A bright striped wallpaper from Harlequin's Anoushka line provides a fun, flirty background to this retro-modern living room.

When I mention wallpaper do you get visions of loud, ugly walls from the ’70s and ’80s?

You’re not alone.

But it’s time to set aside those memories because wallpaper is back—except this time it is truly beautiful and even environmentally friendly.

We’ve been having a lot of success lately with wallpaper at Style on a Shoestring. For example, a powder room or another small space that is papered looks absolutely amazing and even glamorous. In a larger space, wallpaper on an accent wall really makes the room special.

When we wallpaper, we turn to specialist Mary Ann Godfrey at Godfrey Wallpapering. I was recently talking with her about how exciting wallpaper has suddenly become. This is what she said:

“Wallpaper now isn’t like the wallpaper from years ago with wild prints and oranges and browns. Today, one of the best updated looks has texture, such as bamboo and heavier string—that is really popular in beach communities especially. It makes a huge difference in a room.”

Raffia wallpaper gives an airy bedroom visual interest.

She also talked about how changes in wallpaper installation:

“People think wallpaper is too difficult and that it’s going to be a big hassle but the way wallpaper is manufactured now, it’s easy to hang and easy to remove. If you want to change your mind after you’ve had a certain look for a while, you can remove and replace it.”

One of our favorite wallpaper brands at Style is the Harlequin line. They use a printing process at Harlequin with “ethically sourced raw materials on paper from sustainable European forests,” according to their website. So not only are their designs pretty, they’re green (and yellow and coral!) too.

Interested in adding some wallpaper to your home? Please contact us at Style on a Shoestring for a wallpaper consultation or for any of your design needs.

Wallpaper is making a comeback in designer homes. You can add warmth and change the look of an entire room by just wallpapering a wall. The good news is that wallpaper can be hung by the average do-it-yourself homeowner.

The best way to pick a wallpaper is to decide where it’s going first, and then factor in the durability. A fragile paper might work in a master bedroom, but may not be a good idea in a  children’s bathroom or a back hall.

Wallpaper comes with a variety of price tags and ranges from about $12 up to $200 per roll. More involved textures or natural products that have been backed with paper for hanging tend to be far more expensive and are best hung by a professional.

If you like the natural look, but you’re on a budget, check out the great new vinyl papers available. They look like the real thing for a  fraction of the cost. Vinyl is easier to hang and will last much longer than a natural product.

The best way to know how much paper to order is to ask the sales representative. They know their product and how it measures.  You should always order extra just in case you need it.

Finally, if you love a wallpaper but aren’t ready to redo a whole room, try buying a sheet and framing it for an easy way to get the look you love.