Wallpaper Or Paint?

Wallpaper or paint? Which is best? Well, although they are both wall coverings, comparing wallpaper and paint is a little like comparing apples and oranges. Both have their advantages and disadvantages so here’s our thoughts:

Cole and Son Cow Parsley Wallpaper

Advantages of Wallpaper

1. It lasts for a very long time, up to 15 years. I have to admit that even though we have two children in our house, I have been surprised at how well the wallpaper in our hall, living room and sitting room is lasting. Even though it has received the inevitable occasional mark from wear and tear, they really aren’t noticeable. In the same length of time as the hall has been wallpapered, I have had to paint the stairway wall and the landing twice.
2. It adds interest to the room – introduce as much or as little colour and pattern as you wish.
3. It can hide blemishes on the walls particularly if you opt for a stronger and thicker paper.
4. It warms up the room, adding atmosphere and depth to the design scheme.
5. If cost is an issue or if you think wallpaper on all four walls would be overwhelming, it’s very possible to add wallpaper to your design scheme in smaller amounts. Consider wallpapering a feature wall (for example, the main wall in the bedroom or the fireplace wall in the sitting room), wallpapering within panels or even wallpapering a piece of furniture.

Source: Pinterest

Source: Bryonie Porter

Disadvantages of Wallpaper

1. It takes time to remove! Yes, there’s usually a lot of scraping of walls to be done. New wallpapers usually come off in complete sheets but many older types of wallpaper are extremely difficult and time-consuming to remove.
2. You are unlikely to change your design scheme as frequently if you have wallpaper rather than paint.

Advantages of Paint

1. It is relatively easy to paint a room and doesn’t take as much time as wallpapering if you are getting a professional to do it.

Disadvantages of Paint

1. There’s a limit to the amount of finishes you can have in paint: matte, satin sheen or gloss.
2. The colour is in one solid block so can look very plain in large areas.
3. Paint is flat; it doesn’t give the walls as much depth or warmth.

If you need some help with decorating your home, be it paint or wallpaper, do request a quote on our website to receive up to four quotes from rated tradesmen.