Why Wallpaper is Experiencing a Renaissance
The history of wallpaper can go as far back as China’s Qin Dynasty around 200 B.C.E. when decorated rice paper was hanged on the walls. This concept was spread to Europe via the Silk Road around the 12th Century. However, it wasn’t until the 16th Century that wallpaper became more accessible after the invention of block printing to mimic luxury fabrics and tapestries at affordable prices. As printing technology improved the cost of wallpaper became truly affordable to all and became the main approach to finishing the interior of walls.
When paint was invented in 1950s it started to take over from wallpaper as the preferred wall finishing solution. However, even from the beginning of wall painting, homeowners were not fully satisfied with the look as it was too plain despite the growing range of colour offerings. Furthermore, anything more glossy than eggshell paint finish highlighted all the wall imperfections. Less glossy paint finish gets dirty easier and is less durable and more difficult to clean. To conceal wall imperfections and add visual interest, experimentation on wall painting techniques to add texture was heavily promoted among the Interior Design circles but never really became mainstream. This is due to the multi-step and exacting requirements, increasing the time and cost of textured wall painting while still not achieving consistent results.
While wall painting become the preferred wall finishing option, wallpaper manufacturers continued to innovate with greater variety of materials like vinyl, polyester, grasscloth and flock. Polyester wallpaper with vinyl film, in particular, is a very durable material, easily outlasting wall paint. In addition, printing of murals offers even more wallpaper choices and provided a clear differentiating product that is just not replicable in any other wall covering product solution.
Besides the breath of design and material options, which offers a real solution to personalizing a space, wallpaper can pair very well with other finishes in the room, like drapery, window shades, flooring and countertops.
The most popular locations in a home to apply wallpaper has been on large focal walls in the Family Room, Living Room and Principal Bedroom. Other locations include full wallcovering of the Powder room. Mudrooms, Hallways, Washrooms and Recreation Rooms are also areas where wallpaper have created the visual impact and ambience. Another benefit of wallpaper is the level of finish consistency it achieves along a long stretch of wall space. That is why you see that corridors in condos, apartments and hotel tend to use wallpaper.
In conclusion, the benefits of wallpaper are numerous and it has been a mainstay of wall finishing for centuries especially prior to the invention of wall paint in the 1950s. It renaissance is no surprise and we believe wallpaper will become a long-lasting trend for interior design and finishing.
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