Botanicals Gone Wild: Wallpapers that Wow

twilcox Well I recently did some re-decorating in a home that I purchased. As I was removing the old wall paper, I was cussing and fussing, swearing that I would never think of using wall paper again.....NOW you got me interested again. DARN YOU!
Those examples were lovely!

Becky Harris twilcox, I have serious wallpaper commitment issues, I still haven't hung any but mostly because I cannot choose. I've heard that the new wallpapers or glues are easier to remove or something, but I'm skeptical about that!

Lori Berry Thanks Becky! NOW you've got me wondering about the mirrors in #5 and #14. At this rate, my bathroom just might get re-done through your posts.

gillymcmilly Great post Becky. Thank you.

mismel If you are removing wall paper, buy a product called DIF and something called Paper Tiger. The Paper Tiger makes a bunch of scratches in the wallpaper (but not the wall), then you use the DIF, and it works its way in those scratches, making wallpaper WAY easier to remove. Both can be purchased at most home centres like Home Depot.

Sherri Mathers I hope wallpaper never goes completely out of style...and even if it does I'm going to continue to use it. I can't think of any other medium that can change the mood or feel of a room like wallpaper. Thanks for the post....I'm loving it.
http://twotulipstalking.blogspot.com/

amanda fox I want to put at least some wallpaper in our new house sooo badly! My husband says no way but it adds texture and depth that you have a hard time getting with paint. I've convinced him to at least let me put it in one room. Probably the pantry or maybe the mudroom LOL.

jonno_g There's some interesting wallpapers there, but I have to point out that they're not 'fairy figures' in number 13, but the 'Bird of Paradise' which is native to Papua New Guinea.

Becky Harris Hey Jonno, thanks so much, I did not know that and will add it to the information! Mismel, thanks for the removal advice. My last house had some REALLY ugly "Kountry" wallpaper over old plaster walls and my painter insisted his only solution without completely ruining the existing walls was to paint over it!
Amanda, sounds like a plan, start with baby steps and then take over - haha!
lh, I bet we can find a similar mirror at Ballarddesigns, zgallerie or Brocade Home?

jacqueliness becky - have you looked at burkedecor.com? enjoy...

Becky Harris Thanks Jacqueliness, I'll head over there when my work here is done... :)

midmodfan That bathroom with the Blackbird wallpaper and the black ceiling is marvellous! I always loved that wallpaper and promised myself that I'll use it somewhere in our next house.
Thanks for the inspiration, Becky.

Becky Harris midmod, I've been considering it for my upstairs hallway - I love it!

Renee The blackbird paper is lovely, unfortunately it's just a bit too modern to fit in with my decor. I was going to do something much plainer and use some vertical stripes in my hallway above the wood (I don't know what it's called, it's vertical joint wood below a dividing bit).

rosiew I would really really really like to get recommendations on wallpaper shops whose wares don't start at $150.

I'd also love to know what papers work in a bathroom that gets steamy from showers.

Rosie

jennifaux! Twilcox, wallpapers today ARE better for removing than old ones used to be. However, it's the prep of the walls BEFORE putting the wallpaper up that makes all the difference when removing it later. Be sure to use SIZING on the walls before applying wallpaper. It also helps you slide the paper around so you can get better seams. Also, I have removed quite a bit of wallpaper, and usually try to strip off the top layer of it, then soak the underlayer with warm water. Most of the time it scrapes off pretty well, but if the walls are really old and/or aren't prepped right, it can rip the drywall. If that happenns, don't freak out about it... call a skilled sheet rocker to come in and give the walls a skim coat. It will save a lot of time in the long run!!

Casart Coverings Becky, squelch those serious wallpaper committment issues and try a wallpaper that doesn't use paste or glue, can be installed DYI and repositioned if not just right, wiped clean of jelly/jam hand prints, AND removed without leaving a residue on properly prepped walls. Plus, once removed, you can return it to its backing paper and reuse seasonally or in other design spaces or projects.
And Sherbear, I definitely share your feelings about wallpaper!

Becky Harris rosiew, my best suggestion is to use google or switchboard to find a good old fashioned brick and mortar store in your area that sells wallpaper and work with an actual human being there who knows your budget and let them get to know the aesthetic you are going for. Sometimes I think we forget we can find stuff that's not on the internet! Remember bringing wallpaper books home before the internet? It's pretty fun actually!

However, if it is the internet you prefer, I suggest trolling eBay and etsy for some bargains.

dparker426 We just finished papering my powder room today! I've never put wallpaper up in any room I've worked on or lived in...but this just called to me when I stumbled across it on the web... I wish I had better lighting to show it off.

seamus Hi Becky,
I love Blackbird. I went on Design Public and noticed it says - best applied with clay or vinyl-based adhesive. Does the glue have to be applied to the paper by the buyer?

Becky Harris dparker, I love that wallpaper, please remind me of the name - I'm reemembering an "N" and seeing it on Design*Sponge awhile back...love your VIPP wastecan too - I'm jealous!

seamus, yes, I highly recommend hiring a wallpaper hanger to do the job!

dparker426 Yes it's namarococo.com and Karen Combs was lovely to deal with. Very helpful in calculating amounts, accurate with shipping dates, super fast responses to email questions, etc.
I wasn't sure if the Vipp wastecan was a good fit for the room--love that you noticed it.

Becky Harris YES YES! Nama Rococo - I kept thinking "nina" in my head! I have been DYING for a VIPP, especially in my kitchen. I have some cheap Target version that shreds my bags as I remove them. You really do get what you pay for!