Wallpaper Is Making a Big Comeback
The Queen's Gambit and Bridgerton broke records as some of the most-watched Netflix series ever, and scenes were swoon-worthy for reasons borne outside of the chess battles and the bedsheets. Like, did you see that wallpaper?
The Queen’s Gambit gave us plaid and floral wallpaper from the 1960s, with the story taking place in locations ranging from a midcentury-modern home in Kentucky to a glitzy Las Vegas hotel room. Bridgerton, set during the English Regency period in early-1800s London, features grand residences with wallpaper hung in floral patterns and color combinations of blues, pinks and citrus greens with hints of gold.
Did the sets herald a return to wallpaper? We're not sure. Jonathan Slentz, interior designer and co-owner of The Wallpaper Store, says, “Wallpaper was never out.”
But “it's not your grandmother's wallpaper anymore,” says Janet Mattson, owner of M & M Wallcoverings & Blinds.
"People have been sitting inside looking at their walls thinking of what they want do with them,” says Rosemary Homisak of The Girls Painting and Paper Hanging.
All the experts agree that powder rooms, laundry rooms, bathrooms, TV walls, niches and headboard walls are top wallpaper destination choices for clients they're serving.
Here are a few tips if you're thinking of wallpapering your own home.
Do the whole bathroom
Oftentimes, clients will want to do one bathroom wall only, but since bathrooms have so many cutouts already due to the sink, the tub and other fixtures, having just one wall done can look "choppy and unfinished," says Slentz. Committing to the whole bathroom saves time up front so you can avoid waiting on your wallpaper to ship.
Start with a flat wall.
Many Florida homes have orange peel or texture, which can cause wallpaper air pockets to form over time. Homisak has drywall professionals who prep walls for her clients first to make them smooth for long-lasting, quality hanging.
It's not forever
Mattson says that the tedious work of stripping wallpaper probably had something to do with putting it "out of favor," but nowadays some papers are specifically easy to remove, offering more flexibility for future projects–just ask for them when shopping.