If you’re planning some home improvements, adding a coat of paint or some new wallpaper is a relatively easy and inexpensive way to give a room a facelift. These days, though, we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to wall coverings. Here’s a guide to some of the options available.
Feature walls
Make a statement by using a feature wallpaper on one wall, such as this trompe d’oeil sepia bookcase print, produced in the UK by Mineheart.
Papering just one feature wall is much easier than tackling a whole room, and means you can change the character of the space quickly and easily. This paper is printed on to 300 gram fabric-backed textured paper and costs £70 for a 250cm by 50cm roll from IN-SPACES.
Texture effect wallpaper
If you like the look of stone or wood cladding, but don’t have the budget for the real thing, you can now buy printed wallpaper in almost any finish from planks and industrial concrete to stone, brick and rustic logs.
We like this Scrapwood design by Dutch designers Piet Hein Eek, featuring a photographic print of reclaimed wood cladding. It has no pattern repeat so it’s very easy to apply. £199 for a 48.7cm x 9m roll from The Orchard.
Self-adhesive wall panels
If DIY isn’t your thing, you can use self-adhesive panels to achieve a simple yet dramatic effect, fast. We like this ‘calm blue waters’ view, available in two different lengths and various panel combinations.
If you make a mess of putting it up, you can even take it down and start again or move it to another wall. Prices start from £35 per panel, from IN-SPACES.
Fabric
Using fabric on the walls can really transform a room, adding a touch of opulence. It’s not as robust as paint or paper, so is best used in rooms with a lower volume of traffic such as dining rooms.
If you choose a washable fabric, you should be able to remove any marks by sponging. Delicate fabrics such as silk will need to be mounted onto a lightweight wooden frame, screwed to the wall. More heavy duty fabrics like fun fur or even artificial grass can hung from a wooden batten and stapled or glued into place at the sides.
Wall stickers
Another easy way to add interest is to paint a wall a neutral colour then add wall stickers or decals, such as these pretty butterflies and dragonflies which look great used in kid’s rooms.
There’s a huge range of wall stickers available, from children’s fairytale castles to silhouettes of the Eiffel Tower, and many can be re-positioned and moved around if you want to change the effect. They couldn’t be easier to apply – just slap them on the wall! Prices for these butterflies start at £20 from Koko Kids.
Tiling
Tiles are normally used in kitchens and bathrooms, but also work well as a feature wall in other rooms. T
hey make a very hard wearing and durable wall covering, and can be a good choice for rooms with a lot of traffic such as hallways and boot rooms. To avoid a clinical look, use patterned, textured or brightly-coloured tiles, either interspersed with plain ones or on their own.
We like these Scrabble tiles, £4.95 each from Walls and Floors – they’d be ideal for spelling out ‘COATS’ above a hallway coat rack, for example.
Paint
Paint can be one of the most cost effective ways of changing the look of a room, and modern colours and finishes mean you’ll be spoilt for choice.
To choose a colour, try your sample pot in various different spots around the room to see it in different lights, and check at different times of day as well.
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These are all really lovely – I’m loving these effect wallpapers at the moment.