Before … Heavy stipple / sand texture on drab sage green semi-gloss paint. I skim-floated the walls , sanded smooth , primed with Roman Pro 977 Ultra Prime wallpaper primer and … Here’s the finished sink area of this hall bathroom . Before shot of tub and window wall .So much brighter and livelier! Close up . It’s hard to see from these photos, but the colors are pewter, silver, and metallic silver. The paper also has a lightly textured surface . The pattern is called Hedgerow and the brand name is Super Fresco. Every other SF I’ve hung has been on a non-woven / paste-the-wall substrate , so I was surprised to discover that this one was a paste-the-paper material , and that the backing is a paper / pulp material , with textured vinyl laminated to the surface. My issue with this is that, historically, these paper-backed solid vinyl wallpapers don’t hold up well in humid areas , such as bathrooms. Humidity in the air can actually be wicked up through the seams and then settle on the paper backing , which is absorbent and thirsty. Once that paper absorbs moisture, it’s going to expand . Since there is nowhere for it to go, it will push back against the wall , and that can cause the seam to curl up and pull away from the wall. Oftentimes, the paper backing actually delaminates (comes apart) from the vinyl surface. This is not a “loose seam” and cannot be repaired. You pretty much have to replace the whole strip. Or, more likely, to replace the entire wall, from one corner to the next. Proper wall prep , including a primer made for use under wallpaper , goes a long way toward avoiding these sorts of occurrences. installer houston memorial area
Here’s an accent wall in a home office. Textured wall has been smoothed, primed, and is ready for wallpaper. Finished. Sorry – the bright light coming in the windows makes for a dark, crappy photo. But the wall looks really good!This gives you an idea of the realistic pattern and texture. A bright piece of artwork will hang on this wall between the windows. Close up of texture.Manufacturer is Super Fresco Easy from Australia. Pattern is Crocodile This non-woven material is thin, strong, flexible, and a joy to work with. In addition, it’s designed to strip off the wall easily and in one piece when you redecorate.
This 1960 ranch style home in the Westbury neighborhood of Houston is like a time capsule of Mid Century Modern design. The doors, windows, moldings, cabinetry, and even most of the bathrooms are original – and in mint condition. The homeowners love the look, and wanted to honor that, while updating some of the rooms.
What fun! This wild pattern fills all those bills!
What’s extra cool is that the homeowners painted the walls and woodwork in the room a mauvy-purple color more than a year ago. I showed them a sample of this paper in the orange color (which I had hung in another client’s home in a nearby neighborhood, also Mid Century Modern), and they loved it. When they went to the wallpaper store (read below), the selection book showed this snazzy purple colorway. The shade of purple is the exact compliment to the paint colors they had chosen so long ago. BINGO!
This wallpaper pattern is by Graham & Brown, in their Super Fresco line, which is reasonably priced and easy to work with, as well as easy to remove when it’s time to redecorate. I hung it with the paste-the-wall method. It was bought at below retail price from 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.
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