Think about wallpaper where you least expect it

Soaring vertical stripes, charming pastoral toiles, elegant gilded damasks, and modern stylized florals - with thousands of patterns, styles, and colours to choose from, wallpaper is on a roll.

Wallpaper's History Unfurled

Early wallpaper imitated more luxurious upholstered walls and was designed to appeal to the ever-growing middle class. By the mid-18th century paper wallcoverings were extremely popular, introducing immediate style into unadorned rooms and suggesting a previously unheard of level of opulence.

Even today, nothing transforms the mood or character of a room with more impact than wallpaper. But, its ability to change the apparent proportions of a room, unify a home's style, and even disguise flawed or uneven walls makes it extremely practical and cost efficient as well.

Real Designers love Wallpaper

Design impresario Brian Gluckstein says he loves the look of textured wallpapers like grass cloth and linen. "Sensual surfaces such as grass cloth provide warmth, richness, and depth that is especially effective for displaying artwork." Gluckstein also loves the faded elegance of Fortuny inspired damasks.

I favour wallpaper for a variety of circumstances, some expected (it looks cozy and inviting in bedrooms), some unforeseen (a papered ceiling provides a canopy of surprising beauty overhead). Improved technology means wallpaper is easier than ever to install (and yes, remove) and according to Kendall Christie, national spokesperson for the Walls, Windows, and Furnishings Association, "seams are nearly a thing of the past, thanks to non-woven substrates (wallpaper base) which don't shrink or expand when wet".

Wallpaper Whereabouts

There are so many satisfying ways to introduce wallpaper into interiors. Here are some favourite locations.

• Non-rooms such as staircases, entranceways, and hallways are transition spaces, frequently overlooked in the decorating process. Since these are spaces we tend to travel quickly through, it's best to make a big impression and wallpaper can make that happen. A gracious staircase ascends with authority when enveloped in luxurious paper, stripes are perennially popular for this prime location adding the illusion of additional height, but pictorial prints work beautifully in traditional homes as well. Hallways benefit enormously from the addition of pattern, especially a trellis or diagonal pattern, which creates a dynamic visual depth of field.
• Powder rooms adorned in jewel toned florals or brilliant medallions provide enormous style within even tiny proportions. For added impact, consider papering the ceiling in a coordinating pattern, and hiding corner seams with the addition of rope trim.
• In rooms with angles or awkward slopes papering the whole room, walls and ceiling in the same pattern, distracts the eye from awkward proportions. Some wallpaper patterns feature coordinate or matching fabric, particularly effective in creating cozy, seductive bedrooms or sitting rooms. Avoid tiny patterns, which meld into a single colour when seen at a distance, and look busy when seen up close.
• Line the inside of bookshelves with marbled patterns or medium sized motifs to create a handsome backdrop to favorite books.
• Glass front cupboards in the kitchen reveal unexpected colour when wallpaper is seen behind displayed dishes and glasses.