The Foyer Wallpaper is Up - Before and Afters Revealed!

I am so excited to write this post- the wallpaper is up! It has been a long journey, as I have been thinking about adding wallpaper to my home for the last year. I went back and forth on what to do and couldn't be happier for taking the plunge! I also love the look of stencil and thought about that for this space. But being a foyer, I thought this might be the best place to try wallpaper, as it is a heavy traffic area. My mom taught me some of her great tips, since this was my first wallpaper application! The hubby also helped as my wing man and the results are pretty good- it was actually easier than I anticipated. I will end this post with some wallpaper hanging tips, but for now, let's get to the before and afters!

Before



After

The walls in the foyer were painted Powell Buff by Benjamin Moore. The color was a nice, soft neutral, but I wanted a dramatic change. The wallpaper that I chose is a large print damask and can be found here. I searched and searched and finally found a pretty great deal. I don't have anything up on the walls yet, because I want to be 100% sure about what I hang up- I'm still a little afraid to put holes in the wallpaper! I have had some ideas for the coat rack corner: while the red coat rack is practical, I am looking for a change. I was thinking of replacing it with a bench, some pillows and a large intricate mirror above the bench. What are your thoughts?? And for the large wall leading into the kitchen, I was thinking about hanging a gallery of empty frames in a glossy black finish. Those are my ideas for now.

And now for some wallpaper hanging tips:

1. I found some very helpful articles here.

2. Thoroughly read the directions that come with the wallpaper. The most important one was to alternate rolls when hanging the panels. Let's say you have 2 rolls you are working with: the best way to save on pattern repeat and paper is to use roll 1, then 2. I would go back and forth that way, and it was amazing how much paper I saved. This damask print had a 20 1/2 inch repeat, which could lead to a lot of waste when you are matching up the pattern for your next panel.

3. Before placing your paper in the water, clearly mark which end is the top. I would use a pencil and write "top" on the back. This way, you know you won't forget!

There we have it! Check back soon, to see how the accessories are placed. Do you have any ideas for what to hang on the walls?

Linking up to:

Our Wallpaper Has Arrived!

I am so excited to be writing this post- our wallpaper is here!! I have had my eye on this wallpaper for so long. It all started almost a year ago, when my mom and I went to our area's parade of homes. I walked into this one home and fell in love! I wish I had the home's pictures to show you, but I wasn't writing a blog back then and didn't bring my camera. Can you believe that- no camera!  :) The showcase home had gorgeous large print damask wallpaper in the foyer, and it made such a statement! So I kept the wallpaper design in mind and knew I had to try it in my own home. I e-mailed the designer to get a quote on the exact wallpaper and found out it would be about $68 per roll! Not going to work for me- I happen to have a large foyer and need a whopping 12 rolls! So, I did my research. I found an almost exact replica for less than 1/3 of the price! And since it was my birthday recently (yay!) my wonderful husband got the wallpaper as a gift! My mom and I plan to do the work ourselves (thanks so much, mom!) I can't wait to see the outcome! Here are some images of the wallpaper, from the main site. (I believe the wallpaper was actually purchased from http://www.wallpaperstogo.com/, which is a great, inexpensive source to purchase wallpaper!)

Our Wallpaper!!

I am so excited to get to work! Here are some other gorgeous prints they offer:

The second peacock image is a closeup of the first. I also love this paper and have been daydreaming a room design around it! E-mail me for rates, if you would like a room designed around this paper. I have so many ideas!

And here is another traditional print, but appears more modern with its dramatic large scale size.

I will post before and after pictures soon, along with a step by step process! Wish us luck!!
By the way, do you have any great wallpaper hanging tips??