Wallpaper is having a real moment. After years of plain painted walls, more Wellington homeowners are reaching for pattern, texture and colour, and the results can transform a room in a way paint alone can’t. But great wallpaper is as much about the craft as the paper itself. Here’s what’s worth knowing before you start, from a team that installs it week in, week out.
Why wallpaper is back
Wallpaper today isn’t the fussy, hard-to-remove stuff people remember from decades ago. Modern papers are easier to work with, easier to live with, and come in finishes that add genuine depth to a room: grasscloth that catches the light, botanical prints that bring the outdoors in, and murals that turn a single wall into a focal point. Done well, wallpaper gives a room character and warmth that’s hard to achieve any other way.
Types of wallpaper explained
Not all wallpaper is the same, and the type you choose affects both the look and how it’s installed:
- Non-woven (“paste-the-wall”) papers are the modern standard. They’re dimensionally stable, don’t shrink or expand much, and are more forgiving to hang and to remove later.
- Vinyl and washable papers stand up to moisture and scrubbing, which makes them a sensible choice for kitchens, hallways and anywhere that sees a bit of life.
- Grasscloth and textured papers bring natural fibre and tactile depth. They look beautiful but are unforgiving of poor wall prep and careless seams, and this is where a specialist earns their keep.
- Murals and panel designs are printed to fit a specific wall, so accurate measuring and careful alignment are everything.
Not sure what suits your room? That’s exactly the kind of thing we’ll talk through with you.
Choosing pattern, scale and colour
The most common mistake is choosing a pattern in isolation, on a small sample, under shop lighting. A few practical pointers:
- Match the scale to the room. Large, bold patterns can overwhelm a small room, while a tiny print can get lost on a big wall. Feature walls suit bolder choices; whole rooms usually want something more restrained.
- Mind the light. Wellington light shifts through the day, and a colour that looks warm at midday can turn cool by evening. Live with a decent-sized sample on the actual wall for a day or two before you commit.
- Think about the whole room. Wallpaper sets a tone the rest of the space has to live with: flooring, furniture and trim colours all play in.
Why professional installation matters
Here’s the honest truth: wallpaper shows every shortcut. Patterns have to line up perfectly across every drop, seams have to disappear, corners have to be true, and the wall underneath has to be prepared just right, or it telegraphs through. A professional gets the pattern repeat right, keeps the seams invisible, and handles the awkward bits (windows, switches, corners that aren’t square, which in older Wellington homes is most of them) so the finished result looks seamless. Preparation is half the job; if you’re curious about what that involves, we’ve written a separate guide on how to prepare your walls for wallpaper.
Caring for your wallpaper
Looked after, quality wallpaper lasts for years. A few simple habits help:
- Dust it occasionally with a soft, dry cloth or a vacuum brush attachment.
- For washable and vinyl papers, wipe marks gently with a barely damp cloth. Never soak it.
- Keep an eye on humidity in bathrooms and kitchens; good ventilation protects both the paper and the wall behind it, which matters in Wellington’s damp months.
- Keep a spare roll from your project. If a section is ever damaged, matching the batch later is difficult.
When to call a specialist
If it’s a small, simple, low-stakes wall and you’re handy, DIY is possible. But for feature walls you’ll look at every day, textured or expensive papers, heritage rooms, or anything with tricky pattern matching, it’s worth bringing in someone who does it for a living. The paper is often the biggest cost, and the installation is what protects that investment.
At Silver Fern Painting, wallpaper is our specialty. We’ll help you choose it, prepare for it and install it so it looks exactly the way you envisioned it. Have a look at some of our recent work, or get a free, no-obligation quote and let’s talk about your room.
