Della Moris
Wallpapers are the best way to renovate a home’s interiors. The wide range of designs, colours and textures make them a popular choice for home decor. Putting up wallpaper for walls is one of the easiest means of changing a room’s look and feel. They are time-saving and hassle-free. Wallpaper installation can be done in a short span of few hours.
Traditionally, paints have been the popular mode of home decoration and renovation in India. But with changing times, wallpapers have also gained a sizable share in the market. In comparison to paints, wallpapers offer a lot more versatility in design choices. They are also more durable. Wall paints usually tend to fade after 4-5 years. Exposure to moisture might also result in damp patches on the wall. Wallpaper for walls easily last for about 10-12 years. They are also easy to clean. Wallpapers with protective vinyl finish are also available in washable varieties. The designs and patterns remain unaffected by dust.
Budget-wise too, wallpapers are the more cost-effective option in the long run. While the initial cost for wallpapers might be higher than paints, their long durability makes them a long-time investment. With paints, a retouching job is needed every few years.
Better designs, cheaper, and durable – these factors make wallpapers a preferred choice for many home owners. But there are still a few who have second thoughts about using wallpaper for walls in their home. Some of this doubt is caused by the various wallpaper myths circulating in the market.
Busting wallpaper myths is one way to fight the negative image associated with home wallpapers. Listed below, we take a look at some of the common wallpaper myths.
MYTH 1: Wallpaper is old-fashioned
REALITY: Wallpapers have been around for a really long time. And they became massively popular during the early 80s. But this does not make them outdated or old-fashioned. Wallpaper is an important facet of contemporary home decor. They continue to be a ruling trend even today. Home owners can find several modern and stylish wallpaper designs for the urban home.
MYTH 2: Hanging wallpapers is time-consuming and labor-intensive
REALITY: There is a false impression that installing wallpapers is a tedious process. Hanging wallpaper for walls is actually more time-saving than painting a room. A paint job takes at least a couple of days, plus drying time. Wallpaper can be installed within an hour to eight hours, depending on the size of the room and the number of technicians working. When professionals are involved, it is a hassle-free process. The non-woven kind of wallpapers is the easiest to hang. They do not expand or contract, so there is no “booking” the wallpaper, or folding it for a few minutes to let it expand. And once, the wallpaper is up, what you see is what you get, as seams won’t ever separate.
MYTH 3: Wallpapers are permanent
REALITY: There are many non-users who fear that wallpapers are permanent. There is a wrong perception that wallpapers are difficult to remove; and that once stuck, wallpaper designs cannot be removed easily. All this is completely false. Following the correct guidelines, wallpaper can be removed in just a few easy steps. There is also strippable wallpaper available in the market. These can be removed in large strips and do not leave any residue. Just a quick tug at a corner is needed, and the entire sheet comes down in minutes.
MYTH 4: Wallpaper can’t be used in Kitchen and Bathroom
REALITY: The kitchen is actually one of the best places to use wallpaper in. Home owners can use vinyl wallpapers that have a layer of protective coating, making them washable. Scrabble wallpapers are also available. These properties make them easy to clean, which is very efficient for use in kitchen. In the bathroom, wallpapers can be used in any space that does not have the shower. The wallpaper used should be moisture resistant so that the occasional water splashes do not cause any damage.
MYTH 5: Wallpaper is not Eco-friendly
REALITY: Wallpapers are made of paper which is renewable and biodegradable. There are also wallpapers made of other sustainable materials like cork, linen, bamboo, sea grass, raffia, and more. The wallpaper designs are digitally printed using water-based inks which have extremely low V.O.C. (Volatile Organic Compounds) emissions. These wallpapers cause significantly lower emissions than paint.
