Creams and eggshells, warm-toned tans and oranges, sandy yellows, ruddy reds, and earthen browns show up on the wall after wall in Tucson homes. There is something remarkable about the color palate of that is frequently found in southwestern homes, and it is likely that you bought a house with walls decorated in this style. Always warm and inviting, this traditional wall style is a direct reflection of this unique desert landscape, and the natural beauty found all around us.
These standard wall colors are, however, not to everyone’s taste. So, what do you choose when you want some rooms of your home to make a different, bolder statement?
The choice usually comes down to bold paint color and patterned or textured wallpaper.
Paint or wallpaper may be the oldest interior decorating dilemma around, and that’s for a good reason. Both choices offer their unique benefits and drawbacks, and it can be hard to commit to one over the other, especially when you begin your internet search for inspiration and fall into the rabbit hole of gorgeous walls that make you drool with envy.
Wallpaper
Wallpaper can turn a boring wall or room into a real-life work of art. From the beautiful and iconic Italian Scalamandre prints that adorn the walls of some of the finest homes, offices and restaurants around the world to simple geometric patterns like chevrons that add colorful movement and life to walls, wallpaper dramatically changes any wall it is applied to.
Textured wallpaper is a design trend that comes and goes every few years, but some textured wallpaper options are truly timeless and can give some rooms an air of distinction and sophistication.
Choosing wallpaper usually comes down to a single element of design: inspiration. When you see wallpaper with the perfect pattern, texture, or design, your head begins to swim with ideas for space.
Wallpaper, however, is notoriously unforgiving. Not only does it require a keen eye to select the right paper that suits your tastes and the function of the room, but it also involves a labor-intensive application and removal process. Far more of a commitment, the wallpaper you choose has to be one that you will want to live with – and care for – for a long time.
Paint
The right hue can make a world of difference between a nice room and a great room. A far cry from adding a plain old accent chair for a splash of color, a boldly painted wall or room is a way to demonstrate your passion and design identity to the world.
Strong, audacious colors like purples, teals, and reds make splashy statements and are an excellent way to draw the focus of a room, designate different spaces of the home, or try shade after shade whenever the mood strikes you to make a change.
The best thing about painting a wall a standout color is that it is easy to make adjustments that suit your tastes at that moment. With great furniture and room décor, a brightly-colored wall makes boring kitchens feel vibrant, enhances the mood and atmosphere of bathrooms and bedrooms, and most importantly, shows off your daring nature.
The Choice
In the end, the biggest difference between wallpaper and paint is this: Paint is used to accentuate and highlight a room, drawing the eye into space’s features and providing a color balance that connects all elements of the room together. Wallpaper, on the other hand, is a scene-stealer, and it commands attention. The right wallpaper, selected with care and a good eye, should take center stage in a room, and everything chosen to sit alongside it needs to reflect the tone, feeling, and theme of the wallpaper.
It’s all about where you want the focus to be. Once you make that decision, you’ll be right on track to find the perfect wall adornment.
