High-tech and High-touch, Wallpaper is Making a Fashionable Comeback
After a
decade of painted faux finishes, designers and homeowners are rediscovering
wallpaper. New designs, rich textures and colors not found in the paint pallet
are offering greater choices for consumers to express their personal style.
Even traditional florals, stripes and country toiles have been updated with
rich hues like brick red, olive green and soft neutrals.
"It used to
be that whenever you mentioned wallpaper, people thought busy floral patterns,
cutesy country images or fussy Victorian prints -- whatever they saw in their
grandmother's house growing up. Today, with its new textures, natural colors
and subtle design, wallpaper is fast becoming the interior decorating product
of choice," says interior designer Kimberly Fosterling.
"My clients
want to create a comfortable home environment that suits their lifestyle and
expresses their personality," explains Fosterling. "People today
don't want to furnish their homes; they want to decorate them. They want a
certain look. Wallpaper is the decorator touch that pulls a room together and
gives it personality."
Nature's
Designs
Although
wallpaper color trends are influenced by the fashion industry, wallcovering
designs are dictated more by natural elements found in the environment. This
translates into decorating styles that echo the soothing elements of nature and
draw inspiration directly from the environment.
"Today's
designs are drawing heavily on nature's elements and colors," says Joan
Hughes, senior designer/stylist at Gloria Merrill Enterprises. "We're
seeing more use of leaf patterns, flowers and fruit in current designs. Today's
wallpaper incorporates an earthy, natural, soothing feeling for the home."
Many of today's
styles not only borrow from nature, they actually look like nature. Granite and
stone papers have been created that look so real, you have to touch them to
determine what they are made from. Other papers copy wood veneer or use real
wood, and natural fibers like grass are being woven into patterns.
Wallpaper for the Spirit
As today's
consumer continues to lead a hectic lifestyle, they are incorporating a softer,
more relaxed ambiance in their home in order to create a feeling of comfort.
People are looking for a balance between their high-tech world and their
spiritual self. As a result, gone are ornate and formal decorating styles in
lieu of styles that are more relaxed, playful and individual. Neutralization of
color and simplification of form to match this spirituality are elements being
incorporated in the wallpaper industry.
But don't
translate neutral to mean beige and boring. Today's neutrals consist of complex
colorings, with layers of color or tone on tone effects to create a serene,
relaxing setting using any color of the rainbow. Wallpaper can also play with
the effects of light, creating multi-dimensional effects of matte over shiny
and light over dark finishes. Even beige gets a lift with new tones and optic
shifts to create an ethereal and sophisticated atmosphere.
Ethnic
Influences
Another trend
in today's market is the use of ethnic influences. "We're seeing a lot of
Asian art being used in the current designs. This includes bamboo, calligraphy,
and pagodas in both wallpaper and home furnishings," says Cynthia
Pasternack, senior designer/stylist at Quality Wallcoverings, Inc.
Back to
Basics
"We're
seeing a back to the basics style emerging in home decorating," says Edna
Stern, president of Jolie Papier, Ltd. "Wallpaper should be used as a
background statement, in a home. They are used to enhance a room, not take it
over. No longer confined to borders or accent walls, entire rooms -- entire
homes -- layered in wallpaper are stylish today."
"You can
do so much with wallpaper, especially with today's textured papers,"
explains Fosterling. "You can wallpaper 'as is' or cut it into different
shapes and hang it in blocks for a spectacular, yet subtle, effect. There are
also heavily embossed white papers called anaglypic papers that you can finish
to your exact specifications. All these options don't even take into
consideration the growth of hand-finished and custom papers consumers can
actually design themselves."
Texture is
also an important trend in the wallpaper market. Designers are layering
textures to create multi-look patterns and are experimenting with new textures
such as cork. These types of wallpapers, often called "architectural"
papers are a designer and home decorator's dream.
"Textured
wallpaper works in any environment, from cutting edge to traditional. It's also
a great way to transition your home from one decorating scheme to another. This
is great news for consumers who have bought an older home and want to change
its interior style, or for those who want to update their look and not spend a
fortune," says Stacy Senior, marketing manager at Thibaut. "We're
seeing more subtle textures in wallpaper patterns and clean, white backgrounds
to highlight the texture."
The Future
Wallpaper
trends move slowly which allow consumers to take advantage of old and new
styles," says Fosterling. "Today's wallpaper choices offer something
for everyone -- from traditional, to contemporary, to retro to classic. So if
you want your home to mirror the excitement of the new century, you can
customize your wallpaper to convey every emotion. With so much to offer,
wallpaper is back -- and here to stay."
For more
information and tips, visit the Wallcoverings Association's Web site at
www.wallcoverings.org.
Courtesy of Article
Resource Association, www.aracopy.com, e-mail: info@aracopy.com
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