Wallpaper vs Paint – a side-by-side comparison
How does wallpaper stack against paint? Here’s a side-by-side comparison of both.
Location
Wallpaper does not perform well in humid areas, specifically bathrooms, and kitchens. It tends to peel off when placed in areas with high humidity. Here, paint takes the win. However, you can still use wallpaper in these parts of a home, but you need to be prepared to change specific segments when the wallpaper peels off.
As for the other areas in your home like the bedroom and living room, wallpaper makes for an excellent choice, whether your primary goal is to wow visitors or to create a calming, relaxing space.
Number of design options
The popularity of wallpaper has risen of late, starting with the increase in the use of feature walls. This trend has led to wallpaper manufacturers and wallpaper distributors to bring in new designs, colours, and textures for practically any part of a home.
Furthermore, advancements in printing technology have brought about a higher degree of design customisation.
Whether you are looking for a more classic appearance with stripes or something bolder like animal prints and anywhere in between, you will surely find something that will impress your clients and their discerning tastes.
Paint also offers a high degree of customisation as manufacturers provide the option of mixing different hues to create the perfect colour blend.
Plus with paint, it is easier to paint over a mistake. With wallpaper, it will take extra time and effort to change the existing ones on a wall.
Durability
Between the two, wallpaper is a more durable option. Paint can easily chip, especially in high-traffic areas, or if your clients have children and pets. On average, a home needs to be repainted between three and five years or even more frequently in high traffic areas.
Paint manufacturers also now offer paints that can withstand being drawn upon or spilt on with liquids. The main drawback is that these paints tend to have a rough, unappealing finish.
Wallpaper may seem dainty and easily damaged, but modern techniques used in manufacturing these enable them to withstand common issues faced in a household with young children and pets. Plus, modern styled wallpaper is easy to maintain and clean. For families with pets and children, you can offer them vinyl wallpaper.
Cost
At the outset, Paint seems like the most cost-effective option available. Indeed, the initial costs involved may seem considerably smaller compared to Wallpaper.
However, when you factor in the overall lifespan of both options, you can easily see that over the long term, wallpaper is the best option for your clients if the goal is to keep costs down.
But whichever option you choose, it all boils down to quality. Whether it’s cheap paint or wallpaper, you get what you pay for.
Choosing wallpaper
If you are trying to widen your palette by introducing the use of wallpaper in your upcoming project, here are a few tips that will help ensure success.
Match the wallpaper with the room
One of the most important things that you need to do before narrowing down your wallpaper options is to determine the style you want to achieve for the room.
For example, if you want to create a casual vibe, you can consider using faux finishes and floral designs. On the other hand, if your goal is to create a contemporary look, you should not shy away from the use of bold geometric prints that feature glossy and metallic accents.
Consider the wallpaper’s purpose
Wallpaper can be used for a variety of purposes, and it is worthwhile to factor that in before settling for a final design.
If your goal is to cover the four walls of a room, settle for a design that deftly blends a contemporary look and feel with the familiarity of classic design.
For feature walls, put out all the stops with bold patterns with exciting accents.
If the room is divided by a chair rail, there are a few options to choose from. To create a classic look, you can use floral or damask wallpaper designs above the chair rail. Or you can use patterned wallpapers beneath the chair rail to generate interest.
Consider using wallpapers for the ceilings if you want to add more interest in a room. Metallic shades work best for this purpose.
Patterns
Another critical area to look into before finalising the wallpaper design is the use of patterns.
Broadly speaking, textured patterns give off a casual vibe to an area, while flat designs give off a sense of refinement and quiet sophistication.
Additionally, textured wallpapers can help expand the appearance of a room. Plus, these wallpapers can easily cover imperfections on the wall.
Flat wallpaper offers different options in terms of detailing and embellishments. However, these do not do as great a job of covering imperfections.
