IN Wallpaper

Winter might be a time for snuggling, but it’s also a perfect time for warming your walls with images, colour and texture.

In some countries you’d probably start a trend if you chose to paint a wall rather than wallpaper it.

In Western Australia where painted walls have become the norm, we’ve once again started to look at wallpaper as a different way to decorate and use it almost like furniture – a chance to express a love for colour, pattern, and texture or just shout about our personality. It’s not that we’re unfamiliar with wallpapering; it’s just that it has taken a long time to become really groovy.

Wallpaper designer and creator Ann-Louise Jansson – better known as Lollo – has a passion for turning walls into flat works of art, totally bucking the notion that wallpaper is even remotely old fashioned.

“For the last few years people who have been using wallpaper have put it behind the bedhead or television as a feature but now they are starting to talk about putting it on three walls and wrapping it around windows to tie a room together,” Lollo says from her Jolimont studio, Scandinavian Wallpaper & Decor.

Her made-to-order wallpaper can turn your bedroom into something an astronomer would be proud to sleep under or have you convinced you really do live on a white sandy beach when you gaze over from your couch.
There are murals of historic landmarks like the popular Eifel Tower and the view across the Brooklyn Bridge or collages of words, pictures and objects which infer a place or simply a stand of trees to offer a quiet moment of contemplation.

Because the wallpaper is custom-made, instead of framing all your holiday photos, consider turning them into a display, frieze or strip of images and let the wall become your photo album. Or just choose one photo and blow it up to take over a wall. A shot from your phone or camera of about five megapixels will be enough for a good-sized wall.

“People often come in with something traditional in mind but when they see the big wall murals they often change their minds. I think they want a little more personality, so they might choose some family photos in black and white to go on the wall in the television room. It’s also a great talking point.”

Smartly chosen wallpaper with the right images, can also be used to create a feeling of space and can extend a small room, making it feel more like a window than a wall.

“I think wallpaper makes a home more interesting and is another way of people showing who they are. It’s another way to add art to your home by being an alternative to art.”

In terms of trends, Lollo says people often choose a design based on how long they are planning to stay in the house. If you’re only planning to stop for a few years, something more neutral is usually chosen, while those looking to stay for five years or longer are keen to have images which truly say something about how they live or what they love.

“The up-coming collection includes paper that looks like raw wood panelling and concrete walls so it will give the effect rather than needing a cedar wall. Some of the paper is textured and you can personalise text on top of the designs. It’s generally very strong and you can also wipe it down.”

Check out the designs at wallpaperdecor.com.au and mrperswall.com.au.