Tall expanses of uninterrupted wall diminish both the size and importance of artwork. While the walls can be filled with a patchwork of framed art, many of the prints and paintings are above eye-level at distances and angles that inhibit a clear view. In addition, vertical walls that rise 14, 15 or 16 feet from the floor tend to dwarf furniture at ground level. Without a unifying element to tie the walls and ceiling together, these rooms become cavernous and cold.
Coordinated wallpaper and borders are useful and affordable tools for overcoming these challenges. Combinations of wallpaper and border patterns that depict variations on the same theme and contain complementary colors unify the surfaces that surround these rooms. All of the wallpaper and border patterns in collections from S.A. Maxwell Co. are arranged into color families, and each group contains many designs and prints that can be easily mixed and matched. By embracing the whole room, they visually connect the walls and ceiling, enhance the grandeur and spaciousness of the vaulted ceiling, and segment the space into comfortable proportions.
The use of coordinated patterns also adds layers of interest to a high-ceilinged room and allows touches of detail. Place a dominant pattern on the main area of the walls. Choose one that complements the fabric on furniture and, in the case of this girl's room, the bed linens as well. The pattern should also make you feel good. A cheerful floral from Maxwell's new Winnetka collection is the ideal choice for this teenager.
Without any break or border, the floral walls of the bedroom switch to a complementary plaid that provides contrast on the two walls that angle upward toward the center of the room. At the center of the ceiling, these two patterns almost join in a rectangular frame. Slim strips of plaid along the edge of the floral walls complete the frame, in which a sponge-textured wallpaper seems to create a window of sky.
In this case, the plaid also masks irregularities in the shape of the room itself. The four walls don't join at perfect right angles, but the addition of plaid makes them look like they do.
Many walls have irregularities that can make it difficult to line up a pattern, especially when ceilings are angled or curved. Instead of trying to match the pattern where the walls meet the ceiling, separate the two adjoining patterns by a border or a strip of molding, available at any home improvement center or lumberyard.
Become a Master of Illusion with Wallpaper (Decorating with wallpaper)
(ARA) - Trompe l oeil, or deceive the eye, is a time-honored decorative effect for adding architectural details, textures and even furnishings or whole scenes where they do not really exist. Today, thanks to sophisticated printing techniques, trompe l oeil images once achieved only by master painters are available on wallpaper.
So realistic looking is the stone wallpaper in the First Class Male collection by S.A. Maxwell Co., that, without touching it, most people would never detect that it s actually a pattern printed on washable, durable, matte-finish wallpaper.
A great tool for ..
A novelty palm-tree print, also from the Winnetka collection, carries a soothing, tropical breeze to this master bath. Above the palm trees, at ordinary ceiling height -- approximately eight feet from the floor -- we've placed a border that combines a larger-scale version of the palm tree with luscious pomegranates. The border creates a continuous level plane to surround the room.
Above it, a two-inch-wide awning stripe rises to create a dramatic tent effect in which the vertical stripes curve toward the center of the ceiling. There, they take a horizontal turn, reaching across the space and pulling it together. From the very center hangs a divine detail: the sparkle and luxury of an antique crystal chandelier.
To locate a retailer that carries the Winnetka collection featured here and other wallpaper collections from S.A. Maxwell Co., call (847) 932-3700 or visit http://www.samaxwell.com on the Internet.
About The Author
Courtesy ARA Content, http://www.ARAcontent.com; e-mail: info@ARAcontent.com
Wallpaper Doesn't Just Cover...It Defines The Room Wallpaper is often overlooked as a key part of an attractive home. The right wallpaper will add character to any room in the house, and will also allow a homeowner to cheaply and quickly change the look of their house. From a brightly decorated nursery to a soft bedroom background, wallpaper will create the right tone for any room in your house. It also gives a homeowner a great chance to express their home decorating talents. Unlike paint, so many different patterns and colors are available a homeowner is able to choose exactly the right one. There are so many wallpapers available, you are al ..
EDITOR'S NOTE: Jaima Brown is director of design for S.A. Maxwell Co., a leading producer of wallpaper, borders and coordinating fabric.
Jaima BrownCreating Comfort Under Ceilings That Soar (Decorating With Wallpaper)
