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Wallcoverings inject warmth, character and depth into a space – while making bold statements about its inhabitants, says Selin Arkut

No element of an interior is more prone to neglect than its walls. An extended blank canvas offering endless scope, walls are often startlingly under utilised. Thoughtfully-dressed, walls can add character, depth and richness to a space – and make a bold statement about its inhabitants.

And yet, there is still a tendency to keep them bare and exposed. “Even in a hot place like Dubai, you need to create warm, welcoming interiors, and  wallcoverings will help you do just that.

If I walk into an office and there’s white paint on the walls, I think it looks very clinical. White paint can define a space, and says a lot about the company and even the people surrounded by it. A painted white wall is bare and, in my eyes, unfinished,” Cristina Cabrejas, international product developer for Walls & Floors Middle East, noted.

When it comes to wallcoverings, conversations have long centred on the concepts of colours, textures and trends – but there are more fundamental issues to address, Cabrejas insisted. “There is more to talk about than that. Designers that buy wallcoverings are already good at selecting the colours that they want.

 What I want to talk about is what it means to effectively utilise wallcoverings. How does it reflect on a space or an individual?

“That is how we need to educate the market. If people still use white emulsion paint, it is because they are unaware of the benefits of wallpaper. Flooring, for example, is always carefully considered. You’ll never see a floor left bare; it is always finished with carpetting or wood or ceramics. But you still often see bare walls,” she continued.

 “The aim is to communicate to the market that it means much more than a simple additional layer on a wall. I assure you, those who use wallpaper never go back, because there are so many benefits. It is far more resistant, it makes a statement and, in the long term, because there is no maintenance, it is much more cost effective.”

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Fashion statement

In the constant quest to create spaces that convey true meaning, wallcoverings can act as a striking statement. Not only are they a means of dressing an ‘undressed wall’, they also convey messages about ethos and personality.

“Wallcoverings say so many things about a person and or institution,” agreed Tracy Kendall, founder, owner and designer of Tracy Kendall wallpaper. “I always think that wallpaper is a part of the designed interior, not an interior design object on its own. It works so much better with furniture in front of it or paintings hung on top of it; it just gives another layer of texture to the wall,” she elaborated.

Wallcoverings also convey a sense of luxuriousness, maintained Veenu Kanwar, manager and design coordinator at Warps & Wefts, the regional marketing representative for fabric, wallcoverings and furniture companies such as Romo and Villa Nova from the UK, and Dedar from Italy. “Consumers today long for a dose of luxury,” she said.

“This drive for luxury has a deeper base than simple self indulgence. It is a manifestation of needing to feel secure and safe in one’s environment, and is also a way of personalising a space. Wallpaper is the ideal medium for unique, creative, unusual and uber-luxurious applications,” Kanwar said.

Ultimately, wallcoverings must be viewed as much more than something you simply slap on a wall.

They are exactly like a pair of jeans, a hairstyle or a car in being a strong statement of individuality. Furthermore, wallcoverings must be viewed as multi-dimensional and appealing to a range of senses.

“Treatment of interior design elements, including wallcoverings, today encompasses not just the visual senses but other senses too; not just what  people want to see around them but also what they want to feel and even what they want to touch.

The emphasis on personal identity and individual imprint on the interior environment has never been more prevalent than it is today,” said Ajay Singh, managing director, Warps & Wefts.

The overall effectiveness of a wallcovering must be judged by the emotional, sensory response that it evokes. “Saturated colours seem to evoke a sense of security during these economic times. Orange, blue and clean green are particularly popular, while metallic finishes that give wallcoverings an ethereal glow are good, as is the use of woven fabrics and textural details,” noted Tammy Gordon, designer for the commercial market at US-based York Contract Wallcoverings.

 “Overall contemporary direction in design, with unique embossing with delicate or slender line work and simple geometry, or graphical interpretations of classic motifs and fine detail, like damasks and scrolls, are also popular,” maintained Burgess Hocevar, director of commercial sales at the company. 

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