Wallpaper has been around since colonial times but it had a hard time getting over its image as something only for chintz-loving grandmothers or high-end designers. These days, modern printing techniques and improved materials have helped wallpaper to reclaim its status as a stylish choice for interior decoration. It’s a quick, relatively inexpensive way to give your home a fresh new look without the hassle of repainting.

It can also add texture and interest to a room, giving it more depth and character than paint alone. It can work well as a focal point, especially if you choose a striking design and mount it over a fireplace or other prominent feature in the room. Alternatively, you can use it to create a backdrop for other features in your home, such as shelving or other furniture pieces.

In fact, you can even apply house wallpaper to ceilings, making them a feature in themselves! But before you start peeling and pasting, it’s worth taking the time to calculate exactly how much wall material you need. You don’t want to end up with an overhanging strip of wallpaper or a gap at the bottom of the wall! To avoid this, you can measure your wall height overall and then subtract any areas where windows and doors are situated. You can then divide the total area of your wall by the width of a roll of wallpaper to find out how many strips you need.

Once you’ve decided which type of wallpaper to buy, it’s important to read the directions that come with it. These will tell you how long to let the paste set and how to hang it. Many brands have specific recommendations for which wallpapering paste to use and sometimes even offer video tutorials. It’s also a good idea to do a “dry run” of the papering before you start actually putting it up, so that you can spot any early mistakes or mishaps and get them fixed before they become obvious.

Wallpapers can also be used to cover a damaged wall or to protect walls that aren’t ideal for painting. For example, plaster walls with a rough surface or textured finish may not be suitable for plain or glossy paint, but can be covered by a smoother vinyl or vinyl-backed fabric wallpaper. Moisture-prone walls like those in the kitchen and bathroom should not be covered with wallpaper, however.

Another advantage of using wallpaper in the home is that it’s a lot quicker to apply than painting, and it’s not as messy. There’s no need to move furniture, cover it in plastic or enclose the room in a dust sheet, so it’s a more practical option for busy families. Plus, if you change your mind a few years down the line, it’s easy to remove wallpaper without any damage to the walls beneath. That’s a real selling point for anyone who wants to change their home décor without too much commitment!