How do I Choose the Best Wallpaper Border?

Choosing the best wallpaper border often means taking the time with your decision to choose something that is up to date, yet not so trendy that it will become dated before you want to redecorate. Especially if you plan on having the border up for many years, you should think of its appearance to future home buyers. Even small changes and quick fixes such as borders can affect how fast your house will sell. Coordinating a wallpaper border with not only your home's decor but the colors and textures of the walls is crucial.

If the wall you're planning on papering isn't smoothly finished or is crooked, these flaws are likely to be enhanced by a wallpaper border. You may be better off using a textured approach to this type of wall and save borders to accent neatly constructed, smooth interior walls. When thinking about different wallpaper design borders, examine the wall to decide where the border should be placed.

Most wallpaper borders end up getting placed on walls either just below the ceiling or near the wall's middle, where chair rail molding would go. Think about what furniture will be placed near this wall, as it can affect the overall look. Pictures and wall hangings should be enhanced by a wallpaper border rather than compete with it for the eye's attention.

In the same way that chair rail molding placed near the center of a wall can be the divider between two different colors, patterns or textures, a wallpaper border can accomplish the same thing. If you have a large wall that makes your living space rather plain, you may want to consider adding several different materials to it to create interest. For example, along with a borderline of wallpaper somewhere in the wall's horizontal center, for the top and bottom portions you could consider materials such as wood baseboard or beadboard, textured or faux paint techniques or even mirror.

For a kitchen wallpaper border, find one that's easy to keep clean by being wiped with a damp cloth. You may want to run a border from the center edge of your stove backsplash area around the kitchen walls. The design and colors should accent your kitchen and coordinate with your backsplash, cabinets, counter tops and even the floor. Not only for kitchens, a simple, colorful border of easy to remove wallpaper is the best choice for a child's room, as it's easy to take down when it's time to change the room into preteen or teen decor.