Last updated : Monday, July 6, 2009

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Go Off the Wall!

Often when we think of wallpaper, it's as if metallics and neons are the peeling evidence of a decade's worth of home design. Yes, while the 1970s exhausted the use of wallpaper to the point of causing its hibernation for the following 25 years, wallpaper is finally making a comeback. And Derek Fagerstrom and Lauren Smith are among its biggest fans. Recently the couple, who own a home decor boutique in San Francisco, co-authored Wallpaper Projects, a DIY book on innovative craft projects for the newfound fad. While it includes easy instructions on wallpaper basics, the book is packed with ideas on interesting ways to incorporate paper without spending a fortune. We spoke with them about the book and got a bit of their wallpaper wisdom.

When I think of wallpaper, I often think of sun-stained neon florals from my grandmother's house. So where does your obsession come from?
Derek: We grew up in the late 1970s/early 1980s when people were returning to paint. The last time wallpaper was really popular was in the 1970s and it was often tacky and garish. I remember our bathroom growing up had metallic flowers. The fad has been dormant for a long time.

But we've always been fans of graphic designers and two years ago we were collecting a lot of screen prints by artists like Charley Harper and Ryan McGinness. Then we went to an international art fair in New York and saw a lot of wallpaper that was hand-printed. It was very beautiful -- not your grandma's wallpaper. We'd find our favorite artists gravitating toward wallpaper as a new medium. The idea of surrounding yourself with art, it was a revelation. It's an exciting time for wallpaper.

So what made you want to write a book?
D: The idea for the book came when we were at a furniture fair in New York and we were talking with a publisher about book ideas. We don't have much experience with interior design, but we had come up with craft projects and so we sat down in a cafe and thought up about 60 different ways you could play with wallpaper.

What was the ultimate goal for the book?
D: There is still a concern with wallpaper being expensive, so we wanted to come up with ways to incorporate smaller pieces. You can always order samples. And if you are putting wallpaper up, scraps are inevitable from every job.

From all the work you did for the book, was there anything that surprised you about wallpaper?
D: We were surprised at how forgiving, durable and malleable it was. Pretty much every project we tried worked out.
Lauren: We would test different surfaces with different glues and things. But as far as ideas go, you can pretty much cover anything!

Do you have a lot of wallpaper in your own home?
D: Our apartment is very small, and all of the projects from the book were done there, so some of the projects are still around. Other than that, we have wallpaper up in our bedroom and the inset panel of one door.

What were your favorite projects?
L: We got these junky old TV trays at a thrift store and we put wallpaper and clear contact paper to seal it. I think that's my favorite project.
D: We put up wallpaper on the wall and cut patterns from other paper and layered them.

What can wallpaper do for a room that paint cannot?
D: It was the dark age of wallpaper up until now. You can make a room look taller with stripes and with the size of the pattern. It was shocking how much bigger our bedroom felt after we papered it. The pattern totally transformed it. It's not even the same scale. It feels more personal, more special ... like we're making a personal statement.

Depending on the size of the room, are there certain prints and patterns that work better?
L: Bold prints are good for smaller rooms, or maybe one accent wall with a bold print. It might feel a little claustrophobic with all four walls done. Sometimes it's good to have one focal wall; the eye takes in the floor to the ceiling.

Are there any rooms you shouldn't wallpaper?
L: Wallpaper can go in any room! Bathrooms get tricky with humidity, but most are made to handle that.

If I am going to go down the wp route, how can I even begin to decide on a pattern or color?
D: Our major resource was the Internet. We started a folder of all our favorite prints and images. It's good to start with a color palette as well. Then we ordered swatches and lived with the samples for a couple of days.

What are three things you should keep in mind before choosing a paper?
D: A lot of people think wallpaper is a home decor tattoo, which it's not. You can gather different samples: bold prints, subtle, florals, graphics and do a little bit of research. You aren't going to be stuck with it forever. So I would say:
1. Live it with for a few days.
2. Don't feel like it's permanent.
3. Take into account the scale. If you're doing four walls, make sure you really want it!

Also, look around at your furniture. You don't want to put up a groovy wallpaper if your house is filled with Victorian furniture; you'll end up with psychedelic bad dreams or something.

Speaking of nightmares, if I've never put up wallpaper before, should I attempt to do it myself, or should I seek out an expert?
D: It depends on personal comfort. We were not wallpaper experts, but we were both surprised at how easy it was. We were under the impression it was difficult. There is definitely an art and skill involved, but it's not rocket science.
L: If there is a lot of architectural detail in the room you're doing, like windows or old walls, you might want to have somebody come in. But the average person could do it on their own. Make sure you do it with a friend though! Ten-foot-long wallpaper can be unwieldy.

Is there anywhere in a room I should begin?
L: Do inside a closet, or the wall behind the back of a door. Start in a corner that isn't prominent.

 

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