BY Pallavi Pinakin

Wallpaper brings more than colour to a room – it lends character, depth and dimension as well. So enhance your interiors with intricate patterns, textures and hues that simply can’t be obtained from paint alone.

The Chinese were the first to paste rice paper on their walls as early as 200 BC. Today, nearly a hundred years after the ‘golden age of wallpaper’ in the 1920s, during which over 400 million rolls were sold, this decor is now making a comeback around the world.

Here are a few things to keep in mind if you’re considering wallpaper for your home...

QUICK AND EASY Wallpaper can be applied easily and rapidly without the hassle of extensive cleaning up. This means you can elevate a room’s vibe almost instantly when compared with painting, which involves long-drawn-out planning and execution.

On the flip side, wallpapering the entire house could be more expensive. Therefore, some people prefer to wallpaper a single room or use it as an accent or highlight.

DESIGN RANGES Choose the perfect design to give your space a fabulous dose of personality and style. Modern wallpaper comes in a mind-boggling array of patterns that range from sophisticated florals and bold geometrics to tropical flora and fauna, as well as vintage travel maps.

Large prints can overwhelm a small room; so if you’re decorating a compact space, opt for a small-scale print. For walls with an uneven surface, wallpapers with embossed or raised patterns can offer a useful disguise. Some vendors even allow customers to personalise their wallpaper designs.

TYPES OF PAPER At the top end is nonwoven wallpaper, which is a 21st century invention. It has a premium look and feel to it, and is easy to apply and remove. This material is more costly compared to the other types.

There are also paper backed vinyl (moisture resistant and can be wiped), solid vinyl (durable and washable) and metallic wallpapers that add shine but may also highlight flaws in the wall. For affordable options, check out PVC or coated vinyl – these are moisture resistant but lack the refinement of higher end wallpapers.

HUMIDITY FACTOR It’s important to consider the effects of moisture when making wallpaper related decisions if you’re living in a tropical climate. Choose moisture resistant materials, which can hold up for several years without sustaining damage.

Spaces with high exposure to water such as bathrooms, kitchens and balconies should ideally be painted rather than papered.