The primary purpose of wall covering [or wall paper if you prefer] has been to introduce color as well as pattern into a room. Wall coverings have been around since the 15th Century so you can be assured that while this decorative element might go in and out of popularity from time to time it is a décor element that continues to evolve and will remain a option for use in residential, commercial, hospitality and healthcare applications.

As wall papers began to evolve so did the manner in which they were produced. Prior to the 1850’s most papers were made by a technique known as hand blocking using vegetable, animal or mineral dyes. The advent of synthetic chemical dyes in the 20th Century brought about a larger range of colors than what could be produced with the use of natural elements.

Wall papers simulating stonework such as granite, marble, limestone, and hardwoods like mahogany, birds eye maple, and birch became very fashionable in the 17th Century as a less expensive substitute for the often unavailable raw materials. The desire to incorporate natural raw materials into our homes has not passed with time. In the mid 1960’s textured wall papers with a “natural” look became very popular with the advent of manufacturing techniques which incorporated loose-weave burlap laminated to a paper backing, suede and grass cloths. Grass cloth is a paper consisting of strips of dried grass or seaweed glued or woven to a coarse paper. Grass cloth paper has been used as wall coverings in the Far East for centuries and remains a popular choice to this day.

In addition to creating “faux stone” and “faux wood looks” on wall paper techniques have also been developed to create simulated fabrics such as canvas, tweed, velvet and silks. There are also wall coverings which are produced in such a manner as to replicate embossed leather, animal hides and even stitched or woven leather.

Wall coverings are a great element that can help to set a certain period style or tone to your décor. An embossed historic motif can be used to create a 16th Century décor or if your taste is along more modern lines then you can seek out patterns that would give your walls the look of textured concrete or even glass beads.

Wall covering can be used on all of the walls in a room or just on a single wall as an accent. Several papers can be combined for a bold statement by using one on the bottom of the wall and another on the upper portion of the wall. One fad which I have noticed a decline in over the years is the wall paper border; the use of a small wallpaper; typically 3” to 12” in height as an accent at the top of a wall which delineates the wall from the ceiling. Boarders are still used today but typically only in a manner when they are combined with other wall coverings; not simply applied to painted walls solely on its own.

Wall paper is sold in a unit known as linear yards and as a standard comes in single or double rolls. There are wall covering “calculators” which can be found on the internet so that you can put in the height of your walls and the width of each wall to be covered in order to calculate how many rolls and/or lineal yards your job will require. The professional designer and/or wall covering professional will also calculate any requirements for you.

If you are not an expert at installing wall covering I would strongly suggest that you hire a trained professional to do the installation for you. Nothing makes a wall paper look inexpensive quicker than seams showing or mismatched pattern. As with the wall covering itself; the installation of it is an art form.