There are new trends and innovations in wallcoverings that are leaning toward flock, bead effects and metallic and foil papers that provide more variety for consumers.
“People are going toward wallpapers that have special effects and textures, while the trend used to be more smooth papers,” says Alise Heemstra, U.S. development manager of Wallpaper Direct. “People are really attracted to the new designs, and it could have something to do with fashion; people like bling.”
However, intricate textures on wallpaper are leading to a new problem: being able to show clients the product in a portfolio. Cameras are unable to capture intricate beading and metallic effects so industry stakeholders are working on developing ways to better showcase the new materials.
Another exciting trend in wallcoverings has been a rapid increase in paste-the-wall products, rather than paste the paper. Paste-the-wall products include a specially developed backing with polyfibers that do not expand, so they can be pasted to the wall directly after being cut. They also cut decorating time by about half because the pasting table process is eliminated, and it is much cleaner and a less messy process of hanging paper. On the other hand, traditional wallpaper requires the applier to let the pieces soak to expand for the directed amount of time, leading to much higher investments in time and materials.
“The whole process for paste the wall is so much easier. I did a large wall in my foyer in just three hours 15 minutes,” Heemstra says. “Traditional paper might have added an hour and a half to the process, with allowing it to soak.” In addition to easier applications, paste-the-wall products can be removed much more easily. Paste-the-paper products are tediously removed in small strips, which can take hours depending on the size of the room. Paste-the-paper products come off in larger pieces, saving much more time. Many brands are jumping on board and including paste the product options in their product offerings. Many wallpaper appliers also are leaning toward paste the product to save time.
Taken from: American Paint Company, May 2015, Volume 92, No. 4
Written By: Alice Heemstra and Jessica Porter
