Wallpaper - It's Not Just Ivy Anymore

Wallpaper has been given a bad rap lately. Well, to be honest, it has been given a bad rap for the last decade! The reason? Let's see...do you remember...

• Geometric prints in silver metallics, hot pink and lime green
• Flocked velvet wallpaper in red and black
• Miles of florals and matching borders with even more florals
• Ivy borders on ivy wallpaper

Reason enough to avoid wallpaper altogether, right? Especially when said wallpaper is permanently stuck – or so it seemed – to every wall it touched.

But today's wallpaper is greatly improved, both in style and utility. With new and updated patterns that are easily removed, wallpaper is an easy and quick way to change the look of a room. However, keep a few rules in mind when you start your wallpaper project:

1. Don't pick a wallpaper you can't live with more than a year. Big and garish prints may seem “in” for this minute, but tomorrow you will regret the choice.
2. Make sure to install the wallpaper correctly. Even the most beautiful wallpaper loses its appeal when it starts peeling.
3. Don't pick out a wallpaper until you have seen it in every light. What looks wonderful in the daylight may become hideous under artificial light.
4. Patch your walls if they are not smooth. No wallpaper looks its best on a wall that's full of potholes.

So take a chance on the new wallpaper styles currently available – just stay away from the ivy!

If you want more tips about new wallpaper techniques, visit Tips on Selecting and Buying Wallpaper.