wallpaper love

Become a Master of Illusion with Wallpaper (Decorating with wallpaper)

2008-05-02T16:11:00.000-07:00

by: Jaima Brown

(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 creating or enhancing popular lodge and mountain cabin looks, this wallpaper can turn a simple fireplace into the focal point of a room. Install it on both sides of the fireplace or use it to create a faux stone chimney. Add a rustic wood beam mantel and hang your favorite catch above it. You can hang art or objects on this stone wall without a heavy-duty drill bit. And unlike the real thing, the stone on this fireplace can be wiped clean with just a damp cloth.

To add the drama of stone pillars to your mountain retreat, measure the width and height of the wall. Then determine a sequence of alternating stone pillars with open space between them. Cut around the edges of the stone shapes on strips of wallpaper the height of your ceiling and hang each strip vertically the full height of the wall, allowing equal space between each strip. For a different variation on the rustic theme, use the stone pattern along the lower portion of the wall to create a chair rail. Or add a touch of country to your kitchen with a stone soffit above the cabinets.

City or country, this faux stone wallpaper makes a great fortress in a child's room. Install it 36 inches up from the floor, trim the top edge to outline the stone shapes, and put cloud wallpaper above it.

An entirely different feel is achieved with the trompe l'oeil bookshelf in Maxwell's First Class Male collection. It brings warmth and tradition to any room and when used at the end of a hall or stair landing, actually seems to extend the space.

The same pattern can define different areas within a large room. On the far wall of a master bedroom it can signal a separation between the sleeping area and the entry to the master bath. Use it to warm up the living area of a great room in which the kitchen, dining and family room are all open to each other.

The ultimate English library can be achieved with the addition of faux bookshelves on either side of a fireplace or up to chair-rail height along the bottom of the walls. As a finishing touch, install a subtle textured or striped wallpaper above it. Set the right tone for your home office by installing a faux bookcase or two on the wall behind your desk. And in any room, disguise a door by turning it into a bookcase.

To locate a retailer that carries First Class Male and other wallpaper collections from S.A. Maxwell Co., call (847) 932-3700 or visit www.samaxwell.com.

Creating Unique Details With Wallpaper Borders (Decorating With Wallpaper)

2008-05-02T16:10:00.002-07:00

by: Jaima Brown

(ARA) - True decorating distinction lies in details -- little finishing touches and unusual twists that make a room entirely unique. To put your personal mark of creativity in your home, do what many professional interior designers do: Head for the border.

Wallpaper borders are among the most versatile of decorating tools. Furthermore, they are affordable and easy to install. Nearly any wall takes on a more finished look with the addition of a border. But to achieve real distinction, think beyond merely adding a border along the top of the wall. For new ideas, look up and look down.

Consider, for example, placing a decorative border on the ceiling itself, connecting that often-ignored overhead expanse to the walls. Decorators often refer to the ceiling as "the fifth wall," another palette on which to apply their art. By surrounding a room, at the ceiling, with a continuous, unobstructed border, you create a "tray" effect that visually holds the room together.

Nowhere is this technique more useful than in the kitchen. Kitchens typically contain permanent appliances and cabinets that separate wall space. By installing this elegant leopard print border above the crown molding, the overall space has been unified while also giving the room greater depth and height.

The border also provides a visual transition between the kitchen and the living room beyond it. Both the leopard border and the banana leaf wallpaper are from the Winnetka collection from S. A. Maxwell Co. Like all Maxwell collections, Winnetka is arranged in groups according to color. This assures easy coordination among patterns within the same room and from one room to another. All design groups in collections by S.A. Maxwell contain several borders in different widths.

Double-bordering more than doubles your creativity. By combining two borders from the Winnetka collection, we created a truly custom border in the living room. The four-inch leopard border, placed along the outside perimeter of the ceiling, is the "anchor." Banana leaves on the die-cut border repeat the theme of the wallpaper pattern, while their sculptured, outlined edges reach into the room.

Die-cut borders provide sculptured-edge detailing that was once only achieved by tedious hand-trimming around a pattern. To install a double custom border, combine the two patterns on a table, positioning them exactly the way you want them to overlap and join. Measure their combined width. Beginning at the point where the ceiling meets the wall, make a light pencil mark on the ceiling to show how far your custom double border will extend onto the ceiling. Install the straight border first, then overlap it with the sculptured design. This idea works equally well along the bottom of walls, at chair rail height, or wherever else you want to surprise the eye with something special.

Double borders don't have to be joined together to give a room a lift. In a guest room, we ran two different, sculptured ivy patterns parallel to each other, 20 inches apart. Both are from S.A. Maxwell's Wicker Park collection. The large basket and ivy border runs just beneath the crown molding at the ceiling, and the diminutive die-cut ivy border "underlines" it 20 inches below. Even more layering is possible. You might add a vertical stripe wallpaper between the two borders and even place the coordinating ivy trail wallpaper from the same collection under all these layers.

Now you're on a roll. So why not use your border leftovers to decorate a hat box or a group of shoe boxes and make the inside of your guest room closet as appealing -- and unique -- as the room you've created?

For more border ideas, locate a retailer near you that carries coordinated wallpaper and border collections from S.A. Maxwell Co. by calling (847) 932-3700 or visiting www.samaxwell.com.

Creating Comfort Under Ceilings That Soar (Decorating With Wallpaper)

2008-05-02T16:10:00.001-07:00

by: Jaima Brown

(ARA) - It's not surprising that vaulted ceilings are a growing trend in today's new homes. Ceilings that rise two or more stories in one continuous expanse certainly give rooms a feeling of spaciousness. They also add a sense of drama, even grandeur. But they also present decorating dilemmas. What do you do with those long, tall walls? How do you make life under the "cathedral" cozy?

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.

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 www.samaxwell.com on the Internet.

Finding the Perfect Wallpaper Pattern May be as Close as Your Computer Screen

2008-05-02T16:09:00.001-07:00

by: ARA Content

(ARA) - Technology can do wonderful things. If you surf the Internet, you can find the right wallpaper pattern for your decorating project -- fast. You may want to browse through floral patterns or you may have a pattern in your imagination and want to know if it exists and if so, where do you get it?

Historically, you would have gone to a wallpaper store (or many!), browsed through dealer sample books and, with any luck found a suitable pattern after a time-consuming search.

Today, www.WallpaperGuide.com allows you to select a subject or category from a database of more than 43,000 wallpaper designs and quickly find patterns to match your interest.

After locating the appropriate pattern, The Wallpaper Guide Web site points the way to local retail stores that carry the product you desire. Or, you can place an order online for direct delivery.

"The benefit for consumers is they can buy from a huge selection of wallcoverings from leading manufacturers in the privacy of their homes, at any hour of the day," states Mark Langman, president of The Wallpaper Guide. "Because time is at a premium these days, they can save hours of research and driving time and the whole decorating process becomes efficient and enjoyable. At the same time, we have now made our Web site interactive so shoppers can select and vote on their favorite patterns with the possibility of winning a roomful of wallpaper, "says Langman.

In addition to helping consumers locate the right product, the Web site provides information on the latest trends in decorating colors and designs on an Online News section. Images of decorator room sets provide consumers with ideas and links to practical "How to" information, such as "Decorating with Borders" and "How to Hang Wallpaper."

Whether you are looking for wallpaper borders with trailing green ivy for a kitchen corner or ideas for your new home office, head to your computer. For more information, visit www.wallpaperguide.com.

Wallpaper Doesn't Just Cover...It Defines The Room

2008-05-02T16:08:00.002-07:00

by: Mike Yeager

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 almost sure to find the one that is just right.

Some tips on maintaining your wallpaper.

If you have old wallpaper that is dirty, be sure to never wash it with water. Instead, try gently rubbing it with a steel wool pad, and afterwards be sure to apply a dry cleaning solvent. If you want to remove wallpaper, try making a mix of hot water and white vinegar. Fill a spray bottle with one half hot water and one half white vinegar and spray it on the wallpaper. Wait about five minutes, and then the wallpaper should be ready to be removed.

No matter which room in your home you’re planning to decorate, you can’t go wrong with colorful, decorative, wallpaper.

The Most Beautiful Cell Phone Wallpaper

2008-05-02T16:08:00.001-07:00

by: Dominic Ferrara

Nowadays teenagers are crazy about personalizing their cell phone and about being able to make the difference. For that, they use different and complicated ringtones, logos, reminders and so on. The latest fashion in “personalizing your cell phone” is the wallpaper. Different cell phone wallpapers can be downloaded from Internet, but at the same time they can take pictures and save them as cell phones wallpapers. Almost any cell phone user has become an artist and he wants his cell phone wallpaper to stand out and to show his personality and his taste.

The use of the cell phone has become less important, the main thing is what is fashionable. That is why the ringtones, cell phone wallpapers, tassels and hand painting of phones have appeared all over world. Ringtones are the most beloved choice in downloads, but cell phone wallpapers and screen savers are “too hot” in teens’ preferences. They are symbols of the users status, clues that show if the user is up to date and happening.

Cell phone wallpapers can define what you feel, or what you desire. They are an important component of the communication process. Technology offers us now larger screens and better resolutions, and this increases the need for high quality expressive cell phone wallpapers. The multitude of assortments has given the cell phone wallpapers a special place and they are expected to get even further in future.

Getting Wallpapers And Logos For Your Mobile Phones

2008-05-02T16:07:00.000-07:00

by: Peter Lenkefi

The concept of mobile phone wallpaper is the same as that of a PC.

They are backgrounds, usually graphical, that appear on the phone when the handset is switched on. On some phones, wallpapers can double as screensavers that appear after some inactivity on the phone.

Wallpapers are fun to implement as it is one of the features of a mobile phone that you can customize to suit your preference. Many people use pictures taken with the phone’s own camera, downloaded images or graphics sent via SMS to them.

Wallpapers were created as an extra incentive for buyers to patronize phones in the face of competition in the industry. It is one of the areas of converging technology where computer application are gradually being merged into mobile phone applications. Phone manufacturers added wallpapers to their phone features to serve as incentive for buyers who would like to see their phones featuring their favorite PC wallpapers. These innovations have the aim of producing innovative features to their buyers so that the mobile phone use becomes more fun and interactive.

No matter the brand of your phone, be it Nokia, Motorola, Siemens Panasonic, Alcatel, LG, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Philips, Sagem, Sharp or Toshiba ther are many kinds of wallpapers to suit any kind of handset.

Your phone may come with a preset wallpaper or non at all. Setting up or changing the wallpaper is no hassle at all and the menu interface is there to guide you through the process. If your phone does not have interesting wallpapers, you can download some from the web if your phone supports it. It is however of importance to note that wallpapers would normally work with color screens.

Like ringtone, you can download wallpapers from the web using either a cable transfer, WAP server or SMS service.

If you are zealous about wallpapers you may have to consider screen resolution and sizes. Before downloading the wallpaper ensure that your screen resolution can support the wallpaper graphics. High resolution graphics especially pictures can occupy a large amount of space and therefore requires increase in memory if you would want to obtain them. Aside that, the screen size may not be compatible with the graphic you are downloading.

Now let’s search the web for some free wallpapers.

http://www.freemobilefun.net features colorful wallpapers which several phone sets can support. Each page displays about 15 pictures and together there are about 15 genres to select from.

Wallpapers add vitality to mobile phones especially with handsets that can use them as screen savers. Remember they can be customized from your stored digital pictures if you want to be constantly reminded of a favorite scene anytime you make a call.

Decorating With Wallpaper

2008-05-02T16:06:00.002-07:00

by: Mike Houghtin

If you're looking for a unique way to express your individual taste and personality there is no better way to decorate than by using wallpaper. You can take a simple room and make it look stunning and completely different in just a few short hours. You can wallpaper an entire room, or just a portion of the room, in a way that alters the entire atmosphere of the room.

When you use wallpaper you can also hide the conditions of existing walls that have cracks or other flaws. Wallpaper can take a room from boring to spectacular in a way that paint and other decorating techniques can't do. Wallpaper can make a room look bigger or smaller, which is another way that you can change the functionality of the room.

Different kinds of wallpapers can give different effects. Therefore, before starting out on a wallpaper buying trip it is important to decide the type of wallpaper that would suit your walls.

If you're decorating a small room that you want to give the feel of being larger you should pick wallpaper that has small designs or prints on it. For instance, if you're decorating your bathroom you might want to pick a pattern that has small pansies. This will make your small bathroom seem much larger than it actually is. Another technique for making rooms seem larger than they are is to use lighter colors rather than dark colors.

Using large designs and prints in the wallpaper will make a room seem smaller and much cozier. Dark colors will make a space seem smaller than it is so if your goal is to make a large room, such as your basement family room, appear to be bigger you'll want to choose wallpaper that is dark in color.

With wallpaper you can also make adjustments in the perspective of your room. For example , if you are choosing wallpaper for a room that has a low ceiling and you want to create the opposite illusion than you should choose a wallpaper that has either stripes or pattern that flows in vertical lines from top to bottom. Try it out to make your long and narrow rooms look much wider.

Remember that colors greatly influence atmosphere. If you'd like a room to seem warmer, choose wallpaper with warm colors like amber, gold, brick, and soft reds. In other words you want earth tones.

Vice versa in warm climate your requirement is to make the room look cooler. This is also the requirement in rooms that are heated up by direct sunlight. Here you should pick up colours that are reflective of a cool atmosphere such as shades of green and blue.

Hanging wallpaper isn't difficult and isn't too costly either. It's a wonderful tool if you're renovating or changing a whole look. There are many choices in wallpaper types. Choosing patterns and colors will depend on your own preferences and the intended look and use of the room. Any room can be wallpapered. Just take into account that rooms such as bathrooms, that have a lot of moisture, will require a wallpaper made especially for those conditions.

What You Should Know Before You Choose Wallpaper

2008-05-02T16:06:00.001-07:00

by: Roger King

Wallpaper varies greatly in its material content, which helps determine how a paper looks and how it handles. Vinyl wallpaper are popular because they are durable, fairly easy to install, and easy to maintain. There are fabric-backed vinyl, paper-backed vinyl, and ones designed to look like a three dimensional surface, such as plaster, granite, or grass cloth, which are suitable for walls that aren’t perfectly smooth.

Fabric wallpaper are usually made of cotton, linen, or other natural plant fibers, such as grass cloth, hemp, or burlap. Most textiles fray easily and are not washable. Solid paper wall coverings include hand-screened papers, foils, flocked papers with textured patterns, and murals. Both textile and paper wallpapers should be installed by professionals.

To determine how much wallpaper to buy, measure the height and width of each wall using a steel tape measure. Round up to the nearest foot. Multiply the height and width of each wall, and then add the figures together to get the rough square footage. How a room is used will help you determine what wall coverings are most suitable. Get a sample or one roll and look at it in the room with your other furnishings or samples.

When it comes to wall-coverings choices, you may want to think outside the box, as they say, and consider new materials as well as traditional materials used in new and different ways. Think about new places to use them, such as decorative tile in the dining room or wood in the bathroom. You might choose an elegant linen or flocked paper for the living room. Either kind of paper texture will add richness to a room.

Wallpaper Removal – A Quick And Easy How-To

2008-05-02T16:05:00.000-07:00

by: D. David Dugan

A word of warning upfront, if you have a wallpaper removal task ahead of you’re your in for a bit of work. Make sure you set aside a considerable amount of time for this project as you may run into tough spots and problem areas that will eat up a lot of time. Removing wallpaper however, while not a fun task, can be done quickly and easily if you are prepared.

First get the room ready. Remove everything from the room that can be removed. This includes furniture and rugs where possible. When the room is emptied cover the floor with a drop cloth in the area you will be working. This will aid in cleanup later.

Now get all of your tools together:

• Goggles
• Mask
• Perforator
• Bucket
• Sponge
• Glue Dissolving Agent
• Blunt Scraper
• Sharp Scraper

Goggles and a mask are on the list first for a good reason. You will have little pieces of who knows how old paper with who know what kind of glue on it flying and dripping all over the place. Wear the goggles and the mask whenever you are doing the least bit of work.

I can’t underestimate the importance of the perforator. They come in a couple styles and sizes. Get the one that is most appropriate to the amount of paper you have to remove. The perforator is pretty simple to use. With a slight amount of pressure you roll it around the wall and it makes little divots into the paper. Be careful not to press to hard as you do not want to dig into the wall itself.

Next is preparing your solution. The commercial products work well, but I’ve had good results with warm water and vinegar. If you are going to use the commercial products, be sure to follow their instructions as to mixture ratios. For the vinegar solution, 1 part vinegar to 4 parts water is sufficient for most glues. Add more vinegar if you are having difficulties.

Ok, so we’re ready to start soaking the walls. Pick a spot, not to large, and get it thoroughly wet with your sponge and solution. Some people like to use a sprayer as well, but I find the sponge and a little pressure works better. Don’t be shy about wetting the wall. Your solution needs to soak through the paper and loosen the glue. You may have to repeat this step depending on your situation.

Now comes the scrapping. Use a blunt scrapper or even a putty knife to start with. You want to avoid nicking or gauging the wall underneath to save the trouble of spackling later on. Use slow even strokes to remove the paper. If it is loose enough it will simply melt off the wall. If not, wet it again. If you continue to have trouble, you may have to switch to the sharp scrapper. Be very careful though, of both your fingers and the wall!

Once all the paper if off, you may have to repeat this process to remove extra paper layers or even a glue layer that may be left behind. You want to get all the way down to the plaster or drywall. Then, spackle any nicks or holes smooth, clean up the mess and paint to suit. Oh, and congratulate yourself on a job well done.

Finding The Right Baby Room Wallpaper

2008-05-02T16:04:00.000-07:00

by: Morgan Hamilton

The moment you realize you are pregnant is an extremely exciting time. Lots of people just run out the very second they learn the news to tell all their friends and relatives about this exciting event. Others tend to rush to the nearest store, straight to the home improvement department and try to get the best possible baby room supplies so that they can have it ready for the new arrival. This includes baby room wallpaper.

It is usually an enjoyable experience to organize and prepare a nursery for your beloved baby. As there is an abundant choice available everywhere for the adorable nursery decors, it may be better to choose the actual baby-room wallpaper before you start getting all the other items for the nursery.

The main reason for suggesting doing the walls first is because the design of the entire baby-room is based on that. Actually the walls and the floor are the most important and the hardest to choose. After that all the rest comes into place in a kind of easy and natural way.

Consider taking your time for those decisions. The choice of baby-room decorations seems to be virtually endless and this makes it even harder. Not to mention that apart from getting something suitable for your baby you also have to like it yourself. Keep in mind that your baby will also have its own taste, being a separate individual and it already becomes a kind of impossible task.

My sister designed her daughter’s nursery around an ocean theme and now only 18 months after that she has to redecorate. Unfortunately my niece did not like the ocean and fish thing and she seems to be really fond of all types of flowers and little princesses instead. However, this seems to be a change coming too soon for me.

No matter what ideas you have for the nursery do not start painting it without spending some more time thinking about what will follow. Have in mind that your child will have its own taste and that this taste will be changing through the years. The idea is to do something timeless, more classic rather than trendy, if you don’t want to renovate the room every two years.

When we got our new house and moved in, we chose to leave the walls as they were in our daughter’s nursery. It was looking very nice with its pinewood paneling and was making quite a cozy place for our daughter to stay. So normally I would never think of getting a baby wallpaper, put in fact I’m pretty much tempted to do that by the enormous selection of styles and colors that are offered.

We quite like the idea of a design that can grow along with our daughter, but in the same time the room really needs a touch of character that we would like to add. As it is now it is closest to what’s being qualified as a study. The light very girly curtains that we chose and the rug with its pastel colors opened the room significantly. However, we think a little baby-room wallpaper can make it even better and give it the complete look of the nursery that we wanted to have.

How To Prepare That Rough Plaster For Wallpaper

2008-05-02T16:03:00.000-07:00

by: Edwin Brown

You've decided to wallpaper those walls, but what to do about that rough texture?

In my experience, you have two basic choices. You can put a liner on the wall first (provided the texture is not TOO rough). This mutes the texture and provides a smooth (relatively) surface to glue paper to.

If you are using the services of a professional paperhanger, you will be paying for the liner and the hanger's time to put it on. On top of the price to hang the paper itself. And a paper with a delicate pattern may still show some of the irregularity.

If you want to save money and prepare the walls yourself, you can smooth them out by skimcoating the surfaces with all-purpose drywall joint compound.

This is do-able, if you have time and patience.

The first thing to do if you choose this option is to prep the surface. Remove any scaling paint, powder, dirt, etc. If you have any water stains, I would seal them by brushing on a stainkiller, preferably oil based.

If you wash down the walls, clean rinse after to remove any soap or cleanser residues.

I usually go over the surface with a study flat tool to knock off the worst of the rough points, if possible. This may help to reduce the number of coats of mud required.

Now you are ready to go. Know that you will have to apply a minimum of two successive coats of all-purpose compound, or more if the texture is pretty rough.

Tools: a ten or twelve inch broadknife and a mud pan. Or, a plasterer's hawk trowel.

There is a proper order to skimcoating, to ease your job as much as possible.

The key here is to make your strokes all go in the same direction as you do each coat. For the first coat, I like to go all horizontally, starting at the top of the wall and working from corner to corner. Then move down and continue until you have reached the bottom.

After that coat dries, start at the top again and this time make your strokes vertical, going from top to bottom. What you are doing now is filling in the ripples that result in the first coat. Let dry.

Third coat if necessary, repeat what you did when you went vertically.

At this point, you may get by with a good sanding to smooth out tool marks. If not, do another coat, varying your stroke directions according to your judgement of what works best. The final step is sanding. Medium grit sanding sponges work well here.

There is another way to do this that may be easier. Lay down your mud in parallel strips. When they dry, fill in the gaps. You could choose to do each coat that way. It will take more days to complete the job this way.

Now that you finally have a smooth surface you can live with, be sure to put a couple of good coats of drywall primer/sealer (PVA) to render the porous surface fit for wallpaper.

You did it! Now that wasn't too bad, was it?

Wallpaper or Painted Mural?

2008-05-02T16:02:00.002-07:00

by: Sarah Miller

Is it time to decorate your new home? Or are you planning to have a major home improvement soon? Are you thinking of how to have your wall finished? Are you considering having wallpaper or painted mural instead?

There a number of ways for you to finish, or refinish, your wall. Wallpaper and painted murals are two of the more popular options now because of their decorative style. Choosing between the two may be difficult as they are both very appealing. There are several factors you also have to consider when making your decision.

Here are some advantages and disadvantages of each to help you decide on which to choose.

Wallpaper

Wallpaper is one of the most widely used materials to finish the walls, not only in residential homes, but even commercial buildings. Most prefer wallpaper over regular paint because of the designs that are available with these wallpapers which you cannot do with a regular paint.

Wallpapers are available in almost all home improvement shops. You can choose from a wide array of designs and patterns. It is also relatively easy to install. You just need to prepare the surface where the wallpaper will be placed, and paste it in.

All wallpapers can be installed in different types of surfaces. Whether you just have a plain wall, brick, paneling or maybe textured walls, you can hang any wallpaper over these walls. There are just some preparations that need to be done.

Make sure that there are no nails and other obstructions that may be sticking out from the wall. If you have a textured surface, try to get rid of any high points. Clean up the wall with a grease-cutting cleanser. After which, you can hang the bridging wallpaper which is a blank one and is designed for irregular surfaces. The actual wallpaper can then be pasted over the bridging material.

Although cool and stylish, wallpaper can be too expensive. If you are deciding on using wallpaper in your home, it is advisable to be consistent all throughout the home. You should apply wallpaper to all walls of your home and it could be costly.

Since wallpaper is a material that you paste over your wall, there is a possibility of it being torn especially when you have kids around. Of course torn wall paper is not a pretty sight. Though it may be resolved by pasting new wallpaper of the same pattern, there might be visible traces which can be an unpleasant view. And once a tear is made on wallpaper there is a big possibility that it will spread and make a wider hole.

Painted Mural

Painted murals on walls are one of the newest additions to your choices of wall finishings. Painted murals make a very good choice especially on children's rooms. They are images, photos and sceneries painted directly on the wall.

If you are an artistic person, this makes a good choice for you since you can do it on your own. This is where you can show off your creativity and imagination to your guests. If you really have the eye and hand of an artist, this will be simple work for you.

You can even trick your guests with painted murals. You can make a painted mural fireplace which can definitely look like a real one if done perfectly. For your living or dining room, perhaps, you can paint an image of a wall painting in a frame with shadows in the background to make a realistic effect.

There are indeed many ideas that you can come up with if you choose painted murals. If you think you are not capable of doing it, you can get help from a friend whom you think can do it or hire a painter to do it for you. It is also a fun and fulfilling work to do.

Another good thing about painted murals is that it’s less expensive than wallpaper. You just have to buy paints of different colors depending on the design you want to do. And it also lasts. Should there be dirt or stains that would be visible, you can easily retouch your work.

A disadvantage to painted murals, though, is if you are not that competent enough on doing it and you think your work is messed up, you have to redo everything again. And it will be a waste of your time, effort and money because you have to buy more paint colors again. And you have to paint the whole wall with a neutral color to start again.

Also, over the years, the paint may look dull even when the image is full of colors. That would mean repainting again and designing again your wall.

Each of the options indeed has its benefits and demerits. You just need to weigh these pros and cons thoroughly to help you make the right choice. Choose the one that you think will give you more benefits and more value in the long run.

Decorate Your Children’s Room With Dora The Explorer Wallpaper

2008-05-02T16:02:00.001-07:00

by: Low Jeremy

Kids who love Dora the explorer want to have her and her monkey displayed on the wallpapers inside their playroom or bedroom. Apparently, they would not just want to see Dora the explorer over the TV, they want her anywhere with them. Dora the explorer wallpapers is one proof that children cannot seem to have enough of Dora.

The manufacturers of Dora only want what most children wants. And that is to have Dora available anywhere where they can see and bring her along with them. Dora the explorer wallpapers is just one of the things that they have created in order to answer to these needs.

There are a lot of children who want to have a complete collection of their favorite cartoon character in the clothes and shoes they wear. Not only that, they also want to see colorful and life-size of Dora displayed in places where they spend most of their time on. This is why a lot of children are asking their parents to buy them Dora the explorer wallpapers.

Dora the explorer wallpapers are something that children can easily identify with. Before going to sleep, they would want to dream about the latest adventure that Dora has been into. Seeing Dora in wallpapers can help them relive some of the episodes that they have seen on TV. Having the wallpapers around can make them identify easily the journeys that Dora have made.

Being children, they are oftentimes picturing themselves in the place of Dora. This is why there are a lot of children who want to have Dora T-shirts. This is one way of being a little more like Dora.

Dora the explorer wallpapers are no different. The most colorful wallpapers are the ones that depict the adventures that Dora have gone through. When children see these wallpapers, they are wondering what the adventure was like and the fun that Dora have encountered. By imagining these things, they are also beginning to enjoy themselves in the thought that they can do the things that Dora can do.

Dora the explorer wallpapers can help develop the imagination of your child. Some of them may become the source of any future plans that your children want. As early as toddlers, children’s imagination should be developed so that they will have a clear understanding on what they want to do with their life.

Having Dora the explorer wallpaper will definitely bring out the imaginativeness and creativity that is present in every child. Through this, they can even grow up to be more Dora. Adventurous and ready to face the challenges that is part of every day life.

It is important that in the process of decorating your children’s room, you have to know what your child likes. If he or she likes Dora the explorer very much, then you can have Dora wallpapers make up the room. The happiness that it can bring to your child will surely make up for all your efforts of finding the right wallpaper and the process of putting it on as a decoration.

So the next time your child for Dora the explorer souvenirs, go out on your way to find them Dora the explorer wallpapers for their rooms. See how delighted they will be once the wallpaper have already been set up.

Rediscovering Wallpaper

2008-05-02T16:01:00.001-07:00

by: Heather Larson

Throughout the 1990’s painting was the trend for all rooms in a home. However, since the turn of the century, wallpaper has been making quite a comeback in popularity. Once again you are seeing it grace the walls of powder rooms, full bathrooms, dining rooms and kitchens. It is a nice trend to see. Rooms that accent the house with wallpaper add new dimension, interest and texture to an otherwise predictably painted environment. If you are in the design phase of home building project, you should give wallpaper some serious consideration. As with many home improvement products, more designs are available to the general public now than ever before.

Powder Room:

One terrific place to use wallpaper as an accent in your home is the powder room. This usually small space is perfect for making an impression on your guests. It is also a very limited way to reintroduce wallpaper into your life, but still be able to enjoy an interior design statement which makes your home unique. Don’t be afraid to select dark or textured wallpapers for the powder room. Even though it is small, drama is what you are after here, or you would just be painting it the color of the rest of the house. Darkness and textures deliver drama.

Master Bath:

Wallpaper is also making a comeback in the master as well as other bathrooms of the home. Remember the days when each room of a house might have a different colored carpet? One great thing about wallpaper in a bathroom is that it allows each member of the family to express their own tastes while allowing the other elements, like carpet and trim color, maintain the home’s continuity.

Dining Room:

Wallpaper in the dining room is an excellent way to make it known that you have excellent tastes in interior design. How many houses have you been into today that have a living room right across the entrance from the dining room? It is usually the large table and chairs that gives away which one the dining rooms is, but if it weren’t for that, who would know? Wallpaper is a great solution for rooms that lack personality. However, if you are tempted to buy the fabric that matches the wallpaper, then you have gone too far. There are too many beautiful fabrics just waiting on the bolt for you to coordinate with your new wallpaper to create an intensely interesting room. Considering wallpaper in your dining room is a wonderful idea, and you will make a room so unique in your home that your relatives will remember in which room they spent the holidays.

Kitchen:

Kitchens are another great place to accent with wallpaper. Like the powder room, the kitchen is an excellent place to experiment and reintroduce wallpaper back into your life. In this room, the cabinets and tile backsplash take up so much of the wall that you are left with a minimum amount of space for any finish material. Wallpaper is also a fairly easy surface to clean in the kitchen, which has become the hearth of the home in today’s designs.

Care with Selection:

Tasteful selection is the key here. In this writer’s opinion, you should stay away from anything at which you could look and think, “How dated will this look in five years, in ten years?” If you are wondering what would fit into this category, think about extremely oversized floral prints, overly bright colors and old style metallic papers. If you even have the slightest feeling that a paper would become outdated, then do not select it. Instead, for example, look for natural fibers, like silk and woven papers such as the newer grass cloths. Spend some time looking at top of the line wallpapers and then depending on your budget, locate something that is most similar to the more expensive papers. Since wallpaper can be used as an accent, paying a bit more for luxurious wallpaper is a very controlled way to do something special in your home.

Installation:

Finally, if you live in a home that was constructed with all textured and painted walls, it requires a bit of an effort to retro-fit any room with wallpaper. Of all of the do it yourself jobs, that would be an excellent time to leave it to a professional. Call a drywall company and inquire about the process it takes to prepare textured sheetrock for papering. The good news is that there are some very heavy gauge papers on the market that can be applied over a very lightly textured wall. If you are designing a home or have bought one early on in the construction phase, let the architect and builder know that you have plans for wallpaper in certain rooms. That way they can have their drywall people prepare the walls accordingly.

Enjoy the process of rediscovering wallpaper. It can be a beautiful addition to any décor and give a home, which lacks personality, an interior designer look.

Cricket Wallpaper: Revive Those Golden Moments

2008-05-02T16:00:00.000-07:00

by: Ella Wilson

We witness things in our life and the only things that remain in our memories are the ones which make a lasting impression in our mind. Now every person likes different things and you will find that things which seem trivial to you are the most memorable ones for another person. So if you happen to be a cricket fan, different elements involved with the game can remain imprinted in your memory for ever. The world cup that was held this year in the West Indies, many events were memorable and at the same time there were some events that one would like to forget very soon. For Bangladeshi and Irish fans their team’s performance in the event where they knocked out favorites India and Pakistan out of the tournament will rank as the most memorable moments. Pakistani and Indian fans on the other hand would like to forget this very soon and they will surely not like to be reminded about this again and again. Cricket wallpapers are the perfect source for you to imprint all those memorable things in your mind.

Cricket wallpaper is an innovative means that can be used for treasuring wonderful memories, no matter how old they might be. There are some sites on the web, where you can find wallpaper of all those classic matches that you could not watch due to some reason or the other. It is said that a picture speaks a thousand words, and cricket wallpaper perfectly fits in to this particular saying. Many people missed out seeing Irfan Pathan’s hatrick against Pakistan, who would have thought that three of their players will get out with the score reading 0. I was among all those unfortunate people who missed out on seeing the live action. This is one moment that I regret missing the most among a few matches that I missed out on. I try not to miss out on anything, but sometimes event the best laid plans go wrong. Man proposes and God truly disposes!

There is this cricket site that I came across recently and the best feature was the cricket wallpaper that they had put up there. Some cricket wallpaper had animation with remarks, while some had memorable on field and off field moments captured. The best cricket wallpaper for me was the picture that depicted Irfan’s hatrick effort in a single wallpaper. The picture had four different images, three images were of Irfan taking the three wickets and the third image was his teammates celebrating this special occasion with him.

Cricket wallpaper does not mean that you can put them just in the desktop of your personal computers or mobile phones. If you like the picture just too much, you can get a print out of the picture, frame it and put it in your bedroom, in your cupboard or locker. You can very easily find all the cricket wallpaper that you are looking for. All you need to do is be sure that you know where you will find all those wonderful and amazing cricket wallpaper.

Wallpapering The Right Way - Part 1

2008-05-02T15:58:00.000-07:00

by: Johan Nickson

Everyone knows how to wallpaper, so it would seem. It is easy to do a bad job, but there’s more to getting the perfect finish than most people think.

The first, and often the most difficult, wallpapering problem are choosing the paper. Nevertheless, before you do anything else, estimate the number of rolls you will need. If anything it is better to over estimate – retailers will usually accept back an unused roll providing it is in good condition. However, cost in relation to quantity is often the overriding factor when it comes to making a choice.

Apart from cost, colour, texture and pattern are the main considerations. The wrong wallpaper can ruin a room; the right one can produce dramatic improvements in its appearance.

Colour:

Very bright, cheerful colours are best for kitchens and workrooms where you are unlikely to spend time sitting back and relaxing, but where it is nice to have a lively atmosphere. Warm and soft tones are good in living rooms where they act more as a backdrop to furnishings. Similarly, bedroom décor should be conducive to sleep. If you have a small or dark room, try a light colour to make the room feel more spacious. The same principle applies for a large room – dark colours will make it look smaller.

Texture:

Textured wallpapers have again become very popular. Some are plain and designed to be painted with emulsion, others are already tinted. They are useful for hanging on walls in poor condition as their texture often covers up imperfections. Naturally textured wall hangings like Hessian and cork tend to be expensive buy are anyway best used in moderation – such as on a feature wall. They make a particularly effective background for houseplants.

Pattern:

Patterned papers usually have a dominant colour with one or perhaps two sympathetic colours or tones included to make up the pattern. Pick out one colour that is already in the room – the carpet for instance – and match it to the colour in the wallpaper. To give an illusion of height is a low room, use vertical stripes. To give the illusion of length, use horizontal stripes. However, if the doors or walls are at all out of true, use a small dense pattern to disguise this.

Types of paper

Not all papers are suitable for all rooms or surfaces. Consider the following points before making your decision.

Uneven surfaces: Hang a lining paper first in horizontal strips (at right angles to the wallpaper). Lining paper comes in various weights but you may as well get the thicker 600 and 800 grades, which are easier to hang.

Condensation: Where there is likely to be condensation, such as in a bathroom or kitchen, use vinyl or washable paper. Vinyl’s are made from PVC with a paper backing and can be wiped with a damp sponge. Washables are resin coated and can be scrubbed.

Heat-reflective papers: These are designed to cut down heat loss through the walls – and hence save energy. They may also reduce condensation. Hang as conventional papers.

Painting: Hang a lining paper vertically before painting a wall. For a textured surface, there are any amount of woodchip or embossed papers which are designed to be painted.

Car Wallpaper Enthusiasts

2008-05-02T15:56:00.000-07:00

by: Brad Miller

Car Enthusiasts - Rev up your desktops

Take a look at any of your average desktops. They are usually pretty plain and bland. Usually, it still has the default theme and wallpaper and looks just like the million other or so desktops out there.

Now there are a couple of things that you can do to spruce up your desktop and make it a bit more exciting. You can easily look online and find some good quality sites that would provide you with quality wallpaper, and desktops. Some even have themes for you to utilize as well.

Some of the most stunning wallpaper photos and backgrounds out there have to be those related to cars. Those car wallpaper graphics are so stunning that they literally seem to make the car jump off the screen.

Being a car enthusiast myself, I always try to get the most updated car wallpaper that I can. I just enjoy the look and feel of a brand new exotic car on my desktop. I might not be able to financially afford it, but I can easily revel in its beauty on a daily basis. You too can enjoy this feeling.

There are all sorts of different car wallpapers that you can find. They have created some on exotic cars, muscle cars and my favorite vintage cars. Car wallpapers are usually not that hard to find, but quality car wallpaper is.

By doing a search on Google you can usually find what it is you are looking for, whether it's a Shelby Mustang or even a Citroen. Whatever it is, just type in the name and style of the car followed by wallpaper and you should be able to find the right car wallpaper.

Once you have found the right one, there should be some dimension options for you to select. These dimensions are based on your monitor size so choose wisely. If you choose the wrong one, you will have a pixilated version of the wallpaper that will not look very good. It will look very distorted.

It doesn't take much to change your wallpaper. Just a couple of clicks of the mouse and you are done. The easiest way to change your wallpaper on a windows based computer is to right click on your desktop and select properties. Next, select the desktop tab and click on the browse button. Now, you just need to find the image that you downloaded and select that as your desktop. Press ok, and you should have your exciting new car wallpaper staring back at you.

If you choose the right one, you should feel an instant sense of gratification. Sometimes I even use it as motivation. I take a look at the exotic car and I just imagine what it would like to own it and to drive it. I can practically smell the motor oil already.

If you want to look through a pretty good selection of quality car wallpapers or car photos, you can take a look here at: http://www.exoticcarsite.com

Wallpaper Love

2008-04-08T20:55:00.000-07:00

Wallpaper Love

wallpaper love is picture showing content inside heart. beggining from eyes, below to heart.