Wallpaper has been around as long as history itself
Wallpaper is one of those touchy subjects in interior design - either you love it or hate it.
We can all recall a dated or hideous installation that has made us fear it for life. Maybe it was the fault of a dark floral and paisley paper at the "charming " bed and breakfast, or maybe your Aunt Beulah's flocked damask black-on-gold number up on the wall in her dining room, which made it look more like the receiving parlor of a second rate bordello. Scary? Yes!
On the other hand, wallpaper - or the technologically accurate wall coverings - have adorned the walls of the most beautiful and chic rooms around the world. Selecting an appropriate wall covering involves a notion of color, scale, pattern, texture and the type of room and source of light.
Wallpaper has been around as long as history itself. Since 200 BC, China has utilized rice paper glued to the walls of people's dwellings. With the advent of papermaking around 100 AD, wallpaper was born. This concept spread throughout the world. Arabians substituted paper fibers for bamboos, reeds and woods into the mix. By the 12th century, wallpaper had made its way to Europe, and to the Americas by the 1730s.
Up to this point, wallpapers were printed by hand, and therefore reserved for special projects.
In the late 18th century, the French invented a wallpaper-making machine, and thus making the goods possible for larger rooms. Louis XVI issued a decree setting forth the length of a wallpaper roll to 34 feet, a standard that is nearly the same today. During the 20th century in the U.S., the further development of mechanics made wallpaper available to the masses.
Wallpaper has been in and out of fashion, as finicky as hemlines, every decade. Today, wall coverings are undoubtedly influenced by fashion and art. Available in myriad materials ranging from handmade art paper, sand, cork, mica chip, threads and even shells, today's wall coverings do not disappoint.
Can't find the perfect wall covering? Why not design your own? Companies such as Spoonflower, Design Your Own Walls and Printed Wallpaper Co. can help you create your perfect design. Inspirations can come from a beautiful photograph, or scenery from a vacation, to an exact match of your bed linens or drapery. Your creativity is your only limit.
For those who are a bit more courageous and experimental, wall covering can be created from antique books prints, old maps, photocopies of favorite images, gift-wrapping paper and pages out of magazines all assembled in a pattern or collage-style.
Almost any surface can be wallpapered: walls, ceilings, staircase risers. But be judicious with how much wallpaper you install. Not every surface needs to be covered. Otherwise your home will be that scary place everyone is afraid to visit. Your guest will probably be too kind to tell you otherwise, but trust me on this one.
Not that I am against DIY projects or weekend warriors, but a perfect installation can either make or break a wall covering. Spend a little money on a professional installer; your home will love you for it, and you will love your home.
• Joseph Pubillones is the owner of Joseph Pubillones Interiors, an award-winning interior design firm based in Palm Beach, Florida.
© 2016, Creators Syndicate