The attitude towards photo wallpapers even among recognized design masters is ambiguous: some consider them to be nothing more than a primitive way of finishing walls, while others refer to the art of space management. However, like any other design option in the living room, wallpaper with photos printed on them is just a tool, and the result of its use depends entirely on the quality of the idea and implementation. What are the pros and cons of the use of photo wallpaper in the interior, what are the differences between their varieties, and how not to make the most common mistakes made by self-taught designers?
Paintings on the wallpaper in the design of rooms – the pros and cons
Speaking of photo wallpapers, everyone who found the 90s remembers the ubiquitous waterfalls and windows that filled almost all the kitchens and living rooms of those times. Then they were considered the height of prestige and proof of refined taste, and today serve as an object for ironic attacks. However, those who constantly follow the latest trends in the interior will certainly notice that the wallpaper has not disappeared, but transformed into more modern forms, acquired an updated design and got interesting textures.
So there is no reason to charge this type of decoration with archaism – which is only worthy of voluminous photo wallpapers, which create the illusion of presence in the most fantastic way.
Seeing this, your guests will certainly appreciate the creativity of the interior of the living room. In addition to creating a wow effect, there are other functions of photo images on the wallpaper:
- visual correction of space – correction of geometry and expansion of its borders, raising or lowering the ceiling;
- adding a bright accent to the interior of the room, focusing on its advantageous areas and underlining a certain style or theme of design;
- individualization of the room for personal preferences – especially if you use your own photos and pictures to print photo wallpapers;
- immersion in a certain atmosphere of relaxation or, conversely, a motivation for certain accomplishments and changes.
However, the use of art-wallpaper has a lot of pitfalls. The picture, which for the first few weeks seems interesting and beautiful, after a while, can get so annoying that it is just right for a new repair. And this is again a temporary and material cost. It is necessary to choose the lesser of two evils – to put up with the plot which got the eye full of eyes or, nevertheless, rush into battle again.
It is unlikely that a fan of interior highlights and other minuses of photo wallpaper will please:
- high cost – the design of one wall in the living room at a cost comparable to the finish of all other rooms;
- the need for painstaking surface preparation – it should be perfectly flat and smooth since the slightest bumps lead to annoying image inconsistencies;
- the complexity of sticking – adherence to the technology of sticking photo wallpapers should be rigorous.
If the comparison of advantages with disadvantages seems to be quite balanced, and I don’t want to give up the idea of installing photo wallpapers in the living room, it’s time to move on to the design of the design, choosing one or another type of decoration.
The most beautiful options for art wallpaper: photos and description
Before you start choosing the photo wallpapers, first read their classification. This will help you even at the initial stage to filter varieties that do not fit you by properties. Like regular rolls, wallpapers with pictures, depending on the base, are divided into several groups:
- paper;
- vinyl;
- non-woven.
Paper wallpapers are most affordable, but they also have the maximum number of flaws: they are short-lived, difficult to glue, have poor print quality and a large percentage of parts are inconsistent. Their purchase is justified if you need to update the interior of the living room on a fast hand, for example, in a rented apartment.
Vinyl wallpapers are denser; they have printed on wide-format a plotter, which means it is much easier to glue them yourself. An important point – the vinyl is well washed, so it is optimal for arranging the living room, combined with the kitchen. However, it is necessary to take into account its main drawback – air tightness, due to which a fungus can multiply under the material.
Art wall-paper on the basis of a fizzling well passes air, have high density, perfectly keep appearance for a long period. In addition, they effectively mask the defects of the wall and, accordingly, reduce the total labor costs for repairs. The only thing they can be reproached with is the “biting” cost, which many people cannot afford.
Because of the size of the wallpaper, the most striking element of the living room, so the choice of texture, pattern, and color should also be approached responsibly. So, for the small room (up to 20 sq. M.) The following figures are optimal:
- with landscapes or buildings in perspective;
- imitating various building materials (brick, stone, sand);
- supplementing the interior with images of furniture, bookshelves, stairs, another room.
Use pictures with large details – macro images of plants, portraits of people, photos of cars, etc. – is permissible if the dimensions of the living room are impressive. Only in this case they will not clutter up space and drag all the attention to themselves. However, remember that forms that are as close to real as possible quickly become boring. If you are not sure that you can contemplate the same person or structure for several months or years, choose abstraction paintings.
Typical blunders in the use of a photo finish
Looking at the website of the company selling photo wallpapers, you will surely admire how beautiful the experts suggest using them for the decor of the living room. But in practice, not everyone achieves such success, and the reason for the sad statistics is to make very common mistakes. In order not to miscalculate you, study them carefully:
- the discrepancy to the general style of the room – at first glance, this obvious rule is followed by everyone, but many are still trying to squeeze the panorama of Los Angeles in the living room a la Provence or the image of tulips in the loft design;
- blind inheritance of magazine photos with designs and, as a result, unsuccessful games with bright hues and color spots — follow the classic instructions on pastel base and one, maximum two, contrast accents;
- Attempts to combine several photo wallpapers in the room – only one wall should be visible, while similar decoration of the other is already overkilled (as an option, you can glue the image at an angle, so the illusion of increased space will be even more realistic);
- the use of art-wallpapers with pictures incommensurable in scale – neither the frivolous details nor the obsessive macro-objects are the optimal choice for the average living room;
- wrong zoning tactics – you should not place the wallpaper on the border between the two zones, use them to underline a particular mood or function of one of them;
- partially or completely hiding the photo picture behind furniture, decor, shelves and household appliances, which makes it lose its meaning – ideally, the interior of this part of the living room should be minimalist;
- The dissonance of photo wallpapers with lighting is bad when they are located opposite the window (due to glare) and is not good if they have decorated the shady side, so you have to pick a middle ground or provide additional lighting.
Thus, wallpaper is a key element of the interior, which is equally able to transform it for better or for worse. In order not to risk, before you finally make a decision, find a specialist in 3D-visualization of the design in order to choose the optimal version together. And of course, pay attention to the correctness of sticking photo wallpaper; otherwise even the most beautiful picture will be hopelessly spoiled.
The modern technique of mounting wallpaper-pictures
The main difficulty of this process lies in the fact that during pasting some types of photo wallpaper are stretched, and after drying, the distortion becomes noticeable in the picture. In addition, the design wallpaper weighs a lot, so it is important to choose a quality adhesive mixture. Warning all negative moments, glue wallpaper strictly on technology:
- Thoroughly clean the wall from the old finish, level it, prime and let it dry.
- Dilute the glue according to the instructions – any deviation from the recommendations of the manufacturer can lead to a deterioration of the adhesive properties of the composition.
- Using a plumb or laser pointer, mark a strictly vertical line on the wall.
- Layout a protective film on the floor or on the table and unfold the first sheet of photo wallpaper – information on where to start pasting, also look for instructions.
- Apply glue to the wall (use a roller, thick and thin brushes for this).
- Gently attach the canvas to the desired place, make sure that its edge coincides with the marked vertical.
- Smooth the glued sheet dry roller, getting rid of air pockets. Make sure that no creases form.
- The following panels glue end-to-end to the previous, as accurately as possible combining the lines of the picture.
If the interior design provides for pasting the wall all the way to the ceiling, move the canvases to the ceiling molding, and at the end of the process, cut them along with a sharp knife with a sharp knife. This work is faster and more convenient to do with an assistant, so get your support in advance. And be sure to wear gloves – so you will leave fewer dirty marks on the photo wallpaper. Wipe off any glue residue with a clean sponge, without waiting for it to dry and dark.
Despite certain skepticism in relation to photo finishing, it still remains the most affordable way to harmoniously decorate the living room. Thanks to a wide choice of photo wallpapers both finished and made-to-order, absolutely every person, even with initial knowledge of design, is able to give the room the desired atmosphere, make it cozy and original at the same time.