How to decide on the best wall coverings for your home

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With so many kinds of wall coverings available for homes, how do you know which is the best choice for your home?

There are many factors involved in picking the perfect style, material, shape, and texture. Plus, since walls are the backdrop of every view into every space and every moment spent at home, they play a huge role in setting the style and exuding the personality of your home. Once they’re decorated or covered with photos and art you might not think about them all that much or have the time or budget to redo them. Getting them right in the first place is an all-important task.

Wall coverings can completely transform the entire look and feel of a room and, in fact, an entire home. There are so many different options, so it can be difficult to know what to do and how to get started. What’s going to work best for you and your home? With that in mind, keep reading. We’ve put together a list of some of the best wall coverings for most home spaces, and why they can work well. Read on to find out more. 

Paint

Paint is a timeless and, crucially, highly versatile option for flat or textured walls. With a variety of sheens and colors, there are many different benefits and advantages. That’s why so many people choose to just use paint over and above other options. Still, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best wall covering for you. I’s just the one that most people tend to think about first when considering budget-friendly ways to update wall coverings. 

A world of color choices.

One of the biggest benefits of choosing paint as your wall covering is that there are so many colors available. This means that even new DIYers can create the look they want, no matter how neutral or bold it might be. You can even ask for paint to made in a color that’s not on the brand’s color chips. Bring a sample from an old home, a treasured heirloom, or a charming find from vacation to the paint desk.

While many like to paint each room a different color to personalize each space, others choose to use the same color throughout. There’s also the option to consider the views from each room, and choose neighboring colors on the color wheel for adjoining rooms.

Paint is budget-friendly.

On top of how great paint can look in your home, it’s also massively cost-effective when compared to some other options. If you’re decorating your home on a budget, paint can often be the best thing to choose. It can give you a transformative result for relatively little money. Not only that, but you won’t always have to hire professionals to paint a room for you, saving even more money.

Of course, if you don’t feel confident that you can do a good enough job, there are professional painters and decorators who can help you. However, it’s certainly worth trying yourself first, and it’s a useful skill to learn

Paint changes the room’s mood.

Something very special about paint is its ability to visually change how a room looks. We don’t just mean the color of the room, but also how large it is or how cosy. Lighter hues, like beige and cream or off-white, can make a room look much bigger and more open, That’s great when the space is a small one. On the other hand, darker colors, like navy blue, emerald green, or deep red can make a room feel cozier, or perhaps add a touch of sophistication and drama. 

Yet another advantage is that no matter what color paint you choose, you’ll be creating a blank canvas in the room. This means you can choose any kind of art, photos, or anything else to go on top of the paint, making the room a personal space for you to enjoy. 

Paint can be long-lasting.

When you invest in good quality paint and take the time to create a quality finish, it can last for many years. But it’s not the only choice, of course, It’s worth making sure you’ve done all your research, and you know exactly what’s going to work well for your home. 

Overgrown wallpaper by WALLPAPER REPUBLIC from Milton & King

Wallpaper 

Wallpaper used to be all the rage, but it did fall out of favor a little when people started to get busy and not have so much time to dedicate to interior design. Plus, older wallpaper styles can feel very old-fashioned, and take time to replace. The good news is that things have changed, and there are easier ways to install it. Interior design, as well as wallpaper itself is making a comeback, and it could be the ideal wall covering for your home. And why wouldn’t it be a good choice when it adds so much character and interest to a room? 

Feature wall of high-quality wallpaper

Something that makes wallpaper stand out as a wall covering is that it can create a fantastic focal point. You don’t have to wallpaper every wall, and can instead pick just one to turn into a feature wall. When you do this, the other walls can be painted or wainscoted to add texture to the space.

Modern wallpaper is durable.

Solid-colored adjacent walls allow a bold and beautiful style of wallpaper from a high-quality website like WallpaperBoulevard to shine. Consider a pattern that you might not otherwise have chosen if you were going to use it in the entire room. If you’re only using it in a small area, it can work great and not be overwhelming or ‘too much.’ In other words, you can give your home a really personal touch that paint alone just can’t achieve. 

Wallpaper is fairly easy to install.

Even better is the fact that modern wallpaper that’s peel-and-stick is easy to install and remove again. Modern wallpapers can be installed by pasting the wall and sticking them up quite simply, and some even come with a removable backing so the ‘sticky’ element is already there. As with painting, you don’t have to put your new wallpaper up yourself if you don’t want to. (It can be challenging to match patterns, for example.)

Modern wallpaper is durable.

Another modern change to wallpaper is that it’s a lot more durable than it ever used to be, and some are even washable (or at least easy to wipe down). These options can be used in high-traffic areas that would have become dirty or damaged in the past. Rather than being a problem, this makes wallpaper into a practical choice for a home with a family or pets, as if there is a spillage or mishap of any kind, the problem can usually be cleaned up quickly and without leaving a trace. 

Bondera Tile Mat Set
Installing a tile backsplash using Bondera.

Tiles

When you think of tiles, what rooms instantly come to mind? For most people, it will be the bathroom, maybe the entryway, the kitchen, and nothing else. However, if that’s all you think of, you’re missing out on some of the great possibilities that decorating with tiles can bring. The reality is that there are no rules about where you can have tiles in your home. You can use them in any room you want to. 

Tile is easy to clean.

Tile is used in rooms that can get dirty and damp. Tiles also are easy to clean and won’t get moldy as other wall coverings might. It doesn’t mean that tile can’t be used in other spaces. Consider extending the tile design ideas you’ve had in your kitchen and bathroom and use them in the rest of your house. It would be different and stylish, and you can inject some of your own personality into the ideas you come up with. 

Tiles are durable.

A great reason for using tiles all over your home is that they’re just so durable. No matter what you choose—ceramic, porcelain, glass, or natural stone—they’re going to be able to withstand a lot. It’s hard to scratch tiles or dent them. Although they can definitely be broken, it takes a lot more to do it than scratching paint, for example. This makes tiles excellent value for money. It can last for many years to come in your home. 

Flexible style and options.

Something that many find exciting about tiles is that they can be installed in lots of different ways. You don’t have to install tiles that are all the same color, for example, or even the same pattern. Mix and match them, giving your home a gorgeously different look that will make it feel like yours. You can also use different sizes or different textures to design walls that really stand out (sometimes literally). Plus, there are eco-friendly tile options, so you don’t have to worry about your impact on the environment. 

The only downside to tiles is that they are harder to install than the other ideas on this list. It might be wise to hire a professional to do it if you’re not sure how to start. If you’re willing to learn, you’ll certainly feel like you’ve achieved something when you step back and see the result of your hard work. 

About the Author

Theresa Clement, MyFixitUpLife
Theresa Clement, MyFixitUpLife Designer

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