Experiments in creating original wall decoration have no limits. Imitation of stone or brickwork, textured plaster and other techniques are certainly very unusual, but, alas, not everyone can afford it. In addition, such techniques often require professional skills and abilities in application to the surface. However, you can always find an alternative, and in this case it is companion wallpaper. What they are and how to use them in the interior - more on that later.
What are companion wallpapers?
Companion wallpapers are two options for covering walls that differ in color, texture or pattern. But the most important principle here is a harmonious combination of paintings.
Most often found: neutral tones on two or three planes, bright ornamental and expressive companions on one or two planes. This finish can be presented in the form of stripes, squares and other combinations that look great in interior design. You can find a variety of luxurious canvases for every color and taste at picwalls.ru.
A lot can be said about the advantages of such wall decoration, but the obvious ones are:
- unlimited possibilities for designer creativity;
- originality and non-standard finishing with companion wallpaper;
- by combining styles, textures, and colors, you can successfully hide the obvious shortcomings of a room;
- wallpaper companions assume the presence of ready-made combinations in an abundance of various modifications. And you don’t need to painfully and time-consumingly select combination options - manufacturers of finishing materials have already provided for everything;
- paired wallpaper is an excellent option for simple zoning;
- Such wall decor can be organized in any room, be it a living room, bedroom, nursery or hallway.
Selection of curtains for beige wallpaper
To complete the look of the room, it is important to match the color of the curtains to the wallpaper. It is necessary to follow the principles of selecting curtains and tulle:
- do not use bright curtains;
- curtains should be in the same color scheme as the walls, but preferably not the same color, otherwise they will merge, which is undesirable (especially for small rooms);
- if the wallpaper has a pattern, then the curtains should be without it, and vice versa;
- warm tones of beige are combined with red, yellow, gold, brown;
- cool shades are combined with blue, purple, gray colors.
The ivory color is simple, but at the same time royal. In the photo, a wooden floor, an almost white bed, light light curtains, small light sources and harmonious wallpaper with discreet patterns create a luxurious and cozy interior.
Selecting couples: basic rules
In order to organically fit a similar decorative finishing technique into a room of any style, purpose and size, you must follow several important but simple rules. So, combination options can be classified as follows:
1. Same color palette, but different textures and patterns. This type is found in ready-made collections from manufacturers. Distinctive characteristics are a background canvas of a monotonous neutral shade or with a barely noticeable pattern. His companion is expressive, bright, in the same tone, but much more noticeable. This type of finish is usually used in European classical styles.
2. Different colors, but the same pattern and texture. Here the background wallpaper is quite neutral and calm; Decorative, on the contrary, are catchy and noticeable. There should be at least 60% background paintings in the room. This technique is popular in modern styles such as minimalism, eclecticism, and hi-tech.
3. A different pattern, color and texture is the most original way of combining, but manufacturers do not produce ready-made combinations, so here you need to trust your personal preferences and taste. Typically, this technique is used in experiments only by professional designers who have been choosing finishes for many years. This combination looks beautiful in eclectic or pop art styles.
Same pattern - different texture or color
The most common print, which can be easily depicted in different shades and textures, is stripes. Simple lines create a sea of possibilities for implementing design ideas. In order not to bother too much with repairs, it is better to combine original striped wallpaper and paintable canvases with a “matting” texture.
It is easy to change the color of the wallpaper for painting, so it will not be difficult to update the interior of the living room. In this case, you also need to take into account the style of the hall. For rooms with a classic mood, silver or golden tones are suitable. The tenderness of Provence will be emphasized by pastel colors (sand, pale blue, lilac, white). White, light shades of gray and brown will add austerity and detachment to living rooms in the style of hi-tech and minimalism.
Options for combining background and bright canvas
In addition to the selection of colors, patterns and textures for companion wallpaper, it is also worth considering the combination of volumes of background wallpaper and bright ones. Let's consider a few main rules:
- one wall is decorated with bright wallpaper, the rest with background wallpaper. This option is often used in decorating a children's room;
- alternating canvases in stripes, the width of which can be different or the same;
- horizontal zoning, when the lower part of the walls is covered with dark wallpaper or quite bright wallpaper with a large pattern, and the upper part is covered with neutral light wallpaper or with a small pattern (or vice versa). The joints are usually decorated with molding. Such a solution will help visually adjust the space. So, in a room with high ceilings, for the lower part of the wall with a bright or dark background, it is best to allocate a place up to 2 meters high from the floor; if the ceilings are low or standard, then 1 meter will be enough.
- inserts are a relatively simple option for decorating walls. After all, first of all, the background canvas is pasted, and on top of it is a bright and noticeable companion. Eye-catching inserts are framed. This type of wallpaper combination is typical for classic interiors;
- The patchwork method is interesting, but quite difficult to implement. The decoration on the walls is very similar to patchwork, but in this case it is made from wallpaper. Here the shreds are distributed in a checkerboard pattern. In this case, individual companions should be contrasting and fit perfectly with the rest of the elements. The main principle is harmony and integrity of the perception of the composition;
- contrasting walls and ceiling - this technique is used for a clearer perception of the volumes of space; This method of finishing gives the room greater depth and expressiveness.
Note: when choosing a pair or three of companions, keep in mind that contrasting combinations visually reduce the space. Therefore, the ideal option for a compact room would be plain canvases and patterns, but not bright combinations.
Popular combination methods
You can combine wallpaper to create an interesting room design in an apartment in different ways. They select canvases based on similar or contrasting shades, and combine different pasting methods to visually expand the room or improve its shape.
By related colors
The design of wallpaper for the living room depends on the ability to combine rolls in a general scheme. To do this, use 2 methods:
- A combination of two tones of the same color. For example, the classic combination of golden and brown. This wall design looks elegant and stylish.
- Combining different shades of pastel colors. Translucent, dim colors harmonize well, visually enlarge the room, giving the interior lightness.
If you need to highlight separate zones in the hall, then wallpaper 2 shades darker would be suitable for relaxation, and lighter than the base ones for eating.
By contrasting colors
Shades that are not next to each other on the color wheel, but on the opposite side, are called complementary or contrasting. These are combinations of blue and orange, green and red, purple and light yellow.
Combining such aggressive tones is acceptable when decorating a living room for young people. But it is important not to overdo it, since an unsuccessful combination depresses the psyche and causes pain in the eyes.
Bright and pastel shades look good on plasterboard or frame partitions in studio apartments, in the living room combined with the kitchen.
You need to experiment carefully, or better yet, entrust the interior to a designer. Otherwise, you can get the wrong result for a lot of money.
Combination by gluing method
There are many options for combining wallpaper using pasting methods. They can be placed on the living room walls horizontally, vertically or diagonally. It is important that the result is harmonious and that the owner likes it.
The classic design of the hall involves the following variations:
- Vertical and horizontal pasting: rolls of different textures or shades are alternated either parallel to the floor or perpendicular. The transverse layout is used for Provence style interiors, and the longitudinal layout is used to highlight individual zones.
- Inserts of contrasting colors. If the living room is decorated in a classic style, they are decorated with frames. In modern times, they are combined into an avant-garde panel or painting.
- Wall highlights. The area on which the emphasis is placed is covered with a canvas of a complementary color. This design visually aligns the shape of the living room and masks the existing shortcomings of standard-plan apartments. This technique is recommended for a small or rectangular room.
How to visually adjust space using companion wallpaper?
This finishing method allows you to successfully correct flaws and irregular shapes of the room. Let's look at the basic techniques:
- background wallpaper can be used to cover walls with defects, and bright wallpaper can be used to cover a smooth surface. This will help distract attention from imperfect planes;
- it will be easy to turn the rectangular shape of a room into a square if long surfaces are decorated with canvases with a vertical pattern, short surfaces with a horizontal pattern;
- if you want to extend the space, the opposite plane to the entrance is decorated with wallpaper with a darker color; if the task is to expand the room, the same place is decorated with pastel light shades;
- It is better to avoid bright contrasts in a small room, they will make it even smaller;
- in a room with a large, luxurious square footage, you can safely use three companion wallpaper options without any special restrictions on brightness.
Advice: when choosing wallpaper for a combined finish, you should not buy canvases from different manufacturers and different price categories. Budget material will contrast too much with expensive material. This will significantly reduce the cost of interior design, even if the texture and color combination is chosen well.
Paired wallpaper is a great option to refresh and dilute the standard decor of a modern interior. To make such canvases look harmonious, listen to the rules described above regarding combinations, but it is better to entrust this issue to a professional specialist with extensive experience in creating such projects.
What type of wall decoration is in your apartment? And what type of wallpaper combination did you like best? Share with us in the comments.
