A recent article in the Toronto Star stated "We're calling it....Wallpaper is back!" It seems that for 2023 wallpaper is back from design exile. A textured grasscloth in a neutral hue or a maximalist explosion of floral - give it a try!

I chatted to the featured Designer Joanne Dolan (who I am lucky enough to have as my sister) and got some great tips for incorporating this trend!

Good on paper: Joanne Dolan’s expert tips

1. Start small

Powder rooms — or other smaller spaces, like offices — are a good place to begin experimenting, says Dolan. Textured papers, which add “something” to a wall without pattern and look solid from afar, are another good choice for neophytes. If you do go with a patterned paper, match the scale of that to the size of the room, i.e. large patterns for larger rooms.

2. Avoid open concept spaces

If you’re someone whose main living space is open concept — like a modern condo, for example — Dolan doesn’t generally recommend wallpapering, unless you use a textured paper. “You probably have a bunch of bulkheads, windows or oddities you have to work around,” she says. “Wallpaper is best used in a more delineated space, a room that doesn’t bleed into another one.”

3. Be wary of geometric patterns

“Sometimes a striped paper can give you a headache in a smaller space,” says Dolan. “As they say on TV, it buzzes.” As a related aside: Always order samples before you buy, especially online. “You need to see how everything — drapery, carpeting — works together in the room.”

4. Choose the right texture for the space

If you’re papering a high traffic area or one where things might get wet (like an entrance hall or a bathroom), Dolan says it’s important to match the paper’s texture accordingly. “If you use a silk or a grasscloth, it’s just not going to be the right space for that,” she says of these more delicate materials. “You’d want to look at something like a vinyl wallpaper, which are much more durable.”

5. Say no to statement walls

“I’m anti-accent wall,” says Dolan. “I firmly believe you should put it on all the walls.” After all, if you love the wallpaper enough to use it on one wall, why not put it everywhere?

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Going to try wallpaper in your home design this year???