Dr. Susan Williams of Memphis might have thought she'd gone back in time when the designer she hired to spruce up her new home in Chattanooga suggested wallpapering a few rooms.
"I was hesitant, at first, to consider textured wallpaper because I associated wallpaper with the 1970s and '80s styles of decorating," Williams said. "I was also afraid that if I didn't like it, I would be stuck with it because wallpaper has historically been very difficult to remove."
Her initial reaction didn't surprise Natalie Sims of Yessick's Design Center.
"It took a little persuasion," said Sims, a member of the American Society of Interior Designers. "But she trusted me to make that decision. And once she saw all the different wallpaper options, she was easily convinced."
Despite its throwback reputation, wallpaper remains a go-to option for decorating, whether to camouflage a problem area or simply to enliven an otherwise boring wall.
"Having every wall painted can be very boring," said Marsha Yessick, owner of the firm. "We need texture on some of the walls."
Yessick said wallpaper adds a nice touch to a room, though not necessarily every room.
"In areas such as the kitchen, a guest bedroom, a couple of bathrooms or in the dining room above a chair rail, wallpaper will add a little punch to the room," said the designer.
In Williams' home, two guest rooms and a guest bathroom were lined with modern designs of textured papers.
What's new in wallpapers* Damask is back in a big way. The tone-on-tone pattern offers contrast within a solid look.* Stripes are versatile. This option works in traditional or contemporary homes.* Texture adds interesting detail. Look for woven leather, faux alligator skin and burlap.* New styles and colors can be found in toile du jour. Asian themes now come in pink and green, a change from classic French blue and white.* Geometric shapes add excitement. Consider colorful squares, diamonds and octagonal shapes on your wal try some circles overlaying a floral pattern.- Marsha Yessick, ASID
"Now that it is installed, I am thrilled with it," Williams said. "The textures warm the rooms and make them feel relaxed and comfortable."
Williams said she didn't realize how far wallpaper had come, both in designs and convenience.
"There are so many options that go far beyond the old grasscloth wallpaper popular many years ago," she said. "I also didn't realize the newer wallpaper is easier to remove."
Today's wallpaper is all about texture and designs, according to the designers, and gone are the delicate borders that once fringed every room.
"We don't even see borders in wallpaper books anymore," Yessick said.
Instead, the new buzzword is "transitional," loosely translated as contemporary.
"Some people think that denotes a very modern look, which many people do not want, but they also don't want their mother's wallpaper either," Yessick said. "They want something more updated."