Originally, this powder room was painted a bold orange . The homeowner thought that was what she wanted, and so lived with it for a few years. But yearned for something more lively and fun. In this photo, I’ve skim-floated and sanded the walls smooth , primed , and am now ready to hang wallpaper .
Just – WOW! Wallpaper really perks the room up. This pattern injects both color and visual movement. And a big smile on your face!
Vanity / sink wall .
The wall to the right will be painted a dark pewter metallic . The homeowner has three heirloom mirrors in the cathedral style , that are tall and skinny, and fill out this wall perfectly .
Close-up
Rolling bolts out on my work table, to get dimensions , pattern repeat , pattern placement , check for any irregularities, and etc.
This wallpaper is called Brushstroke Floral and is by York , one of my preferred brands. It’s non-woven material and can be hung by the paste the wall method , or, as I usually prefer, paste the paper . There were some issues with this paper; please refer to future posts . The home is in west Houston . installer This wallpaper pattern is by York, and was bought from my favorite source for good quality, product knowledge, expert service, and discounted price – Dorota Hartwig at Sherwin-Williams in the Rice Village off Kirby. (713) 529-6515. She is great at helping you find just the perfect paper! Discuss your project and make an appointment before heading over to see her. Call first, as her hours fluctuate. My clients love working with her!
This is a very small powder room with low ceilings (tucked in under the stairs ). And it’s very difficult to move around in, especially with a ladder and some tools in there, and dropcloths tangling in your feet. So what a joy that the homeowners had removed the toilet and sink (they’ll be replaced with new fixtures). This makes it a whole lot easier to move around in here.
Also, note that this bathroom door opens outward. Most bath doors open inward, which makes going in and out and squeezing around equipment and door VERY tight and tedious. Having the door open out, or, sometimes the homeowner removes the door completely, makes it sooo much easier to work here. wallpaper installer houston
Before. This is a very small under-the-stairs powder room that was carved out of minimal space during an update and slight expansion of a 1940’s home in the Garden Oaks neighborhood of Houston , maybe 20 years ago. The homeowners have enjoyed the white daisy on dark wallpaper for a long time, but are ready for something fresh and fun . That curious window-thingie there was part of the garage wall in the original home floorplan .
Here it is finished. So nice that the sink and toilet are not in this tiny room, and that the door swings outward , instead of inward, as most bathroom s do.
I started with the back wall, which is the first thing you see when you open the door. I’m happy with the placement of the animals , as they all appear intact as you look across the wall. Meaning, that no one got his head or rear end cut off on this focal wall . I’ve striped darker paint on the wall where the seams will fall, to prevent white from showing at the seams. Do a search here to read other posts about this trick . Note the bow in the joint where the back wall meets up with the sloped segment of wall. This is pretty typical. Not a big deal with paint. But it means that the portion of wallpaper that goes up the sloped wall / ceiling will have a very slight pattern mis-match where it meets up with that bowed part of the horizontal joint .
Here is the wallpaper going up the sloped ceiling , which is the part under the stairs . Note that you don’t run one long strip of wallpaper up and across all these surfaces. For every corner, the wallpaper should wrap 1/8″ or so around the corner. Then you start with a new strip, matching the pattern as best you can (remember that bowed joint!), with about an inch of overlap, which then you trim off off the excess . This enables the paper to fit tightly into the corner / joint. Otherwise, you would end up with wrinkles and puckers and areas where the paper is not tight to the wall. Starting with a new strip of paper also allows you to make sure your new strip is hanging straight and plumb . Often you lose a bit of pattern match , but usually not much that anyone would notice.
At top of photo, continued up the ceiling and onto the flat portion of ceiling . Here is where the third section of wallpaper is cut and overlapped and trimmed into the joint. Note that the pattern on the vertical walls won’t match up with the pattern on the sloped wall .
The homeowners are from Scotland , and told me that these forest inhabitants are common and beloved over there. Her parents are regularly visited by red fox es, and feed them. Hedgehog , owl , deer , rabbit , squirrel , quail , all are denizens of the Scottish forests . Ditto the mushrooms , ferns , and other plant life .
Here’s that odd little window papered . I positioned the pattern so that it would continue from the wall into the niche as if the wooden molding were not there. The homeowner has a small rectangular mirror that will sit in the left side of the niche .
Close up.
The brand is Home Style and comes from the UK . It’s a flexible non-woven / paste the wall material , and was pretty nice. However, the substrate was hard to trim through, even with a brand new blade . It also wanted to drag a bit, leaving raggedy torn edges if you weren’t meticulously careful while trimming . And the material creased easily .
Shout out of appreciation to the great members of WIA (Wallcovering Installers Association), and networking of fellow paperhangers! My van broke down last week (which is why I haven’t been posting pics or stories about my daily installs ) (the leak was much larger than the photo shows, and was also inside the cab), and I was unable to get to my Wed-Thurs job. Because I did not have that client’s contact info with me, I was not able to notify her until I got home, which was well after 10:00 p.m. The homeowner was extremely unhappy ,,, which we won’t get into. But I do understand … their only bathroom in the house had been disassembled (toilet and sink removed) in preparation for the new wallpaper . 11:30 p.m., I put out desperate texts to my installer buddies in the Houston area. Within 15 minutes (we’re talking midnight, folks), I had heard back from three! All were willing to help. But it’s a busy time for wallpaper, and most already had commitments and were unable. I’m very grateful to Randy Wages, who jumped in. With just a few hours’ notice, with no prior knowledge of the job or material, he was at the home the next morning, less than 10 hours from getting my distress text! Got the job done in the same 2-day time frame, for the same price the homeowner was prepared to pay. He left them very happy. I don’t know if Randy just happened to have Wednesday & Thursday off, or if he rearranged his schedule to help me out. But it was GREATLY appreciated! All this is due to the network of installers who know each other and have occasional meet-ups in Houston. And the broader reach of the Wallcovering Installers Association ( WIA ) and our active Facebook page and annual conventions where we get to meet in person and know one another. There’s an atmosphere of comradery rather than competitors, and willingness to help each other in a pinch. I’m still dumfounded that this horrible mess happened, and that it was resolved within less than an hour, in the wee hours of the morning, and that all turned out so well. Thank you, WIA , and thank you Randy!
I saw this wallpaper in a powder room while taking the Houston Heights Home Tour last Sunday . This pattern was wildly popular about 10 years ago. Imagine squeezing under that console sink with metal legs to place the wallpaper under there.
Another shot, showing a little more of the fir down / soffit over the sink . According to Wikipedia , the designer, Hunt Slonem , started developing his obsession with all things bunny in the early 1980’s . He’s produced lots of different incarnations, and they’ve been used in wallpaper , fabric , artwork , kitchenware , decorative items , and everything in between.
Such a fun pattern. “And they breed like – rabbits!” This wallpaper is notoriously difficult to install . More on that in a future post.
Beautiful tile backsplash and really fun sink . But boring walls .
Wallpaper to the rescue! The interior designer did a wonderful job of pulling together the gold geometric in the wallpaper design , with the gold faucet , and with the fluted lines of the sink . See previous post for more.
Bathroom before .
Done! The paper is a bit hard to see – but that’s much of the point … an understated , yet crisp and bright and modern feel to this newly renovated hall bathroom .
Another before shot . Transformed!
Look how nicely this wallpaper pattern and gold color coordinate with the backsplash tile and the gold faucet . See previous post for more .
The wallpaper looks translucent and delicate , like parchment paper – but it’s not. It’s a durable non-woven material , also called paste the wall . It is DIY friendly to install , and will strip off the wall easily and with minimal damage to the wall when you redecorate later. Look in the upper right corner of this photo, and you’ll see the glint of gold , as well as the raised ink in the lines design . This adds just a bit of depth and visual interest , even though the overall look and feel of the room is very spa – like and serene .
The brand is A Street Prints . This wallpaper was purchased below retail through Dorota at the Sherwin-Williams in the Rice Village ( Houston ). She has 25+ years selling wallpaper and 300+ selection books – and she knows what’s in every one of them! So she can easily and quickly help you find your perfect pattern. Hours fluctuate, so call to make an appointment, and let her know what you’re searching for. (713) 529-6515
Close up of the really cool sink and backsplash , which reiterate the geometric theme – while adding some fluidity with the oval features of the sink .
And the new shower tile is a show-stopper! That diamond pattern across the entire shower would have been way overwhelming . The designer was so smart, to contain the angles to one wall and the toiletries niche . Look at the skill of the tile guy , to get the pattern so straight and centered ! Cool deep, soaking tub, too. See previous post for more.
When I first consulted with this client, his hall bathroom was a mess of torn drywall , exposed studs , and outdated fixtures . A few weeks later, when I arrived to install the new wallpaper , literally – I stopped in my tracks. Not only is the room finally finished, but the interior designer did a fantastic job selecting tile for the shower . And look at what an expert job the tile guy did .
She also found this really cool sink . And note the backsplash tile .
Here it is with the wallpaper up and done. The geometric lines of the sink and the tile in both the backsplash and the shower play off so well against the fun geometric design of the wallpaper . The wallpaper pattern is small, so it doesn’t compete with the tile or sink. Gold lines in the wallpaper, and gold faucet fixtures . She couldn’t have chosen a better wallpaper !
The brand is A Street Prints , and is a nice non-woven / paste the wall material. The home is in the Pasadena suburb of Houston .
Before. The new(ish) home has a Victorian look, with carved and stained molding , and the decorative corner pieces at the baseboard . And, yes, those corners are time consuming to trim around. Will post more on that another time.
Done. Since the Prada store is the most dominant motif , and also symmetrical , I centered them on the sink wall. This will look nice when the mirror goes back up, as they should be spaced equally on either side of the mirror.
Marfa , Texas , holds special significance for this family of teenaged boys , and the mom saw the pattern and knew she wanted to use it somewhere. A powder room always looks bigger and more fun with a little pattern and color on the walls. She went with the dark green colorway , which looks nice with the stained woodwork and also with other elements in the home’s décor . I didn’t realize until I started working with it that some motifs are dark green , some are black , and there is some very light grey in the mix, too.
The City Toiles line is very popular and features scores of cities in the U.S. and abroad. Fancy wrapping, too. These plastic bags are really heavy. I saved some to wrap my primer and paste roller covers in.
Katie Kime is the brand. Their paper is a little narrower than most brands, so doesn’t give quite the same coverage . It’s a pretty heavy vinyl , which should be fairly stain-resistant , on a non-woven backing , which makes for easier installation and then removal later. If I had my druthers, though, I’d prefer a thinner vinyl. KK does usually come with some relatively minor “issues,” which will be addressed in future posts.
Sink wall before. I’m getting ready to start applying wallpaper primer – note the roller tray and brush. On the right – that’s a baby’s T-shirt, protecting the toilet seat lid.
Sink wall done.
Long wall before.
Done. This style pattern is called a Chinoiserie . This one comes as a mural , in panels instead of rolls . With murals, every panel is different, so you don’t have the repeating designs of standard wallpapers. This one was custom-sized to the dimensions of the walls in this bathroom .
Fresh and airy.
So pretty, with the white bathroom fixtures , the countertop , and the floor tile .
Close-up. This is an economical option to the $$ hand-painted on silk murals imported from China and elsewhere. It has the same artisan look, but is much more affordable . The non-woven backing is much less complicated to install , and also easy to remove when you redecorate later. And much more resistant to water and stains than real silk!
This is intended to mimic the look of the hand-sewn and hand-painted murals made in China . Those products are made of rectangular blocks of silk, meticulously sewn together, and then painted. Here you see that the artist has recreated the look of the individual pieces of silk. And the motifs look as if they’ve been painted by an artist .
All the panels for this, plus another mural (for the dining room ) came rolled up in one huge (and heavy!) bolt.
Here I am, using the homeowner’s open floor space to roll everything out, cut the panels apart, rough-trim off the selvedge edges, check pattern match, and check panel sequence. This photo is actually the mural for other room, but you get the idea.
This company doesn’t pre-trim the panels, so you have to take a straightedge, razor blade, good lighting, and a lot of time and patience, to carefully trim off the unprinted edge.
The company provides a schematic / mock-up of where each numbered panel will sit on which wall. Note that, except for the left corner over the door, the widths of the panels do not line up with the corners of the room. Panel 17, for instance has to be measured, then split in two vertically (remember that straightedge and razor blade?!), so that about 8″ of its left edge sit on the right side of the north wall, in the corner over the vanity. (Note that they don’t tell you that the width should be 8″ … I had to figure that out myself.) The remaining right portion of Panel 17 then goes onto the east wall, starting in the corner, over the vanity. Likewise, Panel 18 hangs mostly over the right side of the vanity, but 10″ of it runs down the full length of the wall, behind the toilet (not shown in the schematic). Panel 19 is a bit too wide for the remaining wall space, so about 5″ of its right edge was trimmed off at the right side of the east wall, which abutted the shower. Side note: If you like math and engineering , spatial relationships, and working with your hands, you’ll probably love hanging wallpaper. This mock-up diagram is very important. Only thing is – the company did not include it in the package with the wallpaper . And, when I called the home office, I got a recording and left a message – but they never got back to me. So here I am, trying to get this paper up for this nice couple, but with no clue as to how the custom-printed material had been fitted to each specific wall. Luckily, the homeowners were reachable by phone (I was alone in the house while they were at work), and had copies they were able to text and email to me.
This design is called Fenimore and it’s by designer Paul Montgomery . The manufacturer is the Mural Source. Their material is pretty nice, and the seams went together well . I would prefer, though, that they pre-trimmed their goods. And the 36″ width is a bit cumbersome to work with. I’m kinda short, with a small wingspan. (Most wallpapers are 20″ – 27″ wide.) Oh, and the part about not including the diagram with the panels – they need to do better on that! The home is in the Heights area of Houston . installer
Before. The homeowners weren’t grooving on the Mediterranean feel of this powder room. They kept the travertine countertop , but had the dark brown vanity cabinet painted white. They’ll be getting new light fixture and towel bar / toilet paper holder . AND – new wallpaper !
Look at how wallpaper changes this room from pseudo- Tuscan to playful and modern !
The homeowner also wanted to pull some navy blue into her decorating scheme , to coordinate with pops of navy in the adjoining living room and open kitchen .
Because the mirror will cover most of the sink wall, I centered the pattern on the next most looked-at wall – behind the toilet .
The pattern is simply called Peacock and is by Rifle Paper , which is by York , one of my favorite brands . It’s a very popular design , and I’ve hung it a bunch of times … including January 30th. It’s a nice, stain-resistant , breathable , non-woven material, DIY friendly , and will strip off the wall easily and in one piece when you redecorate .
The wallpaper was purchased from Dorota at the Sherwin-Williams in the Rice Village . She has 100+ selection books to hunt through, and knows what’s in all of them, so can quickly help you find your perfect pattern. Call first, as hours vary (713) 529-6515. The home is in the Rice Military area of Houston . installer
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