Before you buy wall coverings Nothing is more depressing in a home than bland wall space. Even our cave-dwelling ancestors couldn't stand the drab surroundings and painted on their walls to make their space feel like home. Fortunately for us, we're in the midst of a wall covering renaissance. Papers and murals of texture, thickness, colour and theme abound like never before -- almost so much it's hard to know where to begin. With the help of Jane Nieuwendyk, decorating expert and owner of Completely Chic Interiors, we'll show you the best of what's new in wall coverings and how to use them in your home. SAH.com: Before buying wallpaper, what should we consider about our homes and tastes? Jane Nieuwendyk: When decorating with wallpaper, the same general rules apply as when decorating with colour, paint or even art: the age and style of your home and overall decor is important. If you live in an older classic century home you would not opt for a modern, multi coloured or faux finish wall covering. A classic wallpaper in damask or toile or perhaps one of the "old world" designs in the historic colours by Benjamin Moore would be more fitting. On the other hand, if you are decorating a more modern home or are looking to spice up a teenagers bedroom then you can choose a more interesting themed border or even a more retro wall sticker in bright colours and shapes by Brewster. As well as design one does also need to take the size and function of a space into consideration. As with paint, wall covering -- if chosen incorrectly -- can have a dramatic and not always great affect on a space. A busy floral or a dark coloured wall covering will make a space feel smaller and more closed-in. When decorating with wall covering size, shape, light and other factors all play a similar role as when decorating with paint. Think about the results you are looking for, the existing pieces and furnishings before you decide on the style of wall covering for your home. What: Bridgewater Damask from the Thibaut Serendipity collectionWhere: Most Benjamin Moore stores or thibautdesign.com Price: Consult retailer for pricing |1 of 11| How to buy enough wallpaper: Next>> Jane Nieuwendyk is an expert in colour, decorating, redesign and home staging, a Director for CARAHS, Canadian Association of Renovators and Home Stagers, and a Dewey Colour Consultant and Instructor. Visit her site at: completelychic.com How to buy enough wallpaper SAH.com: How can you make sure to buy enough wallpaper? JN There is no fool-proof way to find the exact rollage for a room, however there are guidelines that are fairly good for determining -- within reason -- the amount of rollage required. If in doubt or if you have an awkwardly shaped space or are using a wall covering with a difficult pattern, always check with the dealer and have them assist you when purchasing the paper. And many manufacturer sites have a "wallpaper calculator" similar to the tool used for calculating paint. What: Silk Paintable Vinyl Wallpapers by Waverly (coloured to show texture)Where: Most Benjamin Moore stores or creativewallcovering.com Price: Approximately $20 per roll> How to calculate rollage Jane's rules for determining rollage:• Measure with accuracy. Accurate measurements are key to purchasing the correct amount of paper.• If you want you can even draw the room on a piece of paper indicating doors, windows, built ins etc... this can be helpful for the dealer to assist you.• Measure wall height from floor to ceiling, excluding baseboards or other moldings. • Measure length of each wall to be done including doors and windows. • Add all wall length measurements to get the circumference. This will give you the total number of square footage to be covered. • Next look at the paper you have chosen and find the "usable yield" and divide the square footage by this "usable yield" and you will have the rollage required to do that space.• This will not necessarily be 100% accurate, but will give you a very good idea and most dealers will allow you to return any unused or unopened rolls of paper as long as they are not custom ordered. What: Analglypta Lincrusta seriesWhere: anaglypta.co.uk Price: Check with retailer for pricing> Working with stiff papers SAH.com: Modern wallpapers tend to be thick and stiff (i.e. Ralph Lauren's Croc or Bamboo wallpapers, etc.). What suggestions do you have for proper installation? JN: When working with the more modern wall covering -- as with any wall covering -- choosing the correct kind of paper and installation are key to the end result. Ask your dealer for assistance when working with odd surfaces such as wood or metal and read the manufacturer guidelines and instructions before you begin. And if you are going to the trouble of putting up a gorgeous wallpaper, make certain you take the time to install it properly or it will show in the end result. What: Ralph Lauren Yacare Crocodile - MahoganyRL Number: LWP40879WFeatured in the Textures III CollectionWhere: ralphlaurenhome.com Price: Consult retailer for pricing> Before you begin Jane's wallpapering tips: Before you begin:• Before you begin to paper make sure you prepare your walls first. Fill holes and cracks with a spackling compound and sand it well. Make sure you wipe all walls so they are clean and dust-free. Some wall coverings require a primer-sealer to be applied first. The sealer should be dry before you apply the paper. The sealers are an oil acrylic-based coating designed for use under the wall covering to seal porous surfaces.• Make sure you paint all trim and doors etc. prior to hanging your paper. • Have all the necessary tools on hand to assist you when working with the paper. There are special rollers etc. that will help to make certain all seams are flat to the surface. You do not want a seam to show and this is a particular concern when working with the heavier, more modern "leather look" papers. You want a smooth surface that gives the affect without looking like a wallpaper. What: Ralph Lauren Vintage Dauphine - LaurelRL Number: LWP30621WFeatured in the Archival English Papers CollectionWhere: ralphlaurenhome.com Price: Consult retailer for pricing>