Yep! It works every time! I️ can mention one word to my clients and then stand back and watch their reaction. Some have such a severe reaction that it causes them to close their eyes and sometimes even wave both hands in resistance. Some react as if I️ have really offended them…like I️ have absolutely lost my mind! The sheer thought of it… the “dirty word” that brings back so many memories .. …a word that some never-ever want to hear again!!!! Ready? The word is simply …..wallpaper. Yes, the mention of adding wallpaper sends some people absolutely over the edge. I put on my “design therapist” hat as I️ hear their flashback stories of spending hours and hours stripping layer after layer of paper from their first fixer-upper. Some developed their aversion to it by being forced to live through the era of floral and flocked paper that adorned the walls of their mother or grandmothers homes… and the thought of it STILL makes them react as if they have just swallowed the juice of a lemon. Those traditional burgundy, blue and green 80s Waverly prints are the backdrops of treasured photos of our childhood. Yes, I️ agree that those dark, ultra-traditional patterns were pretty terrible, (not as bad as 80s hair, but pretty darn close).
After I️ have listened to all of the horror stories about why my clients despise wallpaper, only then do I️ get the chance to redeem myself and help them gain their composure by explaining … “NO NO, NO, not THAT kind of wallpaper”! I then began to explain that when I️ mention wallpaper I️ really mean wall-covering… I️ am not necessarily talking about adding pattern, ( although there is a place for that as well)… I️ am talking about adding an element that sets interiors apart and adds an element of “special”….. that element is called, TEXTURE. As we progress in our interior design “therapy” session, I️ begin to replace the dirty word, wallpaper, with the more current term, texture, which seems to me much more acceptable and is actually intriguing.
To prove that my intentions were good all along, I️ pull out my many baskets of textured wallcovering. Facial expressions immediately start to change, and I can I see that there is a definite breakthrough as we explore the many new possibilities. Eyes and minds are opening to something new, and I️ can see that faith in my design abilities is being restored. Beautiful pieces of textured wall-covering paired with most any fabric really add an awesome spark of interest that plain sheetrock simply cannot yield.
In this new era of interior design there are so many trendy catch phrases to learn like: “reclaimed”, “repurposed” and “restored”. We can safely put all of those terms under one umbrella… and use the word CHARACTER. Adding character to homes is what many homeowners are ultimately trying to achieve, and by adding texture to the walls, instant character is achieved.
Would you ever have thought 20 years ago that old dilapidated barn wood would be carefully salvaged and used for ceiling and wall material in new construction? Would you have ever dreamed that cocktail tables would be made of utilitarian items such as old wooden shipping palettes? The thought that that our beautiful, shiny, mahogany tables would ever be a thing of the past would have been appalling….AND… would you ever believe that even something as out-dated and passé as wallpaper would make a comeback? …Never say never! Consider adding character to your home by adding subtle texture to your walls… take a deep breath….you can do it….I promise.