Dress your walls :: Why paper is better than paint

Dress your walls with paper - Image via Architectural Digest

It wasn't that long ago when wallpaper was generally looked down upon. While there were gorgeous homes with gorgeous papered walls, there seemed to be among the masses, a bit of a backlash for a while. Wallpaper was viewed as passe, old and antiquated. It reminded us the the tired, prissy and overly frilly prints of our great grandmother's era. The once bright and happy walls had over the years faded and become dirty. First time homeowners with limited budgets worked feverishly to tear down the old paper and opted to paint their walls with paint instead. The 1980s and 1990s saw walls in various shades of Robin's egg colors, much faux marbling, faux leather and other techniques that seemed (thank goodness) to be a flash in the pan. Many of these trends were spurred on by then Homemaking Doyenne, Martha Stewart. In order to modernize and update our homes, whether or not we chose to embrace Martha's suggestions or not, went through the laborious task of taking down those old papers. This task often was painful enough for us to vow that we'd never again put anything on our walls, save for a coat of paint or two! But the pain of removing wallpaper, like the pain of childbirth, is easily forgotten, and this is a good thing.

Today we are fortunate to have so many wonderful wallpaper options on the market today. These papers are easier to apply and easier to remove and are available in myriads of styles and prints.

Wallpaper, perhaps even more so than paint, is the best way to show off your own taste and style. What a bold and powerful way to make a statement! Whether you're serious, silly, modern or traditional there's a paper for you. From youthful whimsy to sophisticated elegance there's a wallpaper for every room in your home - closet, nursery, living and dining rooms, bedroom and kitchen. 

Dress your kitchen walls in paper - Image via The Enchanted Home

Image of home designed by Celerie Kemble - Original source unknown

Image via HouseBeautiful - original source unknown

Dress your walls in paper - Image via

Dress your home in paper - Image via Quadrille

Dress your home in Hermes Equestrian wallpaper - Image via Pinterest (original source unknown)

Dress your walls with paper - Image via Amy Bartlam

Dress your walls with whimsy - Elephant paper via 

Dress your walls with childlike wonder - Image via 

Dress your walls with palm fronds - Image via 

Dress your living space with paper - Architectural Digest

Is paper better than paint? Image via

Image via de Gournay

Dress your bedroom walls with whimsy - Image via (First appeared in House & Garden)