05.09.2021
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White wallpaper is a classic of the genre, allowing designers to unleash their creative potential in the brightest colors. The enduring popularity of white has become the reason for the creation of new masterpieces in the world of interior art. Designers offer wallpaper of different materials, textures and color combinations. Snow-white wallpaper looks harmonious in such popular styles as Scandinavian, Greek, loft, minimalism, hi-tech. It is the color of freedom, comfort, simplicity and beauty.
Features of white color
White color is universal, as it combines the rays of the entire spectrum, completely reflecting them from itself.
That is why it goes with any other color and is combined with any textures:
- Dark or light wood
- Gold
- Bronze
- Silver
- Bone
- Relief on the walls
White is psychologically associated with purity, freshness and light. This is why traditionally medical institutions use a lot of white color - to emphasize cleanliness and sterility.
In a regular interior, white color is used for different techniques:
- Visually increases the space
- Serves as a background for bright interior details: red, black, purple
- Emphasizes the beauty of individual decorative elements: paintings, panels, photographs
- Makes the space cooler, which may be important for the south side.
Advice. To prevent a large amount of white color from making the room look hospital-sterile, you should use different textures: gloss, silk, wood, roughness, matte finishes. Natural wood, for example, platbands or vertical beams on the walls, also adds soulfulness and warmth.
Choosing wallpaper for light laminate
The most unusual option would be a combination of yellow wallpaper and light laminate. Unlike standard light wallpaper, your room will look really unusual and bright. This option is suitable for creative people who want to decorate their interior.
White wallpaper in the interior is suitable for more serious people, for whom stability is most important.
If you want people to think of you as a reliable and serious person, then white walls are just for you. If you combine them with expensive, high-quality furniture on a white floor, the effect will be even stronger.
Pros and cons of white wallpaper
White wallpaper on the walls gives the room freshness and spaciousness. They will add coolness to a room with windows facing south. In rooms facing east and north, such wallpaper will bring light and sun. The western side is universal, so white wallpaper will look organic here as well.
Advantages of white wallpaper in the interior:
- They make the room harmonious, everyone will like this interior
- Create a calm environment
- Oddly enough, the color scheme of an interior with white wallpaper can be quickly and easily changed. You just need to change the curtains or paintings on the walls.
- Make decor items and interior textiles brighter
- Allows you to easily change the style of the room
Among the disadvantages of this coating, one can note its high soilability. However, this statement is controversial, since vinyl or non-woven wallpaper is easy to clean. With modern coatings, the opposite happens: dirt on white is more noticeable, so you want to remove it immediately.
Another disadvantage of white wallpaper is its high degree of reflection. Rooms with panoramic windows facing south can literally become flooded with light. Here the eyes will get tired of the brightness very quickly.
A good and convenient solution is to combine stripes of white wallpaper with another neutral color: cream, beige, blue or pink. At the same time, the stripes can have different textures: matte beige wallpaper will look colorful with a pearlescent white coating next to it.
Features of applying wallpaper to the wall
Wallpapering won't take you much time if you know certain tricks of the process. The main thing is to properly prepare the wall before starting work. The wall must be puttied, eliminating the slightest flaws. The finishing putty should be white. The basic procedure is as follows:
- Prime the wall with a deep penetration mixture. The material is applied in a thick layer.
- Wallpapering is done after the primer has dried. The area where the composition is applied must be perfectly clean, since you will be gluing white wallpaper.
- Glue preparation. The glue is selected depending on the type of wallpaper purchased. The glue consumption rate per liter of water is indicated on the packaging.
Cut a strip of wallpaper to the specified length and apply glue to the wallpaper. We spread the wall with a thin layer. Pasting is done carefully from top to bottom. In this case, the wallpaper is gradually smoothed using a roller. It is necessary to roll the edges more carefully. Diluted glue is stored for 2-3 days. To prevent the glue from drying out for a long time, it is necessary to cover the bucket with a wet rag.
White wallpaper with a pattern in Provence style White wallpaper with a pattern in the bedroom
White wallpaper with silver pattern
Using white wallpaper with a pattern gives the user a large number of significant advantages. With their help, the space is visually enlarged and filled with light. It is especially appropriate to wallpaper the walls of rooms that are dark and located on the north side. White color is an excellent background for a variety of designs. Dark furniture looks majestic and luxurious when placed against the background of such walls.
Undoubtedly, light walls are easily soiled. It is recommended to additionally use panels made of easy-to-clean material, especially for the kitchen. You also need to try to avoid damaging the surface of the wallpaper.
White wallpaper with a silver pattern in the interior White wallpaper with a gray pattern
White wallpaper and interior styles
White wallpaper will be appropriate in any interior style. Moreover, due to their versatility, styles are easy to change. It is enough just to place a Japanese screen in a room with white walls and the interior will immediately acquire a Zen style.
And if you add a wardrobe with ornate legs, the room will be transformed into a classic French interior.
Usage options in different styles:
- Classical. Here it is better to combine wallpaper with stucco molding of any color: white, gold or silver. Furniture in such a room should be made of wood in light or dark colors. Paintings in expensive frames will look very advantageous on white walls. For this style, it is better to choose matte white wallpaper with a uniform texture.
- Scandinavian style involves variability in textures and lighting. Therefore, here it is better to combine white with beige. Different textures on the walls will also look advantageous. One side can be highlighted with a matte finish, and the other with a glossy finish.
- Loft. White color will perfectly set off clean brick and concrete. Using regular white brick wallpaper, you can easily style the room. For example, make a hallway in white tones like a loft.
- Hi-tech. White wallpaper comes here naturally. Glossy surfaces that will harmonize with glass and chrome interior parts will play best in this style.
- Modern or minimalism goes perfectly with white wallpaper. Here you can play with textures or wall decoration with additional elements: artificial stone, fabric.
Living room
If the room is large, you can rely on contrast with rich tones. If square meters allow, you can decorate the living room with milky wallpaper in combination with furniture in wenge or dark chocolate color. For classics, the shade of cinnamon and milk chocolate is harmonious.
If the wallpaper has a textured surface, it is not recommended to complement the interior with bulky furniture. Give preference to open cabinets and shelves so that extra partitions do not “steal” the beauty of the wallpaper.
White wallpaper in the living room looks good in the company of soft shades, such as olive, sand, apricot, as well as more saturated ones. To effectively decorate a living room, it is recommended to complement wallpaper in creamy tones with rich elements of red and emerald colors: for example, a sofa in the color of juicy strawberries will be a bright addition to emerald-colored chests of drawers.
Important! The main thing here is not to overdo it: both colors attract attention. Contrasting colors should complement each other and create harmony.
Other interesting options for combining furniture and textiles against a background of white wallpaper:
- sky blue with delicate gray;
- emerald with pink/olive/gray;
- cream with peach;
- sandy with tangerine.
Since white wallpaper serves as a kind of blank slate, allowing you to create interior masterpieces, you can confidently use several contrasting tones. Softer shades are recommended for the bedroom, catchy and extravagant shades for the living room.
White color in different rooms
The texture and material of white wallpaper depends not only on the style, but also on the purpose of the room:
- For the kitchen it is better to choose wallpaper that is easy to clean. These are primarily the glossy surfaces of non-woven or vinyl wallpaper.
- For the bedroom, what is most important is a warm, cozy texture: matte surfaces, fabric coverings. If the head of the bed does not have a back, then it is better to decorate this wall with colored material.
- For the living room, you should choose colorful and bright textures. These can be frescoes on white wallpaper, mother-of-pearl patterns or combinations of different stripes. The wallpaper here can be anything: paper, fabric, non-woven or vinyl.
- In the hallway, white wallpaper will emphasize the cleanliness of the room and enlarge the small space. It is important here not to use such a coating for a dirty area, otherwise it will really remain so.
- For a nursery, this covering is worth choosing if the room is planned for a girl. White or pastel patterns on the walls in combination with fairy-tale furniture will turn the room into a princess's boudoir.
Types and variety of wallpapers
All existing wallpapers are distinguished by the following parameters:
- the materials from which they are made - paper, vinyl, non-woven fabric, fiberglass, bamboo, etc.;
- texture – smooth, embossed;
- design design - matte, glossy, plain, etc.;
- drawing - with folk ornaments, floral motifs, geometric shapes, plot images, stripes, etc.;
- color combinations - with one or several colors;
- intended purpose - for the kitchen, nursery, bathroom, living room, etc.
The material, texture, and pattern for the walls are chosen based on their own preferences, with an eye on the advice of professionals.
Material of manufacture
Wallpaper is made from different materials:
- Paper ones are the most popular and cheapest. They have several subtypes: simplex (single-layer, smooth or embossed), duplex (pressed from two layers - main and decorative), resistant to light. Photo wallpapers depict landscapes, still lifes, animals, famous paintings, and abstractions. They can have a “leather-like”, “stone-like”, “wood-like” texture, “Venetian plaster”, etc.
- Vinyl - often used in recent years. They are made from non-woven fabric and paper, with a matte, glossy finish. Varieties:
- foam vinyl (rough, voluminous), decorated with sparkles;
- kitchen vinyl (thicker than usual, smooth), washable;
- silkscreen printing. Wear-resistant material, changes color depending on how the light falls on it.
- Non-woven - made of non-woven fibers onto which foam vinyl is applied in the form of voluminous, structured patterns that contrast with the background or merge with it.
- Textile – beautiful, stylish. They are made from natural fabrics glued to the base or mixed fibers.
- Fiberglass - made from a certain set of mineral components.
- Acrylic - similar to vinyl foam, but instead of the latter there is acrylic. The canvases are very original and embossed.
- Liquid - do not look like canvas, but a mixture of natural elements and glue. When hardened, a textured layer is obtained, which, if necessary, is restored if any defects appear.
- Natural – made from natural ingredients applied to paper. Types: linkrust (the paper base is covered with a layer of plastic made from natural materials, alkyd resins), cork (eco-friendly, natural, does not cause allergies), bamboo (made from split bamboo stems).
For large rooms, wide wallpaper is recommended. If the walls are very smooth, self-adhesive ones are used.
By texture, design
Textured wallpaper should be used where the risk of damage and deformation is minimal. They are pleasant to the touch, can be smooth or have the following texture:
- linen - like thick fabric;
- sand – fine-grained surface;
- canvas – porous;
- plaster - like brush strokes;
- stone – slightly heterogeneous;
- brick - imitate white bricks.
By design, the wallpaper will be glossy, matte, one color or with all kinds of images.
Drawing, color combinations on white wallpaper
There are many design options for snow-white wallpaper. The most popular:
- Stripes. Vertical ones will make the room taller, horizontal ones will make the room wider.
- Homogeneous geometric patterns. For large rooms choose a large pattern, for cramped ones - small ones.
- Ethnic ornaments. Imitating Russian embroidery, Japanese hieroglyphs, Egyptian writing, etc., will suit the corresponding interiors.
- Floral, plant drawings. There are large or small, stylized or realistic.
- Subject pictures: with fruits for the kitchen, with gnomes for the nursery, with soap bubbles for the bathroom, etc.
- Inscriptions. Individual words, inscriptions, pages of text in Russian, English, and invented languages.
There are also different color combinations:
- snow-white with black;
- thistle with brown;
- floral white with purple;
- ivory with cement gray;
- dull pinkish with grassy green;
- light peach with terracotta;
- creamy with blue;
- cream with greenish blue;
- silver with sunny yellow;
- Gridperlevy with milk chocolate;
- white-sand with dark blue;
- wheat with fuchsia;
- ghostly white with orange;
- sky azure with umber;
- beige with coral;
- mint cream with moray eel;
- linen with red-orange.
Combinations with several colors at the same time are not uncommon, but then the additional colors are present in smaller, sometimes very insignificant quantities.
Lighting with white walls
Any lighting is perfect for white wallpaper because the light will be reflected well. A room with such walls will always be bright.
Important! For a room with white walls, you need to select lamps with a yellow or warm spectrum of light. Energy-saving LED lamps with a cool tone will make the room too bright, and the eyes will quickly get tired.
Since white wallpaper reflects light well, it is worth using different lighting techniques in such a room:
- LED lamps around the perimeter of the walls
- Sconces on the walls
- Illuminated niches or false windows. They can be created using frosted glass with LED backlighting.
- Ceiling lamps aimed at walls
- Vertical light columns, which are created using small floor lamps aimed upward at the wall
- Second light or its imitation. You can imitate second light with expansive, flat frosted glass ceiling lights.
The main thing when choosing lighting is to make maximum use of the reflective ability of white color. Then the room will become even more atmospheric, fresh and spacious.
What wallpaper will suit light-colored furniture: wallpaper on a white background as an indicator of taste
If you purchased light-colored furniture, then wallpaper of a similar color will match it. It was mentioned earlier that with white furniture and wallpaper you can very easily go overboard and “turn” the room into a hospital room. It’s easy to avoid this problem: you can buy wallpaper with an unusual pattern - this way you can defuse the boring atmosphere, making it more attractive. In addition to this option, you can simply buy expensive light wallpaper: they will really look elegant and aristocratic.
It will be much more difficult with perfectly white furniture: mostly white wallpaper will go with it. Black wallpaper will not look good with white furniture, as it will simply make you sad. In turn, white walls can make your interior soft and relaxing.
Photo of white wallpaper in the interior
How to avoid mistakes?
Those who are using white for the first time to decorate their premises need to get acquainted with the main mistakes that lie in wait for beginners along this path.
- A lot of monotonous white color makes the room boring and cold.
- If white color covers a large surface of the walls, then it tends to acquire many shades of gray, which looks gloomy and dirty.
- A lot of brown, blue, purple and gray-green items make light walls “dirty” and they lose their freshness.
- Light walls reveal imperfections in the relief.
- In bright light, a lot of white color is tiring for the eyes.
You can diversify light walls by using companion wallpaper. Also recently, white wallpaper with a black pattern has come into fashion.
Features of the design of different rooms
The wrong choice of wallpaper for a specific room can overshadow the joy of a fresh renovation. To prevent this from happening, remember the following recommendations.
Wallpaper for the bedroom
The bedroom is a place of rest and tranquility, so everything here should set a person up for relaxation. For this room, the choice of texture is not important. The main thing is that the design should be dominated by calm shades without contrasting patterns or geometry. A bright element in the interior can be pillows, curtains, a wardrobe or bedside tables.
An option with a small floral pattern, or even photo wallpaper with a romantic landscape, is also suitable. Proper placement of accents in decoration will create a harmonious design in the bedroom.
Children's design
It’s no secret that the nursery suffers more than others from children’s games, and white wallpaper in such a room would be a bold decision. To extend the life of the finish, choose thick, washable wallpaper with a large pattern.
You should not use white paper wallpaper in the room. They are more susceptible to damage and will quickly lose their attractive appearance.
The best option would be to zone the room, for example, in the play area, the lower part of the wall is made in contrasting shades, and the upper part remains white. You can leave your baby’s sleeping area completely light and choose natural wallpaper, for example, bamboo.
How to decorate a kitchen?
The kitchen is the place where a housewife's imagination can fly. Both gentle Provence and progressive high-tech are suitable here. It is important that design and interior elements resonate with each other. So, if you are filling your kitchen with modern appliances and furniture in the Art Nouveau style, you should not buy floral wallpaper.
One of the important requirements is the ability to wash the walls, which means you should not decorate the room with liquid or natural wallpaper, since cleaning them will be impossible.
Experienced craftsmen recommend a compromise: the kitchen area, where the stove, refrigerator and sink will be located, should be made of washable wallpaper with bright accents that hide minor dirt and damage, and the dining area should be decorated with other, more “capricious” materials.
Living room, hall
When choosing white wallpaper for the living room, there are no strict restrictions, since the finishing in this room does not suffer from mechanical stress. Here you can give preference to any material and design. The right solution would be to visually expand the room, so most of the surface of the walls can be covered with pure white wallpaper, and accents can be added in the form of paintings, panels, and lamps.
Don't be afraid to experiment and combine white wallpaper in the living room with bright accents. One of the walls can be made contrasting by marking the main elements there (sofa, coffee table, TV).
Also in this room, textured wallpaper that imitates stone, brick or fabric looks organic.
Hallway
The hallway is a room where white wallpaper for walls should be used with caution. In the entrance area, you should protect the finishing with panel inserts, or place objects that will prevent shoes from accidentally touching the walls.
Since the hallway is a small room, it can be visually enlarged thanks to additional lighting that will be reflected from light-colored wallpaper. In addition, use trim with vertical or horizontal stripes - this will create a visual increase.
The rest is a flight of design art. Don't be afraid to make bold decisions and bring something extraordinary to your interior. Thanks to white wallpaper, you can create not only a modern, but also a unique design for your apartment.