Wallpaper is the perfect way to change a room’s décor without the expense of purchasing new furniture. If a room in your home needs a little pick-me-up, consider the practicality of wallpaper – one of the most durable and easy to clean surfaces for walls in any room of your home.

You love the furnishings in your home, but are ready for a change. One of the easiest ways to give any room in your home a facelift without the expense of a complete makeover is wallpaper. Wallpaper comes in a vast array of colors, patterns, and textures. Wallpaper can help you create an entirely different atmosphere without changing the entire décor of the room.

Before you begin shopping for wallpaper, here are a few of the basic characteristics:

Scrubbable wallpaper can be cleaned with a brush and detergent and is the best type of wallpaper for rooms where a lot of activity occurs such as the kitchen and bathroom.

Washable wallpaper is perfect for rooms that have a lot of traffic, but are not “work rooms” such as the living room or dining room. Washable wallpaper can be cleaned with a soft sponge and mild detergent.

Stain resistant wallpaper allows for easy clean up of grease, coffee, tea, and other products that generally stain surfaces that come into contact with them.

Abrasion resistant wallpaper can withstand rubbing, scraping, and scrubbing from different sources and is perfect for small areas such as entryways and hallways.

Colorfast wallpaper retains its bright colors when exposed to light. Most wallpaper is colorfast and can be used in areas that are affected by bright lights or sunlight.

Peelable wallpaper allows you to change wallpaper quickly and easily when you are ready for a different look. The top surface of this wallpaper can be peeled away, leaving a liner on the wall for the new wallpaper.

Strippable wallpaper is easily removed without damaging the surface of the wall. This is the best type of wallpaper to use if you rent or lease your home and need to remove the wallpaper when you leave.

Prepasted wallpaper is backed with an adhesive that is activated by water for easier installation.

Plan Ahead

Before actually visiting the store to purchase your wallpaper, you should form a game plan. Decide exactly what atmosphere you would like to create with your choice and what colors you would like to incorporate. Here is a list of information you should take to the store with you:

Which room is the wallpaper for?

List the measurements of each individual wall.

List the number of doors in the room.

List the number of windows in the room.

Does the room have a fireplace?

Does the room have a staircase?

List any special features or problems within the room.

What is the style of the furniture in the room? (For example: country, contemporary, colonial, French, early American, etc.)

What overall effect do you wish to create? (For example: open and outdoorsy, bright and cheery, warm and intimate, etc.)

What colors and patterns are already being used in the room? Consider the furniture, carpet, area rugs, drapes, appliances, art, and other furnishings that will be used in the room.

Is the traffic in the room light, medium, or heavy?

These are just a few of the basic facts that you should know about wallpaper in order to begin your search for the perfect covering to create just exactly the right atmosphere in any room of your home using your existing décor. Wallpaper allows you to turn any wall into something of beauty that will be easy to care for and easy to change when you are ready for a new look.