Wallpaper or Paint? Advantages & Disadvantages of Wallpaper vs Paint When Redecorating

When you’re ready to reinvigorate a room, you have more options than ever before. One of the best ways to reinvent an entire space is to change what’s on the walls. Right now, more interior design experts and aficionados are opting for wallpaper instead of paint.

Advantages of Wallpaper

From its versatility to its practicality, wallpaper offers many advantages over paint. Here are four of the biggest benefits.

It’s Designed To Last

Wallpaper is far more durable than paint. This is especially true if you live with children. Most paint jobs should be touched up every five years at the very least. Meanwhile, the best kids wallpaper often lasts for 15 years before showing significant wear and tear.

It’s Less Expensive Than Paint

This durability also translates to significant savings, particularly when you compare the cost of wallpapering to the cost of repeatedly hiring professional painters. You may pay more for wallpaper and its installation upfront, but it’s resilient and easy to clean with cloths, brooms, vacuums and wallpaper dough.

It Hides Imperfections

Wallpaper can also be used to hide fairly significant imperfections on your walls in a way that multiple coats of paint cannot. Covered with thick or patterned wallpaper, blemishes, bumps, divots and cracks are camouflaged.

It Encourages Creativity

Perhaps the biggest attraction of wallpaper is how creative it allows you to be with your space. It’s available in a seemingly endless array of prints, patterns, materials and textures. You can use it to create a single statement wall or envelop an entire room. Employ it behind shelving to create depth or accent some of your favorite books, photos and other décor. You can even change it out frequently if you’d like, provided you select temporary panels and master the basics of how to install removable wallpaper.

Disadvantages of Wallpaper

While wallpaper presents several advantages over more traditional paint, it’s not without its drawbacks. Here are three things to keep in mind before you begin researching where to buy wallpaper.

It’s an Investment

As outlined above, wallpaper is less expensive than paint in the long run. It is, however, more expensive up front, and that initial investment may cause trouble for various design budgets.

It Can Be Difficult To Replace

Accidents happen. Because it’s so unique, finding a replacement roll for wallpaper gouged by a dining room chair or torn by a careless moving company can be tricky. It’s worth noting that this is true even if your wallpaper is a solid hue. Dyes can vary slightly from batch to batch.

It’s Difficult To Install and Remove

There are a handful of obstacles to putting up and taking down wallpaper. First, both processes require special tools. Second, hanging up wallpaper involves matching seams and patterns with precision. Third, removal can be challenging and time-consuming, especially if the person or team who installed the paper didn’t adequately prepare the wall underneath. For these reasons, many homeowners choose to leave installation and removal to professionals.

Gone are the days of Grandma’s dusty, headache-inducing, floral wallpaper. Today’s wallpaper choices reflect an array of tastes and time periods, from classic Hollywood Regency designs to sustainable bamboo materials and minimalist, modern prints. When you’re ready to makeover your living room, kitchen or virtually any area of your home, consider making a statement with wallpaper.

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