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Home Decorating Design Dilemma

Overwhelmed - Wallpaper Choice Help PLEASE

3 years ago

HI there,

Our laundry room is a long neglected space and I'm thinking I might take it on during these awful, long winter months to make it (and me...lol) less depressing. I'd like to wallpaper in there to freshen and brighten the space, but I'm getting overwhelmed/stuck when looking at all the wallpaper options. It's so easy to get distracted by all the gorgeous choices to narrow down to what would work well in this particular space.

Any good wallpaper pickers out there, who can lend their eyes/expertise?

I'd like something with a (small?) pattern, white background (to brighten the space) -- Our house is updated traditional in style, but I don't want to pick anything that will quickly look dated or out of style. What wallpaper would you choose for the space?

More details to consider:

1) It's a pretty large space for a laundry room, one side laundry, the other side is storage that I use for pantry items/CostCo overflow, etc. So essentially 3 walls will get wallpaper (the other side has cabinets).

2) There are no windows and has a drop ceiling with fluorescent lights (ugh). I don't think I can get rid of the drop ceiling unfortunately (we've had to use it to access gas lines and some other things in the past).

3) Husband has mad tiling skills so we're going to take up the linoleum and tile the floor - slate to match what we put down in our mudroom.

4) I have purchased new shelving to put elsewhere to better store toilet paper/paper towels so they will not be stacked up in the corner this way,

Here's the space (I didn't pick the green, it was like this when we moved in):

The slate floor will look like this:

I'm so overwhelmed with all the choices....what would you pick to put in this space? Please help!

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!

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Comments (14)

Carolae
3 years ago
I’d do a wallpaper with blue in it, since you are doing a slate floor. What other colors do you like? How bold do you want to go? Here are a couple of ideas from Spoonflower.
apple_pie_order
3 years ago
Do you have any prints on pillows? There are lots of updated traditional wallpapers that will look fresh with today's popular colors for at least a few years. Some wallpaper designs have been in production for decades in various colorways.
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I really like it! I'm seriously considering adding wallpaper to our powder room, which is nuts after what I went through to get it down :) You mentioned it is an old house, have you checked your heights along this hallway to make sure they are fairly even? As an older house owner, I know I have a few spots that aren't completely level. I wouldn't want a repeat pattern to look wonky after I spent so much on fantastic paper.
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Not everyone can afford "mistakes"! You can only have so many stars in a room, or all will beg for attention . If you love your flooring, faucet , mirror and light!? Paint the walls a glossy deep gray! Go buy some oversized / peony art for the wall! There are MANY ways to make a beautiful powder room, and infinite ways to combine too many elements taken out of their context....... And cry real $$$$.
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@palimpsest I agree, but the openings on either side of the fireplace lead through to the dining room on the other side. The side that is being blocked by the Christmas tree in the first photo has a built in cabinet with counter and book case that separates two rooms, but the right side if the fireplace can be passed through (although just the dogs do, we dont walk through it). There is a bedroom upstairs on the other side of the fireplace wall. I’ve seen a house on my street where they closed off the rooms completely from each other, but I don’t think that’s something I want to do here. Here is the reverse side of the fireplace wall (seen from our living room) - it is usually the dining room, but it is currently filled with stuff bc of the kitchen and floor work going on. There is a central courtyard that the dining room opens up onto, so I like the light that it lets through.. the room I’m putting the panels in faces north and the roof extends over the front patio area, so it’s quite dark. Especially since we haven’t added lights yet in there!
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Help me pick a wallpaper for my powder room!
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I will disagree with Jan. Doing one wall in paper can turn out nicely and allow for a busier paper than would otherwise be comfortable, especially in a small space. I have hung wallpaper in many rooms myself including those I've pasted and those that were prepasted, but I've never done peel and stick. I'm not sure how it would work as, part of hanging paper, is being able to slide it so that you can get the seams to line up perfectly so they don't show. With it sticking on contact, I would think that would make it much harder. If you do decide to paper yourself, make sure you book the paper (folding each strip glue side to glue side and letting it rest). Also I've found that the fuzzy part of a paint roller, not in the handle, is a great smoothing tool...it allows you to apply enough pressure without scratching the paper at all. And absolutely prep the walls before hand or you will hate yourself when you decide to remove it.
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edwmom
Original Author
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
I was thinking blue too...

Unfortunately the first two patterns are way too wild for me (and wouldn't fit with the more traditional style of my house). The 3rd would be ok with a white background and blue pattern (not other colors)...
PRO
Sabrina Alfin Interiors
3 years ago
If your house is traditional, how about going for a classic toile or botanical pattern? Schumacher has many beautiful options. Here are a few I like:

https://fschumacher.com/5007533

https://fschumacher.com/5006911

https://fschumacher.com/5007523

https://fschumacher.com/5007493
edwmom thanked Sabrina Alfin Interiors
Carolae
3 years ago
Perhaps a tile look?
edwmom thanked Carolae
PRO
BeverlyFLADeziner
3 years ago
Change out the fluorescent bulbs to LED bulbs in your fixtures. They make the same shape bulbs in LED so you can improve the quality of lighting in your room.

I would consider a peel and stick removable wallpaper to aid in installation and removal in case you get tired of it. This pattern is fresh and clean and available at Lowes.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/NuWallpaper-NuWallpaper-30-75-sq-ft-Multiple-colors-finishes-Vinyl-Abstract-Self-Adhesive-Peel-and-Stick-Wallpaper/1001154080
edwmom thanked BeverlyFLADeziner
edwmom
Original Author
3 years ago
Hi Sabrina,

Thanks for your response. I like the leaf and bamboo options. I've been hesitant to pick something like that in this space because I was afraid there wasn't enough white space and it would ultimately end up making the space as dark as it is now. Am I overthinking it? Should I not be concerned with that?
edwmom
Original Author
3 years ago
HI Carolae,

Thanks very much for your ideas!

Unfortunately those are a little too busy for what I have in mind. I'd like a simpler more classic pattern in no more than 2 colors (like white & blue)....
PRO
Sabrina Alfin Interiors
3 years ago
@edwmom I don't think it will be a problem, given your cabinets and washer/dryer are white.
flygirl519
3 years ago
have you considered removing the fluorescents, putting a ceiling tile back in , and installing pot lights throughout the ceiling in LED. We did this in our basement and it is quite bright and pretty easy to do as you already have power to those fixtures. @BeverlyFLADeziner I really like that wallpaper from Lowes. Nice and bright
Keepthefaith MIGirl
3 years ago
if you like this, and you want blue and white, you can find more pictures at lily pad cottage. com She's a blogger with a lakehouse full of a lot of blue and white
Carolae
3 years ago
More ideas
Carolae
3 years ago
Perhaps these are too bold for you, but I’m having fun looking :)
shirlpp
3 years ago
Wallpaper is very, very subjective. What you like, I don't like and vice versa. It can be overwhelming and take a looonnnnnggg time to choose! Good Luck!

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