Angie’s List Report: Wallpaper Makes a Comeback

Wallpaper is Back in Style

After fading from popularity decades ago, wallpaper is making a comeback. But it's nothing like what you remember seeing in your grandma's kitchen. In this week's Angie's List report, Nancy Naeveshows how wallpaper can change the look and feel of a room.

It can be a nightmare to remove and even more difficult to apply. That's why many homeowners turn to an expert when dealing with wallpaper. Contractor Jim Stevens is hanging new wallpaper in a client's home he had to remove the old paper and prep the walls.

"Well she stripped some of the outer coating on the bare drywall which is a problem. The wallpaper was hung over a bare drywall and that's something you never want to do. Even sizing won't keep that wallpaper from tearing that paper off the drywall when you go to strip it," Wallpaper Contractor Jim Stevens said.

Susan Colvin, an interior designer, says if you are looking for an alternative to paint, wallpaper can bring color and texture to any room. And some of today's wallpaper is also easier to remove.

"You can get pattern, multiple colors, and so there's a lot of style in wallpaper and you can express some individuality that you're not necessarily doing just with paint," Interior Designer Susan Colvin said.

"Wallpaper is making a comeback, but it's not the same wallpaper we have thought of over the years. There is some really neat trends, but one thing hasn't changed and that's wallpaper is a commitment. Putting it up and taking it down can be tricky," Angie's List Angie Hicks said.

"If you don't like tedious stuff, you want to stay out of the stripping business. Hanging wallpaper is a tedious process too. A lot of times you get what you pay for. A professional will put it up right and take it off right too," Stevens said.

The most common wallpaper types are vinyl and fabric.

"A lot of wallpaper is made with vinyl coatings, to make it easier to clean. Not all wallpapers are that way, but a lot of wallpaper you can actually wash down fairly well. So there are a little easier to maintain than perhaps some paint," Colvin said.

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Angie's List Report: Wallpaper Makes a Comeback