Wallpaper trends come and go

Denise Jordan has seen wallpaper come and seen it go.

She and her husband, owners of Jordan Wallcoverings based in Gastonia, N.C., have made a living covering walls in the Charlotte area and beyond for more than 30 years.

For decades, the wall-coverings business was dominated by wallpaper, adding accents and personality to rooms, and making cleanup in bathrooms and kitchens an easier task. Then it fell off, as people chose to remove wallpaper and paint rooms.

Interest in putting up wallpaper has ebbed and flowed over the years, but right now, it seems to be flowing again, Jordan says.

Whether it's a matter of everything that goes around comes around, or the greater versatility offered by digital printing — you can now blow up a photo or image to the size of the wall — wallpaper specialists say the look is returning, at least for some rooms and home styles.

In particular, Jordan has spotted these recent wallpaper trends:

Textures: More homeowners are showing interest in wallpaper with a textured or shiny finish, such as metallic foil or wall coverings that simulate wood paneling or grasscloth.

Accents: Instead of papering an entire room, the trend seems to be toward accent walls or even a traditional border style at the top of the wall.

One holdup in the wallpaper comeback? Expense.

"It really has gone up in price," Jordan says, ranging from $14 to $45 a yard. That's much pricier than a can of quality interior paint that can cover an entire room.

If wallpaper is hung and installed correctly, it can look fresh for a decade or more. To do this right, you might want to hire someone who specializes in hanging wallpaper instead of opting for DIY wallpaper installation.

A key to hanging it well is sizing the wall. To do this, Jordan applies a substance that creates a slippery surface on the wall that helps the wallpaper grip the wall better; it also makes it easier to peel off wallpaper later when the trend ebbs again.