a wallpaper panel or a single strip of wallpaper in each. Placing beading as a frame around the strip of wallpaper will make it look as though this was intentional and not intended to be a cheap way around your decorating! Alternatively you could paint the feature wall in the
The easiest way to create a feature wall is to wallpaper it in its entirety. Most feature walls require two or three rolls of wallpaper. However, for the look to work successfully, remember to continue the same colour or pattern of the feature wall around the room, be it in cushions, a rug, vases or pictures. Don’t expect the feature wall to work in isolation or it won’t blend with the décor of the rest of the room.
Other ways to create a feature wall with wallpaper
So you have decided to create a feature wall but you want to do something different rather than wallpapering the whole wall here’s a few ideas: • Wallpaper panels either side of the headboard in a master bedroom works beautifully and co-ordinate with either matching cushions or co-ordinating cushions on the seating and the bed. • Wallpaper the alcoves either side of your fireplace. You could either wallpaper the full width of the alcove
Wall paper placed horizontally, either singly or in multiples, creates a vivid feature wall. Woven Flower wall panels by Scandinavian Surface, €80 each at www.garrendennylane.ie
INTERIORS background colour of the wallpaper and then centralise the two strips of wallpaper in the alcoves - this creates vivid impact at a fraction of the cost of wallpapering the whole wall. • Hang the wallpaper horizontally across the wall, leaving a vivid strip of paint colour between each strip of wallpaper. • Wallpaper behind your bed wallpaper from just under the top of the bed to the ceiling or create a ‘headboard’ with the wallpaper and some cornicing or beading.
Ideas for using wallpaper other than on the walls
Thinking of using wallpaper in your home other than on the walls? Like to create a wow factor with wallpaper? Do you want the flexibility of being able to change the wallpaper frequently? A little nervous of using wallpaper and want to get used to a little wallpaper first? Fabulous wallpaper can be expensive. Read our tips on how to make a little go a long way. 1. Place a long strip of wallpaper horizontally along your kitchen splashback and protect it with glass
A wallpaper panel (such as this Designers Guild 'Ornamental Garden' panel print) creates plenty of impact.
or perspex. It will be so fabulously individual and different. 2. Wallpaper a piece of furniture, for example, a chest of drawers, a table top or the inside of a wardrobe. Apply two or three coats of clear varnish (not polyurethane as it will yellow it) to protect the wallpaper. Eclectic Interiors in Castlecomer Estate Yard has some wonderful examples of wallpapered furniture for sale. 3. Use wallpaper to provide visual interest at the back of some shelving or in a glass-fronted unit or dresser. 4. Wallpaper within the panels of your interior doors. This looks amazing, especially if the panels are a reasonable size within the door. Place wallpaper within large frames such as Ikea’s large Ribba frames or within some panels and place on the walls. Another advantage of this is that they are easy to change whenever you get bored of them. You could have matching wallpaper within the frames and on the inside of your wardrobe all for the cost of one roll of wallpaper! 5. Use wallpaper panels to designate an area, such as the dining area, in an open plan apartment or ground floor. 6. Place a strip of wallpaper horizontally along the wall, either at eye level or at the level of the top of the sofa/unit/ chairs.
INTERIORS DIRECTORY CHARISMA BLINDS 52 High Street, Waterford T: 051 858488 www.charismablinds.net ORMOND SOFT FURNISHINGS Ballinakill Centre, Dunmore Road, Waterford T: 051 820830 www.ormondsoftfurnishings.com THE MIRROR GALLERY Unit 15, Tramore Road Business Park, Waterford T: 051 591656 www.mirrors.ie EDWARD NOLAN FURNITURE Unit 3 Cessna Avenue, Airport Business Park, Killowen, Co Waterford Tel: 051-878701 OWEN MAHER KITCHENS Mullagh, Carrick-on-Suir, Co Waterford Email: omkitchens@gmail.com
Above all - have fun and enjoy your decorating.
Alice wallpaper in mustard by Mini Moderns is a beautifully retro wallpaper and they have designed mugs and cushions that co-ordinate with it. €49 per roll at www.garrendennylane.ie
A large scale wallpaper such as Tea Anyone by Elegantly Deviant with the design filling the 130 cm width of the wallpaper would work wonderfully as 2 wallpaper panels. Available online at www.garrendennylane.ie
Wallpapering inside the panels of your interior doors adds a different dimension to the room.
Lorna Sixsmith is the owner of the Online Home, Gift and Online shop at www.garrendennylane.ie. Visit Lorna’s blog at www.garrendennylane.ie/blog for lots more decorating and home décor tips. You can also follow Garrendenny Lane on facebook and twitter. 31