Wallpaper Tips and Tricks

Good to Know

• Metallic wallpaper can scratch just like metal. Watch out if you have pets or kids. The same holds true for papers with a super-matte finish: Too much hands-on contact can mark them up. Flocked papers can get dusty. Use the soft-brush attachment on the vacuum. (Of course, make sure the brush is clean first.)
• Grass cloth adds depth and texture without any pattern. Decorators love it for bedrooms.
• Steam and water are hard on wallpaper. In a kitchen, don’t hang wallpaper near the sink or the stove. A bathroom that has a shower or a tub will age paper faster than a dry room will. (You might want to paper a powder room instead.)
• Crooked old houses with walls that are less than straight look best with busy patterns, which hide imperfect corners. Linear designs (like stripes) only emphasize the trouble.