Wallpaper selection guide and buying tips for wallpapers in India

Confused about how to choose wallpaper & look for a simple buying guide online or buy
expensive dcor books? This article is a one-stop guide to help you not only to buy but
also select the type of wallpaper for your home. ou will get information about the pros
and cons of wallpaper and also about the types of wallpapers available in !ndia" the
price range of wallpaper in !ndia" and also some useful selection tips. !n short" you will
know all you need to know about wallpaper.
Overview: Advantages and disadvantages of wallpapers
#ainting a home has become a tedious time-consuming $ob. The painters take over
your home for days on end till you reach a point where you wished you had never
started in the first place% & 'uicker option which takes up far less time is installing
wallpapers.
(allpapers are not mere coverings for your walls. They have the far more important
function of enhancing the look of your home. (allpapers are as much a part of home
furnishings as" for example" are sofa upholstery fabrics. !n fact" look beyond walls )
look up at the ceiling. ou can put pretty wallpapers on the ceiling too%
&lthough it is true that installing wallpapers is time-saving" one of the ma$or
drawbacks of wallpaper is that it could peel off very 'uickly. (allpapers tend to hide
water patches when there is moisture seepage in the walls. (hen this seepage is
very extensive" though" the wallpaper peels off. *ven the most reputed
manufacturers of wallpapers cannot give you +,,- guarantee that it will last for
many years. There will always be the rider .provided the leakage is within the
absorbable limit..
/urthermore" if the binding between the wall and the adhesive is weak" $oints will
open up.
Tips for buying and selecting wallpapers for the home
+. 0udget1 2on3t get carried away on seeing an imported tag. 4or should you be carried
away by some fancy design. 5tick to the amount you are planning to spend. 6eep in
mind that there will also be labour costs of putting up the wallpaper. 5o look for
affordability.
7. Toxicity level1 8anufacturers of wallpapers will assure you that their products are
free of toxics. 9owever" do not accept this at face value. Check out on the 4et
research findings of both" the types of wallpapers and reviews on manufacturers3
products. /or example at healthystuff.org:findings.+,+;+,.flooringwallpaper.php you
can see the research done on wallpapers coated with #<C.
=. 2urability1 This is the most important aspect to look for in wallpapers. There is no
point in putting up wallpaper which is going to peel off or crack easily in a few
months" leave aside lasting for even a year. 5o while in the previous point it is
mentioned that one must stick to one3s budget" you should at the same time be
willing to spend a little more if necessary in order to get wallpaper which will last
longer.
>. ?ow maintenance1 &lthough washable wallpapers are available" look for wallpapers
which are not going to be partially moisture resistant but fully so. The wall paper
should be such that you can easily wash it yourself with a sponge and plain water.
@o for waterproof wallpapers if within your budget and suitable for your dcor. ou
can also select wallpaper which is resistant to scratches and stains.
A. &rea where the wallpaper will be put up1 8ost people have a tendency to use the
same type of wallpaper for the different rooms and spaces in their home. This is not
the right selection idea as" for example" in the kitchen it is best to put washable
wallpaper which is lacking in texture. This enables easier cleaning than other types
of wallpaper.
B. &nother point to keep in mind when selecting wallpaper for your kitchen is that you
should not have wallpaper which is inflammable. ou should thus ask the store
specifically for what is known as wallpaper for a fire retardant area. Those who have
a segregated dry area in the bathroom can also install wallpaper there" selecting
wallpaper which is resistant to moisture.
C. De'uirements1 To ensure that the wallpaper does not fall short of re'uirements make
sure that the dimensions of the room are measured properly beforehand and the
correct number of rolls of wallpaper are purchased. &lso check that all the rolls for
one room are of the same colour. Eust as you should not fall short" so also you
should not waste excess wallpaper. 0uy only how much you need. !f small sections
of the wallpaper are left over after doing a ma$or section" then use that excess for
smaller sections. /or example" you can use it for a part above the doorway arch or
the space in a niche in the wall near the entrance way.
F. Gdour free1 This is an often overlooked aspect when buying wallpaper. 2o ask for
wallpaper which is not likely to give off some kind of malodorous effect. ou don3t
want people sniffing the air when they step into your home do you?%
;. ?ighting1 8ost people are hasty in selecting wallpapers for a room without
considering the lighting of that room. & room which has low illumination will re'uire a
different design and colour from one which is brightly lit.
+,. !nstallation tips1 2o be present when the wallpaper is installed. ou absolutely don3t
want this to happen1
HaI The wallpaper being put in the wrong place He.g. themed wallpaper for your
kid3s room being put instead in the living roomI
HbI The wallpaper falling short & not covering the wall from end to end and top to
bottom and
HcI The wallpaper being put upside down% Demember that most wallpaper can be
put in such a way that the design looks good whether it is horiJontal or
vertical. 9owever" you may want it in a specific way so be alert before the
wallpapers are put on.
++. @uarantee & annual service contract1 Eust as you get a guarantee for various home
appliances and gadgets" so too you must ask for guarantee for your wallpapers.
5ome stores offer a full + year guarantee. /ind out what this guarantee entails. !t is
also not a bad idea to have an annual maintenance contract. *ven if it means
shelling out some more money" it will ensure you get servicing for your wallpapers
when re'uired. ou can ask if such a contract would include cleaning of the
wallpapers once every few months by the store3s professionals.
Price of wallpapers in India
The price of wallpapers will naturally depend on the type of wallpaper you need" namely
#<C" #</" cork" etc. !t also depends on whether you want a printed pattern" an
embossed one or an engraved one. (allpapers are bought in rolls with the price 'uoted
per s'uare foot. The price could start from as little as Ds.A+:- to over Ds.A,,:- s'. feet.
Materials used in wallpapers
9ere3s a list of some of the types of wallpapers available on the basis of material which
are available in !ndia1
<inyl (allpapers <inyl wallpaper tends to give a shiny look & is also smooth to
touch. <inyl wallpapers are the most commonly used as they
are of low cost and can easily be cleaned with ordinary
detergent. The biggest advantage of vinyl wallpapers is that
they do not catch moisture and hence are commonly used for
the bathroom and kitchen walls.
#oly <inyl /oam H#</I
wallpapers
(allpapers made from #</ are excellent for an insulated
area of your home" such as the room where you have a home
theatre system installed. The #</ acts as a sound insulator"
keeping out external noises. &nother advantage of #</
wallpapers is that it tends to keep out the heat and thereby
the interior of the room cool.
(allpapers made from
textile fibres
(allpapers made from textile fibres are considered to be the
most expensive. The material used in such wallpaper could
be cotton" silk" linen" etc. one of the main disadvantages of
using such types of wallpapers is that it re'uires good care
and can only be dry-cleaned. 4evertheless" for those looking
for a different look which adds visual beauty to a room" such
wallpapers are ideal.
Cork wallpapers !t is a misconception that cork wallpapers are not suitable for
furnishing the walls of your home. Gn the contrary" such
wallpapers are good because they don3t have a tendency to
expand and are good buffers against sound. They are also
durable and can last for 'uite a good number of years and do
not necessarily rot away as is suspected.
/ake 5uede wallpapers (allpapers which have the tag of fake suede are those which
closely resemble suede. (hile the real suede tends to get
dirty 'uickly" fake suede is made in such a way as to be
better resistant to stains and li'uids. !t is generally designed
using cotton or silk.
/iberglass wallpapers This is a contemporary type of wallpaper which looks very
elegant. ou can get fiberglass wallpapers which are fire
retardant and are washable too. They are also resistant to
cracks and mould.
Design ideas for wallpapers for the home
(allpaper coverage !t is not necessary that you should cover all the walls of your
home or even entirely of a room. ou could install wallpaper on
one or two walls only and paint the other walls. /or example" in
the living room you can put the wallpapers on the walls behind
the sofa and on the television mounted wall. These walls are
likely to be the ones with the least traffic near it" meaning having
few or no people leaning on it or kids nearby.
(allpaper patterns There may be some people who like a simple plain look of their
wallpapers. These" though" are in the minority. &fter all" there
are so many varied pattern and design options to enhance your
home with wallpaper% 5ome of the wallpaper patterns which are
available1 classical patterns" abstract patterns" graphics" floral
patterns" geometrical patterns" retro patterns" =2 patterns"
metallic patterns" etc"
(allpaper colours 6eeping in mind your home dcor" you can select from a wide
range of colours for the wallpapers. 2eep reds are great for
those who like a bold look. Gthers may prefer a soothing shade
for a more subdued dcor. et others would not like to have one
monotonous colour but prefer a combination of colours. /or
example1 a pink floral pattern against a pale green background
to resemble a garden
(allpaper themes & design for wallpapers need not be the usual one of flowers or
geometrical patterns. 5elect uni'ue themed wallpaper for the
different rooms of your home. /or the living room you could
have beautiful mural wallpaper. /or the children3s room you
could have a theme as per the age of the child. Toddlers could
have alphabets" numbers" birds and animals" thereby
incorporating a learning tool with a fun dcor. oung children in
the age group of A to +, would love wallpapers with a $ungle
safari theme or a space theme or a sports theme or cars. @irls
$ust love themes based on fairies and princesses% ou can even
ask for wallpapers which have designs that glow in the dark.
Then there are favourite cartoon characters too such as
5piderman" 2isney cartoon characters" etc.