Bright colours and striking wallpaper

ARTICLE Stephanie Matheson, PHOTOGRAPHY courtesy of Resene

Dress up your walls this spring with bright colours and striking wallpaper.
Happy hues, tempting textures and precious patterns – this season’s trends offer endless options for refreshing your home. It’s time to get adventurous and add character to your rooms.

Colour

Following the dark, moody tones of winter, softer colours and pastels start blossoming on our walls this spring. Resene is just releasing the new The Range fashion colours fandeck, with a whole range of fresh and revitalising tones for you to choose from.
“Yellow is very popular at the moment; take Resene Wild Thing for example – it’s such a happy spring colour,”  says Resene colour consultant Nikki Morris.  “We’re now moving more into the mustard hues, which is a trend in fashion this season. We’re also seeing quite a bit of purple. I think it may move from the luxurious, masculine shades to more lilacy hues.”  Pink is hot this spring, too, with Resene Smitten a popular choice. Here again, the trendy tones may shift towards a pastel palette and the many sunny sherbets.
One of the main highlights this season is the revival of blue. A bright colour like Resene Optimist adds a splash of cool, but the real stars this season are soft, pastel blues.  “We haven’t seen blue on walls for a long time, except perhaps in the odd bathroom,”  says Nikki.  “But we’ll certainly see many shades of pastel blue this spring, probably more in wallpapers than in paint as they tend to be softer and lighter.”

Wallpaper

Wallpaper has seen a real revival, with the return of bold patterns and textures.  “Wallpaper is no longer old-fashioned, it’s a modern, trendy take on older motifs, and we’re seeing a lot more texture and pattern this spring,”  says Nikki.  “In addition to the floral prints, many geometrical, more masculine shapes are now coming in. They are influenced by the past, but we’re glitzing them up with bolder colours and metallic effects – our brocade prints are a great example of this.”
The combination of geometric patterns and vivid colours creates drama without being too overpowering. The same is also true for very intricate patterns, whether classic or retro inspired. Many are tone on tone, which creates a more subdued look for busy patterns. Pin-stripe patterns and very big stripes are another hot ticket.
Botanicals are still very popular and the Resene WallTrends II collection offers a selection of textured koru-designs – from rich black on a silver metallic background through to a subtle cream on a pale beige metallic background. An embossed fantail design and bold, stylised leaf designs also feature in the collection – quirky and playful, but still elegant.
Aside from pretty patterns, textures are very much in fashion. Perhaps the most popular of them is the velvety feel of flock papers. Small fibres are applied to an adhesive-coated surface, making the paper look and feel like velvet – a great option for large floral or damask designs. A different tactile experience is created by grasscloth wallpapers. Manufactured using natural fibres of jute, reed and arrowroot, these nature-inspired papers express a love for eco living and add warmth to a room.
When it comes to selecting the right wallpaper for your home, Nikki doesn’t hesitate to advise picking a pattern that you really love.  “Pick the wallpaper that makes your heart race,”  she smiles.  “Something that reflects who you are and what you are doing in the room. Bedrooms, for example, tend to be tranquil spaces and feature walls are often dark and moody. You can create a romantic and cosy retreat – it’s all about making the best use of your space.”
Feature walls are a cost-efficient and easy feature that adds a touch of drama. However, wallpapering the whole room is also becoming more popular again, often with a feature wall and connecting wallpaper on the other walls.
“Having connecting wallpapers around your feature paper eases the transition from high impact to normal wall,”  explains Nikki.  “You can also achieve a harmonious look with accessories that tie the wallpaper’s key accent colour into the whole room.”
If you decide to combine wallpaper and colour, it’s important to pick a colour that complements and supports the wallpaper, and doesn’t distract from it. Work from the wallpaper backwards and bring a sample along when you choose the paint. At Resene, you can order paper samples that are half a metre long, along with A4 colour samples or test pots, so you can test the combinations on your wall.

Murals

From cityscapes and sport themes through to farmyards and forests, murals transform an entire wall, and there’s a vast choice available for both kids and adults.  “Natural murals are definitely a trend,”  says Nikki.  “They can create a holiday feel and add a real feature to your house. I think you get the best wow factor if you leave the mural wall unobstructed or perhaps dress it up with an occasional chair.”
Nikki recommends considering your wall size carefully to ensure that you get the best mural to fit your space:  “Murals come in certain sizes, so not all murals work equally well in all rooms. Take your wall measurements along to a Resene ColourShop to find the best match.”

Wall stickers

Decals and wall stickers are a cost-effective, easy and fun way to spice up your walls. Often made from vinyl, they come in different sizes and in many cases can be cut to fit.  “You can get really creative with decals,”  says Nikki.  “They’re easy to remove and change, so you can really experiment and try out different things without damaging the paintwork.”
This makes them a great option for use in rentals as well. You can quickly add fancy filigrees, retro spheres or classic chandeliers anywhere in the house. In addition, there are endless options for kids’ rooms, including dinosaurs, alphabet animals or funky flowers. 
Sticker packs usually contain a range of colours, so there is sure to be a scheme that will work with your existing wall hues. Black and white decals are also available. Nikki adds:  “White decals are making a big appearance on boldly coloured walls. I think we’re getting more playful and colourful with paint colour and wallpaper, so white decals and neutral accessories may become more popular.”
Whichever decorating option and colour scheme you decide to go for, it’s a great way of making a statement and creating a bold and beautiful feature.

You might be interested in one of this column series: To wallpaper or not.

This article by Stephanie Matheson featured in Issue 004 of Renovate Magazine. Renovate Magazine is an easy to use resource providing fresh inspiration and motivation at every turn of the page.

 

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