Improperly Prepped Paint Peels Off Easily

this vanity was originally white . To update the powder room and coordinate with the new wallpaper , the vanity cabinet was painted this rich green . When hanging wallpaper , some paste will get onto the woodwork or cabinetry . Usually, it’s a simple matter to wipe this paste off with a damp rag (we like microfiber cloths ).

But as you can see, even gentle wiping with a damp cloth has taken some of the new paint with it. This is usually because the new paint was applied without having properly prepped the original surface. The original paint has a gloss / sheen , which makes it attractive , as well as resistant to dirt and stains . But new coatings (be they paint , latex paint , wallpaper paste , etc. ) won’t adhere tightly to a glossy surface .

So it’s imperative that the original surface be prepped correctly , before the new paint is applied . This means de-glossing . Deglossing can be done by sanding the surface to scruff it up, which will give a bit of “tooth” to the surface for the new coating to stick to. Or you can buy a chemical de-glosser from a good paint store like Sherwin-Williams or big box store like Home Depot . This is simply wiped on with a cloth . You can also use what’s called a bonding primer , which is formulated to adhere to just about anything , and then provides a surface that paint or other coatings can grab a hold of and stick to .
Once the original surface is properly de-glossed and primed and prepped , the new paint can be applied . Once that dries and cures , you can put stress on the surface, such as rubbing or wiping , without fear of the new paint peeling off .

Another weird thing is that the green color came off on my microfiber rag . I’ve had this happen with water-based / water-borne paints – but not with the old-fashioned oil-based paints . Not a big deal. Not enough of the color wiped off to cause any lack of color on the painted surface of the vanity . install

Cool Fun Blue Flower Paper in Powder Room

Before. The homeowner wanted something much more fun than drab grey walls . Plus she need something that would coordinate with the brown tones in the vanity countertop.

Here’s the solution! The paper is actually muddier and murkier than these photos show it to be, so it melds nicely with the brown stone .

Here’s a better idea of what the true colors actually look like.

Close-up.

aManufacturer is York. This was purchased from Dorota at the Sherwin-Williams in the Rice Village of Houston , for a price below retail . Call before heading over to see her selection . (713) 59-6515

The Sure Strip line by York is a thin and pliable , water-activated , pre-pasted wallpaper that is DIY -friendly. It goes up nicely, and is designed to strip off the wall easily and in one piece – and with no damage to the wall – when it’s time to redecorate . I like this product a lot. Although York has been prone to lots of printing defects (including today) in recent years.
The home is in the Heights neighborhood of Houston .

Wildwood Floral Pattern in Water Closet

Nicely centered pattern in the potty room of this beautifully renovated 1926 home in the Woodland Heights area of Houston .

Toilet alcove before … along with my cute baby T-shirt used to cover and protect the toilet seat.

Toilet area finished.

Looking from the main room into the commode room / potty .

Finished. The colors coordinate beautifully with the tile .

Wildwood is yet another of the cheerful and fresh patters by Rifle Paper . I’ve been hanging a lot of their papers lately … the brand is very popular .

wallpaper installation houston

Powder Blue and Mint Small Print in West U Bungalow Bathroom

Before, primed and ready for wallpaper.
For various reasons, removing these mounting brackets for the light sconces would have created more problems than it solved, so I left them in place and worked carefully around them. The difficulty is that the sconces are exactly the same size as the mounting plates, so it’s difficult to trim around these plates that jut out from the wall and still get the paper close enough that no gaps show around the base of the light fixtures. When possible, it’s much easier to remove them and put the paper behind them.

I chose to center the design on my first strip in between those two sconces, rather than on the faucet. Good thing this is a small and busy pattern, because neither the mirror nor the sink faucet were centered between the sconces. But no one’s gonna notice.
If you look in the middle of the photo, you’ll see the vertical red line of my laser level. I’m using this as a guide to place the motifs down the center of the space.

Here’s a shot of my laser level. Less than $100 at Lowe’s maybe eight years ago.

Finished sink wall. The hooks are for the large, white framed mirror.

Window corner next to the toilet. The mint green paint on the woodwork next to the light blue wallpaper print ties this room in beautifully with the other rooms on the first floor of this house. The colors also coordinate beautifully with some artwork in the dining room just steps away.

The pattern is called Aboreta and is by Thibaut , one of my favorite brands. It’s a traditional paste-the-paper material , and was nice to work with. Thin and breathable and should hold up nicely in a humid bathroom.
This was purchased from my favorite source for wallpaper and for help in finding what you’re looking for – Dorota at the Sherwin-Williams on University in the Rice Village . Her hours vary, so call before you head over.

Updating a 1996 Kids ‘ Bathroom

I hung this cute wallpaper pattern back in 1996. It was perfect for a young family.

Well, the kids are grown and out of the house, and Mom wanted a more mature update for what will become the guest bathroom.

Companion patterns used in the sink room and tub room.

Much more sophisticated, yet airy and fun. The cabinets were painted dark blue to coordinate and accentuate the wallpaper.

The paper has a very slight raised texture.

Hmm. Somehow the Scott brothers got upside down. You will recognize them from HGTV.
The paper is by A Street Prints, and is a thin vinyl on a non-woven backing. It was a dream to work with. It will hold up well in even a humid room, and is designed to strip off the wall easily and in one piece when it’s time to redecorate.

Guest Bedroom – Perfect Color Match

Guest bedroom, before.

Wallpaper adds so much dimension and personality. And it makes the room look larger, too!

So often, it’s impossible to perfectly coordinate fabrics and wallpaper. One manufacturer makes the fabric, and another makes the wallpaper, both independent of each other – and, of course, the inks and dyes will never be absolutely, perfectly the same.

Amazingly, in this case, all fell perfectly into place, and the homeowner’s searching found the perfect union. The color of the tufted headboard coordinates absolutely perfectly with the “Alabaster Pink Mint” colorway of the Cole & Son “Palm Leaves” wallpaper.

Wild Color & Pattern – Imperial Dragon

There’s nothing shy about this sunroom! The boldly-colored pattern with its swirling motifs would have been overwhelming on wide walls of full-height. But here, on just the area above the wainscoting and in between the windows, it’s the perfect punch of color and movement.

I love the way the curled dragon fits perfectly above the windows.

I engineered to place the dragon in the center between the two windows that look out onto the garden.

The homeowner had adjoining cabinetry color-matched at Sherwin-Williams to coordinate with the colors in the wallpaper.

The home is in the Montrose neighborhood of Houston. The wallpaper is “Imperial Dragon” by Thibaut, one of my favorite brands.

Green Leaf Pattern in 1930’s Home

I adore this home – a cute, yellow-brick bungalow directly across from Rice University (Houston). It has been updated, yet kept mostly authentic to its 1930’s roots. I papered several rooms in the main house a few months ago, and was back today to paper the bathroom in the garage apartment.

Originally, the homeowner wanted wallpaper from Hannah’s Treasurers, which would be the real-deal old wallpaper from the 1930’s or 1940’s. https://hannahstreasures.com/ But for various reasons, she ended up choosing this more modern, yet timeless, pattern of ginger foliage. One deciding factor was that the colors coordinate perfectly with the green subway tile in the shower.

The wallpaper has a vinyl surface (resistant to water splashes and light stains) on a non-woven backing (much superior to the paper backing used on lower-end pre-pasted vinyls – read more on my page at the right). It was nice to work with, and should hold up well over many years.

The wallpaper is by York, in their designer line by Antonina Vella. It was purchased from Southwestern Paint on Bissonnet near the Rice Village.

Calming and Perky at the Same Time

When there are adjoining rooms to be decorated, I really like using coordinating patterns, rather than putting the same paper in both spaces.

Here is the paper chosen to go in the potty / tub room of the hall bathroom that I papered yesterday. Although the papers are not of the same material, nor even by the same manufacturer, they coordinate perfectly via color and theme.

Many thanks to Dorota (below) for helping the homeowner make this selection.

About 20 years ago, the room was papered in a dark tan striped pattern and, with no windows, the room just felt oppressive. The new paper, with it’s light colors and upbeat pattern, really brightens the room and the mood.

This product is by Anderson Prints, and is a traditional paper. It was bought from my favorite source for good quality, product knowledge, expert service, and competitive price – Dorota Hartwig at Southwestern Paint on Bissonnet near Kirby. (713) 520-6262 or dorotasouthwestern@hotmail.com. She is great at helping you find just the perfect paper! Discuss your project and make an appointment before heading over to see her.