Putting up wallpaper is not nearly as simple as painting a wall.
Just a quick online search for "do-it-yourself" wallpapering brings up instructions and lists that can be intimidating.
And that's before someone actually gets down to work.
The angles, corners and little idiosyncrasies of the space become much more complex when there are rolls of paper involved and patterns that need to match up.
"No rooms are perfect," says professional wallpaper installer Lorita Herring.
Imperfection means careful measuring before wallpapering. But, Herring says, that's fairly simple to do. There are instructions on the internet, and home improvement stores can give advice.
Problems come when people use the wrong paste or try to do it without paste at all.
"They read those instructions that just say put it in water and put it on the wall," Herring says "That won't work. You have to add paste to it."
There also are steps like priming or sizing the walls -- which doesn't mean measuring. That means applying a substance that makes it easier to put up the paper. But that depends on the type of wall (plaster or Sheetrock) and whether the wall has already been painted or papered.
Once it's time to hang the paper, Herring says, use plenty of paste and have a level.
"If your paper is level, your paper will match up perfectly."
Even if people plan to wallpaper on their own, Little Rock designer Krista Lewis recommends bringing in a professional for consultation. The professional can advise on how much paper to buy or can point out that a particular pattern won't work in the desired space.
"They will look at your walls and say, 'They're already primed, they're already painted, so you can apply the paper directly over this,'" Lewis says. "Or if there's existing wallpaper, they can say, 'The wallpaper that's up is in good condition so you don't have to take it down.'"
And, since this is a very precise process, Herring has one big piece of advice:
"Be patient."
-- Jennifer Nixon
HomeStyle on 07/02/2016