Avoid the pitfalls when weaving your way through wallpaper maze

Confused about what wallpaper design works best in your room? No need to panic as our expert Kya deLongchamps sifts through the vast range of offerings.

TO see the full roll-call of puzzled human expressions watch anyone’s face pawing through the sample books at the wallpaper counter. Here’s a few tips to get your paper chase out of the blocks.

Graphic contemporary or mannered classic?

With the wealth of papers on offer today this is not necessarily an either or situation. However, take a more abstract repeat whatever the inspiration and the right colour, and the most modern, even industrial themes can sit in conservative surroundings. The grid of grey gas piping on putty yellow in Gasholder which resembles a typical Victorian bamboo paper, or the fragile, geometric Swallows in a china blue (€175 and €50 per roll from In-Spaces) could both sit in a period dining room or bedroom as formal sophisticates.

The choice of other wall finishes, tones and surrounding fabrics is what takes these versatile beautifully designed papers up to a dynamic architectural feel or to a quieter, elegant and mature mood. For the best expression of past colliding with the present, go straight to Timorous Beasties (Scots Alistair McCauley and Paul Simmons) for some outrageous but oddly aristocratic papers. Around €263 a metre for a hand-block of Glasgow Toile featuring blocks of flats.

Dial it up or down

In some melting romantic repeating patterns, damasks and florals, the full content of some paper is not immediately obvious – and you can hide fantasy themes from insect life to curious figures and Victorian ephemera in a softly receding repeats without a statement cartoon crawling all over the walls. Go for a low contrast between the base colour and the majority of colour making up the patterns and pictures to push the image comfortably back. If the colours are varied, use a colour wheel (anywhere online) to select colours in the same harmonising section for a relaxed look.With those mid-tones in charge consider a sprinkle of highlight in a more obvious fleck of deep colour here and to add some texture and interest. To bring the design, themes and all colours within the paper more powerfully into play, it’s time for a full on saturated palette, recognisable mid-century to 1970s design themes, pulsing pattern, deep black on pure white or dialling up one colour against another for high visibility.

Scale up the pattern so that it can be really seen, and if you’re using a metallic, it should flash with life. British design giants, Wayne and Geraldine Hemingway have a fabulous new mid-century line at Littlewoods. Take a look at their Carnival in mustard, grey and white, just €33 per roll.

Quantify the look

You love it, but just how much of this paper is going to work? Consider the volume of paper to include in your over-all design.

Some wallpaper is so fierce you might need to cage it securely on one wall. Take content colours from the fabulous beast in dashes of accent around the rest of the room.

Experiment with a variety of co-originating solids wall colours (including white) for your one wall wonder as the effect of paper to paint can be energising or cool things down.

Rippling, organic florals and simple vertical stripes in neutrals and pastels might seem old fashioned, but they are blessedly easy to live with.

Covering all walls – think simplicity. To ring the changes, up-scale those expected flowers, stems and leaves. All papers, including new graphics don’t have to be hard edged. Just reduce the contrast between the colours in the paper.

Scale and Spatial play

Where you’re just papering one wall, there’s a chance to push the wall back (making it paler than the surrounding walls) or bring it forward with a depth and saturation of colour. Wallpaper with a horizontal stripe or repeat that clearly reads across the wall, will make the wall appear wider.

An under sized or over-scaled design can kill a room. Smaller repeats are recommended for cramped spaces as your eye is just closer to them.

GET PAPERWORK IN ORDER

If there’s two colours heating things up this winter it’s grey and pink. Here’s some graphic paperwork to look over.

Iconic design from Timorous Beasties taking it to the wall with this Iguana print in a super wide hand-blocked paper, €53.33 per metre. Timorousbeasties.com

Fabulous to warm up a reading area or cosy up a bedroom, Chesterfield Button-back wallpaper, €87.40 per roll. Mineheartstore.com

Paisley freed in a romantic float that’s both bohemian and elegant. €98 a roll. Pierreetcoco.com

Urban but comforting, there’s enough flash here to light up a hallway or create a sophisticated feature wall, Charthouse in Charcoal, €25 a roll. Sophie Conran for Arthouse.