Wallpapers are more than just plain pieces of paper – they are bold home décor staples that transform your living space into one brimming with warmth, radiance, and joy. As with any home, its furnishings and decorations should complement one another, ultimately pulling off a cohesive design that perfectly reflects your taste and style.

With wallpaper patterns of your choice and meaningful memorabilia occupying prominent spaces around your home, your cosy abode will tell your guests an enthralling story of who you are as a person and allow them to glean valuable insight into your past experiences.

However, before you take the plunge and purchase any wallpaper at a whim, it is vital to note that the design of your chosen paper can make or break your room. But with thousands of varying colours and patterns in the market, which wallpaper best befits your home?

Then, let this guide help you – here are some amateur mistakes to steer clear of to help you in your search for the perfect wallpaper!

1. Choosing an unflattering design

Selecting the perfect wallpaper that is compatible with the rest of your interior décor is key. By doing so, your room is magically transformed into a space infused with elegance and style. Any imperfections – such as unmatched furniture or uneven floor surfaces – once visible in your living area will be camouflaged, as eyes will be immediately drawn to your breathtaking wallpaper. And just like how every home’s interior design is different, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to wallpapers.

Wallpaper is intended to draw attention to your sleek furniture and improve the overall aesthetics of your entire home. As such, you should carefully choose the right wallpaper that complements the rest of your furnishings. Before you make any impulsive purchases, take a look around your home and evaluate the living space.

For instance, if you have a spacious dining room, choosing a wallpaper dotted with small patterns will not do it justice, for the design is undiscernible from afar – hence, it will fail to make a statement. Conversely, homeowners residing in compact houses should consider opting for prints with inconspicuous designs instead of large ones to avoid overwhelming the room. There are many soft-coloured and dainty Japanese and Korean wallpaper that’s easy on the eye and gives a nice touch to the room.

2. Neglecting to request wallpaper samples 

Before purchasing a wallpaper, a pro-tip is to choose a reputable wallpaper company that provides samples for their customers. Because you’re planning to cover a vast area of your walls in wallpaper, precautions are necessary to ensure that the paper design complements the rest of your décor.

For example, if you’re carting out wallpaper online, there can be unavoidable variations between the digital image and the actual product. The wallpaper may not work as well in your desired space as to how you’ve initially perceived it to be, especially so if you’ve based it on online pictures. Thus, in such situations where you want to be sure of your wallpaper choice, samples come in handy.

Furthermore, if you’re unable to take your pick between a few shortlisted wallpaper designs, you can order a sample piece of each and physically compare them against the walls of your home! This allows you to fully visualise how the decal will look in your house and whether it would best create the effect that you’re looking for.

3. Not considering the measurements of your walls

Before you get all excited over giving your home a much-needed makeover, it is wise to dedicate time to measure the dimensions of your walls. A common blunder that most homeowners make is overlooking the measurements of their walls, which often results in excess rolls of paper or a lack thereof.

The latter raises another set of problems: returning to the store to purchase more material for which the wallpaper company may not have leftovers. This leaves the decoration of your walls in an awkward, unsightly state.

A sure-fire solution to discerning just how many rolls of wallpaper you require is to use an online wallpaper calculator. All you need to do is enter the measured dimensions of your walls, and the calculator will inform you of the number of wallpaper rolls you need.

The best part about it? Wallpaper calculators are free and can be easily accessed through a quick Google search! (Psst, you can also use our calculator app instead to find the right size!)

4. Selecting the incorrect wallpaper material

This is a golden age of wallpapers where homeowners are spoilt with an abundance of paper styles, patterns, and fabrics to adorn their walls with – from European, Turkish, to Japanese wallpaper. But aside from choosing a wallpaper design befitting your home’s aesthetics, considering your paper’s material is also essential. This is because wallpapers come in a wide array of textiles, and each fabric boasts its own desired effect and advantages.

To make an informed decision on a suitable wallpaper that fits your living space, it is optimal to research its material and longevity beforehand. For example, you’ll want to evaluate the durability of each textile you have in mind and pick one that is sturdy and long-lasting.

Conclusion 

Wallpapers are a hefty investment, but by following this guide to a tee, you will avoid any potential wallpaper disasters when attempting to spruce up your humble abode.