How to Choose the Right Wallpaper for Your Interiors

The right wallpaper sets a room’s mood, energizing the space with a bold, eye-catching accent wall or soothing the area with a muted backdrop wall. Today’s homeowners also use wallpaper for out-of-the-box ideas, like providing a colorful backing for cabinets and closets, covering a tabletop, or even placing it on the ceiling to add excitement and dimension to their rooms. Wallpaper is an excellent way to help homeowners upgrade and enhance a home’s decor, with the use of the right tools and materials. 
Various wallpaper patterns in a bag.

How to Choose Wallpaper

Choosing the right wallpaper for a room involves more than finding the perfect pattern or design to fit your decor. You also need to  consider other factors including: the wallcovering’s installation method, the room being decorated, and the wall surface. Depending on the project, certain types of wallpaper are better suited for different environments and uses.

Unpasted Wallpaper

Unpasted wallpaper is the long-lasting, traditional format ﹘ a timeless choice for any interior. Like the name suggests, unpasted wallpaper requires use of an adhesive for installation. In the case of non-woven wallpaper, adhesive can be applied directly to the wall. For other materials like paper and vinyl, adhesive is applied to the wallpaper, which is then booked prior to hanging. 

Though it may seem more complicated to hang, traditional unpasted wallpaper can often be easier to install compared to other types of wallpaper. Unpasted wallpaper tends to be made from a more substantial backing, making the paper more durable and less prone to tearing. Non-woven wallpapers, sometimes called paste-the-wall, eliminate the need for large pasting tables. Non-woven wallpapers are dimensionally stable and don’t require booking. Simply paste the wall and hang. 

Unpasted wallpaper generally costs more than pre-pasted wallpaper and requires a quality adhesive and proper application(not too much and not too little.) ROMAN has a variety of adhesives suited to hanging both residential and commercial unpasted wallpaper. Some of our most popular options are listed below:

PRO-880 Ultra Clear Strippable

PRO-880 Ultra Clear Strippable wallpaper paste can handle everything from super-lightweight wallcoverings to heavyweight vinyl and specialty wallpapers. DIY’ers can hand-roll paste for their home projects, while commercial installers can use a pasting machine. Non-staining, PRO-880 simply cleans up with water. For both residential or commercial use, PRO-880 will ensure professional results.

PRO-880 will ensure professional results

PRO-543 Universal

PRO-543 Universal makes it simple to hang lightweight to medium-weight borders and wallpaper. It provides an extended open-time to match patterns and align seams. It also has added slip for easier positioning on the wall. Moreover, the forgiving nature of PRO-543 Universal makes it a “must have”, and it also cleans up easily with water.

PRO-838 Heavy Duty Clear Commercial Adhesive

For installing medium to heavyweight wallcoverings, like commercial 54-inch vinyl and wall carpet, ROMAN makes non-staining, easy-to-clean up PRO-838 Heavy Duty Clear paste. It also works well with a paste machine.

PRO-774 Clay Strippable Commercial Adhesive

Ideal for commercial installations, the PRO-774 Clay Strippable (formulated with natural clay) works well with medium-weight to heavyweight wallcoverings. It has a smooth-thick consistency, and it offers maximum wet-tack. Easy to clean up, you can apply with either a pasting machine or roller. 

Wallcovering Installers Association

Although some wallpapers are excellent for DIY use, to ensure a quality finish, consider hiring a wallpaper installation professional. ROMAN recommends contacting the Wallcovering Installers Association to find a professional near you. WIA Installers are knowledgeable, experienced, and deliver a superior level of craftsmanship:

Wallcovering Installers Association

https://www.wallcoveringinstallers.org/consumers/locate-a-wallcovering-installer/

Pre-pasted Wallpaper

Pre-pasted wallpapers are manufactured with a dry,water-activated paste applied to the substrate. To install, you wet the back until the paste becomes sticky (but not soggy), book the material, then apply the wallpaper to the wall. 

Pre-pasted Wallpaper

Pre-pasted wallpaper is commonly advertised as a less cumbersome alternative to unpasted wallpaper. Simply wet, book, and hang. With quality paper, ideal conditions, and proper technique, it may be this simple. However, imperfect walls or improperly activated adhesive can make installation difficult. ROMAN recommends the use of a pre-pasted activator, like PRO-505 TEKNAgrip, to simplify the installation process.

PRO-505 TEKNAgrip Pre-Pasted Activator

TEKNAgrip makes hanging pre-pasted wallpaper easier with better results. PRO-505 eliminates the need for messy water trays or spray bottles. It increases ‘slip’ allowing wallpaper to glide into position and simplifying pattern matching. The added holding power also helps minimize split and open seams.

Removable Peel and Stick

DIY-friendly peel and stick wallpaper comes with a ready-to-use adhesive on the back (like a giant sticker). Just peel off the backing and place the wallpaper on your wall. Peel and stick wallpaper is a quick and easy way to make a dramatic change to any room. It also allows for repositioning and easy removal without leaving residue on the wall—an ideal product for renters, dorm rooms, and non-wall projects. 

Like prepasted wallpaper, you should not use peel and stick in bathrooms, kitchens, and other moisture-prone spaces. You should also avoid applying to textured walls since peel and stick wallpaper will bubble if not correctly installed. Though individual rolls may be cheaper, a single roll of peel and stick typically only yields 30 square feet. You may pay more per square foot compared to unpasted and pre-pasted wallpaper.

Removable Peel and Stick

ROMAN Wallcovering Primers 

Be sure to start your project off right with the proper wallpaper primer. ROMAN makes many different priming (or sizing) products designed for specific surface conditions in order to prepare the walls for a successful installation. Primers can repair damaged drywall, promote adhesion, and increase the wallpaper’s.

Tips for Choosing an Aesthetically Beautiful Wallpaper

There are so many colors, styles, patterns, and textures available, and choosing the right wallpaper for your interiors can challenge most homeowners. How you plan to use the space, and the room’s size, can both play significantly into the decision. 

How to Choose Wallpaper for a Bedroom

When choosing wallpaper for a bedroom, consider colors, designs, and textures that will help you wind down after a hectic day. For a bedroom, soothing colors, like light greys and pale blues and nature patterns (leafy patterns and sunset colors) create calm spaces. The best type of wallpaper for a bedroom should create a quiet refuge from the stresses of the world — a homeowner’s sanctuary while they recharge for the next day. 

How to Choose Wallpaper for a Living Room

How do you decide which type of wallpaper is best for your living room? The wallpaper should help create a relaxing and comfortable space for family and friends to gather. To set this mood, you should select simple-non-busy patterns in colors like warm yellow and soft amber. Also, covering either the top or bottom half of a wall with wallpaper gives a great look without overwhelming the space. Placing wallpaper on the wall behind a fireplace produces a feature wall, and enhances the focal point. 

How to Choose Wallpaper for a Dining Room

Wallpaper in a dining room, whether it’s an abstract print, modern mural, or a classic repeating pattern, can elevate any dinner party. For tiny dining spaces, small prints in light, cool colors add a touch of design and give a sense of more space. Vertical lined wallpaper makes a low ceiling look higher, while horizontal stripes make a room seem more expansive. 

How to Choose the Right Wallpaper for Your Interior

How to Choose the Right Wallpaper for Your Interior

There are many factors to consider when choosing the right wallpaper for your home. 

How long will you keep the wallpaper? Should you hire a professional? How do you plan to use the space? What ambiance or mood do you want the wallpaper to bring to the room? 

Regardless of the wallpaper’s type or style, quality installation with proper wall priming and adhesion will determine its long-term success. Fortunately, professional wallpaper installers and DIYers can rely on ROMAN wallpaper adhesives, primers, and tools to successfully apply a smooth and consistent-looking wallpaper. 

When it’s time to change your wallpaper, ROMAN wallpaper remover dissolves the adhesive, making it a more convenient and quick removal process.  

Contact us now for more on how our complete line of wallpaper adhesives, primers, and removers can help you with your next wallpaper project.