Wallpaper just keeps on… well, hanging around Wallpaper returned to our homes recently in a flurry of stylish designs and colour, and its presence shows no sign of abating. The range of styles and colours seems endless, from lush tropical leaf designs, oversized mural styles and faux looks to whimsical botanicals, quirky graphics and luxe metallic finishes. There is something for every taste and every room. New printing technologies and digital production have made it all possible, adding depth and dimension and the ability to add layers of interest through treatments such as embossing, texture, sheen or added materials like diamantes and grit. Heavily faux styles that mimic brick or timber have been replaced with more subtle styles with echoes of roughened concrete, washed paint effects or tiles. Quirky patterns are designed to delight, where lemurs peek out from behind plants, parrots perch on palms, or the wall looks like a page of an antique botanist’s scrapbook. Arthouse styles include painterly scenes a la Monet, or the finesse of an old Japanese master. Digital printing turns stunning photographs into an all-wall mural. Wallpapers with bold designs are being used as an all- room treatment, not just as a feature wall. We’re taking wallpaper off the wall and using it to decorate furniture and smaller accessories and ornaments. Today’s wallpapers are rich, colourful and interesting. They are also easier to apply and easier to remove once you want a new look. For the cost of a few rolls of wallpaper you can transform a room. wallpaper keeps on rolling 32 |