These days, textured papers are all the rage. This is a heavily textured vinyl on a woven fabric backing (something like cheesecloth, but firmer). Just be aware that on patterns like this, the seams almost always will show.
Note that I am breaking one of my own rules, and hanging the paper over a lightly textured wall. The paper is heavy enough that the wall’s texture won’t show, but the texture does interfere with the seams’ ability to pull tightly to the wall. Be certain that I discussed this with the clients before proceeding, and they OK’d it. Also note that I have striped a matching paint behind where the seams will fall, so that if there are slight gaps at the seams (there were), the white primer won’t show.
Back to the visible seams…In these photos, two things are going on. In the first shot, you notice the seam a little, because the textured pattern has no way to match from one strip to the next. So you are always going to see a little of a break where the bumps or colors do not match the panel next to it.
The second thing is, from a distance, you see a little bit of paneling, or shading. This happens when the color along the right edge of a strip does not match what’s along the left edge of the strip to it’s right.
To minimize this, I did what we call “reverse hanging” – I hang one strip right side up, and the next strip is hung upside down. That way, the right side of a strip is hung next to itself, so there is not a dramatic color break. You do, however, end up with a somewhat striped effect. But that’s usually only visible in at a distance, and only in some lighting conditions.
Yes, a little confusing. But it’s a good way to deal with solid patterns like this, and it minimizes the color differences.
This accent wall went in a bedroom in a new home in Cottage Grove, Houston. I’ll be back soon to hang paper in their living room.
