Washington Post photo by Tracy A. Woodward The owners of this Leesburg, Va., home originally considered painting the wall but found this wallpaper, Kenow by Osbourne & Little, a better option.
ou could say Amy Reich and her husband, John Pracher, entered the new world of wallpaper by accident. Based on advice from a designer, the couple had agreed to paint the large hallway of their Leesburg, Va., home chocolate brown, and immediately regretted their choice. Desperate to cover it up, they met with a succession of decorators. Finally, one firm, the Mill Co., suggested wallpaper."We looked at each other and said, 'Wallpaper?' " Reich remembered. "We both grew up in the 1970s with flocked wallpaper, but they found us beautiful wallpaper, and we thought: 'They're right. It will cover our mistake and introduce beautiful color.' "Welcome to Wallpaper 2.0. In case you haven't been paying attention, wallcoverings have undergone a revolution. Those chintzy flower patterns or tiny polka dots from grandma's living room? Gone. In their place are textured papers and big, bold designs in strong colors that can add depth, warmth and more than a little personality to a room.The patterns aren't the only change. These days, wallpaper is easier to put up and take down, and it's often used more sparingly than in the past. Think of it as akin to a piece of artwork or a new throw pillow: an adventurous accessory that canpull a room's elements together and give it some zing.No one's quite sure why the wallpaper trend caught fire. It could be the "Mad Men" phenomenon: the sudden rush for all things reminiscent of the 1950s and '60s. More likely, though, it's part of an overall increased interest in home decorating and the effort to find something to distinguish one's home. "There are hundreds of design blogs, shelter magazines — everywhere you look, you're seeing new ideas. I think people are more aware of their options," said Jennifer Sergent, marketing director for the Washington Design Center in Washington, and writer of the popular DC by Design blog.Many of the new patterns are designed to pack a graphic punch: Imagine tight geometric shapes in contrasting colors; blown-up damask prints in hot pink or orange; or stark black-and-white trellis designs. Equally popular are textured papers, which may be lined with grass or other natural fibers, beads or raised patterns, and may or may not be printed with a design."Even if you do a solid color, the texture gives more depth than just paint," said Sally Steponkus, an interior designer in Washington.It doesn't have to break the bank, either. Sure, there are firms such as the United Kingdom-based Farrow & Ball — whose classy, Victorian-inspired prints are enough to get any home decorating devotee's mouth watering — that charge more than $200 a roll (covering about 50 square feet) or more than $3,000 to cover an average-size room. But most are much more affordable. Companies such as Schumacher, Thibaut, and Graham & Brown, for example, offer beautiful, cutting-edge designs that sell for under $50 a roll. Not all can be purchased online without going through a decorator as an intermediary, but most are available in stores.And, for those on a budget, papering a room can get even more affordable, said decorator Sandra Meyers. "I use a lot of commercial wallcoverings which are less expensive," she said. One of her favorite firms is Wolf Gordon Wallcoverings. Continued…
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