We were delighted to be contacted a few months ago by the editor of Ireland's Homes Interiors and Living magazine... one of our favourites for Irish home news!
They were putting together a special decorating feature, and in addition to wanting to include our new Rose Flamingo Wallpaper, they wanted me to write a short article about how to use Wallpaper in your home... well, this is a topic I can wax QUITE lyrically about, so much so, my 'expert opinion' wouldn't fit in one of the little text boxes, and instead, filled a page. Woops!
Anyway, here's what I had to say about using Paper and Pattern in the home!
"When it comes to
decorating, at abigail*ryan, we are big fans of the maximalist look. We combine
bold Wallpapers with matching or clashing fabrics, prints and cushions for a
strong editorial look. For us, bright and bold colour play is key. It makes our
home feel alive and welcoming. We always have lots of art and prints, and like
to utilise picture shelves, so we can curate vignettes with our favourite
pieces, ornaments and finds without damaging our Wallpaper. This means you can
move your art as your collection evolves without having holes in your paper.
For us, layering
pattern upon pattern within a home is what really creates impact and
uniqueness, but it’s not the only way to use Wallpaper successfully!
Though ‘The Feature
Wall’ has been around for a while, it remains an excellent way to create a
strong focal point in a room and really experiment with print and pattern. Both in terms of budget, and look, this
is a lighter option and one that still looks fantastic. A feature wall (also
good on a fire-breast wall) looks great in a neutral colour-scheme, but
equally, consider picking out one of the more unusual secondary colours from
the paper for your paint choice, or perhaps the darkest colour (often only an
accent colour, or line-work) and create a really den-like feel. People tend to think
it will really close in a room, but it doesn’t have to. If you have a period
home, with high ceilings, consider painting your doors and skirting the same
colour as your walls to emphasise the height of your room and really make your
feature Wallpaper pop. A dark colour can actually make a room feel spacious, as
it diffuses the corners, making it feel like a large cocoon of colour, so it’s
a great choice for smaller homes or modern spaces.
On a tight budget, or for
those nervous about committing to papering an entire room or wall, there are
still great ways to bring pattern in to the home. Using Wallpaper in the
smallest room in the house (often the downstairs WC!) makes a really fun statement.
Paper the inside of your kitchen cabinets, and you will have a flash of colour
and pattern every time you open the door. This is also a great project for your
walk-in wardrobe or pantry, especially for people who find Wallpaper a little
busy, but like it’s on trend feel. You can close the door, but still feel you
have that nod to fashion in your home. For this, chose a really bold paper with
a big statement print. Be brave!
Finally, if your
budget is really tight, create a
Wallpaper gallery – somewhere like your hall stairway is great for this. Most
Wallpaper companies will sell Samples of their paper (from 50 pence to a few
pounds). Order a few different patterns, or pick up some pieces from the DIY
store (where you can tear off a piece to take home). Really mix and match and
go for clash, in colour, scale and design. Or, chose one colour scheme, and
stick to papers in one palette for a more harmonious look. You can then place
the pieces of Wallpaper in found, mismatched or vintage frames you’ve painted a
colour of your choice. Then, hang! This shows off Wallpaper as Art in your
home. Lastly, you can create a patchwork of paper pieces… this would be a more
permanent look, as you would paste them on to a wall, but a really eclectic and
fun one! Perfect for a Child’s play space, perhaps?"
We hope you can pick up a copy, which is on newsstands now... and don't forget, our Wallpaper is available to order online, in our shop.
Abigail x
