That wallpaper you ripped off the walls? It's back in style
Candace McCabe at home in Port Washington, where wallpaper is a staple. Credit: Debbie Egan-Chin
When Candace McCabe, 50, moved into her gut-renovated home in Port Washington, the blank walls spoke to her. With a glimpse of Manhasset Bay, dramatic sunsets and a husband who loves fishing and boating, it was a perfect canvas for a coastal vibe. She harnessed the power of wallpaper — and a lot of it — to help achieve that.
There’s the wavy stripe in the foyer, texture-backed den shelves, a faux-weathered wood print in her son’s room and pale blue ticking stripes that grace the primary suite. And she’s not done yet. A colorful, cheery fish print is slated to go up in her mudroom shortly.
A grand, 60-foot long hallway in Locust Valley gets its warmth from sea glass blue and white printed paper. “We colored it for the hallway,” says Meg Braff, of Meg Braff Designs. Credit: Meg Braff Designs
Wallpaper was "out of style" for quite some time, she says, but for me, "it's back now … I really believe it adds sophistication and texture and can be fun, too. It’s so pretty, relaxing and completes all my rooms. Every time I look at it, I smile.”
McCabe is one of many who have caught wallpaper and wallcovering fever. Homeowners, apartment dwellers and designers are increasingly relying on a vast array of textures, florals, geometrics, stripes, foils, flocks and vivid graphics to enhance their spaces adding interest and beauty. Even so-called “minimalists” are turning to papers to add atmosphere and comfort.
WHAT'S OLD IS NEW, AGAIN
One of those is interior designer Jamel Williams, principal of Brooklyn-based firm, To Be Designed, who works on several Long Island homes with varying budgets. “I was never anti-wallpaper, but now that I do use it, I find when people walk into a space they’re pleasantly surprised,” he says, adding that he’s drawn to abstract patterns and textural papers. “I feel like it gives the client the true opportunity to let their personality shine through.”
Typically, he uses paper in small doses but says, “Spaces that are fully wrapped in wallpaper are great, too. It’s kind of like a hug.”
For her part, Hadley Keller, the digital director of House Beautiful is not the least bit surprised about the latest lust for wallcoverings.
“While my interest in wallpaper has never waned, sorry to my landlords over the years, I have definitely seen it gain popularity. I think this goes hand-in-hand with renewed interest in bolder color and pattern — goodbye, all-gray interiors — as well as interiors that reference history.” And she adds, it has immense power when it comes to decorating. “It can be a bold statement and serve as de facto art.”
The pandemic helped feed the newer fervor for wallcoverings, according to interior designer Meg Braff, of Meg Braff Designs in Locust Valley, who has her own, eponymous collection of archival wallpapers.
“In my opinion, they’re more popular than ever. During COVID, people became very nestled in their homes and wanted to elevate and treat themselves to a higher standard of living."
THE PAPER APPEAL
As for what some say is the magic of wallpaper? “It is transportive. It adds warmth,” she says.
Top-sellers here include custom color grass cloths, which Braff describes as, “a really nice way to add texture to a room,” and she’s seen an increase in sales “across the board,” including printed metallics.
Designer Keith Baltimore, of the Baltimore Design Group in Port Washington, calls wallcovering, the “ultimate tool” and recently worked with three different prints in a bathroom at the Hampton Designer Showhouse in Southampton.
“Wallpaper is back bigger than ever. If you want the ceiling to look higher, or the walls to disappear or are hoping to distract from a bad view, you can manipulate the space with it,” he explains. “If I want to gain an emotion, or add sophistication or create a soothing space, that can be done with paper.”
Likewise, Michelle Gerson, a high-end NYC designer with a large following in the Hamptons, and a home there, too, says, “it brings a room to life … and can transform a room in a way that other finishes sometimes don’t.” Gerson, for one, is not a fan of the feature wall. “If you choose to do one wall, I would do the ceiling or what we call ‘the fifth wall’.”
HOW TO: ADDING WALLPAPER TO YOUR HOME
There is literally a wallpaper or covering for every one and every room, whether you’re resolutely modern or a staunch traditionalist or anybody in between. But for newbies, the choices can be daunting. We asked the experts to lead us with tips:
Homeward bound: “Some people know exactly what they’re looking for and have a vision, but many don’t,” says Gail Eyl, an interior designer who assists customers at Willis Paint & Design Center in Roslyn Heights. Here, customers are encouraged to borrow books, she says, “It’s very important to get it home.”
Says House Beautiful’s Hadley Keller: “Try taping samples of a few patterns in spaces you look at a lot — around your mirror or above your desk. If you find yourself loving them day after day, you can be confident about installing them.”
Meg Braff suggests buying a whole roll of paper, tacking it up and living with it in the chosen room for at least a week. “Wallpaper is a commitment, so see how it looks day and night.”
Weigh the scale: If you’re deciding on a big, bold print, Eyl says to “make sure you have a big enough wall to see a repeat.” On the flip-side she says, “tiny prints are easier.” But, warns Keith Baltimore, “A small print can be underwhelming, a large one can overpower.” Still nervous? “Start with a texture in a neutral color. You’ll be amazed at how much it can warm up a room,” suggests Keller.
Mood makers: “If you want a playful or joyous or fantasy effect or a space that takes you away and soothes, that’s achievable with wallpaper,” says Baltimore, adding that florals create a whole new dimension. And if you don’t know what room to work with first, he recommends trying it out in “a utilitarian space where you don’t necessarily want to be. I do wallpaper in everybody’s laundry rooms — fish, rocks, bubbles — to make it joyous.”
Practical matters: Think about the function of the space where you are putting up the paper. “I’ll use vinyl wallpaper in kids’ rooms and bathrooms, because it’s more forgiving and durable,” explains Jamel Williams.
Decisions, decisions: If you want to start gingerly down the paper path, Braff says consider doing a ceiling or the “fifth wall.” She recently worked on a stark white kitchen adding a metallic tea paper for warmth and interest.
And for those who are really trepidatious about moving forward, before you invest in an expensive paper, consider peel and stick. “If you hate it, you can just take it down,” says Candace McCabe.
