Candice Olsen has made a reputation for herself of being one of the most talented interior designers in the country.  She has her own show on HGTV called Candice Tells All (premiered in 2011) and she is a regular judge on a show called HGTV Design Star.

She is Canadian and lives with her husband Jurij Sennecke and their two kids in Toronto.

Recently she has begun her own York Designer Series and she has some fantastic fine wallpapers on there. I suggest that you check them out here and you can view some of her popular samples here.

Various seminars, like “How To Hang Wallpaper” were also featured during the five-day event. Many gifts, including free wallpaper, were given out to the various individuals who attended.

Additionally, to kickoff this event York Wallcoverings offered a 50% discount on all wallpaper and wallpaper borders, labeling it “Everyday Value Pricing.”

Out of all the wallpaper we sell textured brick wallpaper is the most popular. It has been our biggest sellers for over ten years now.  Many people are surprised when we tell this to them but many restaurant owners, pubs and people redecorating their man cave/ basement love this type of wallpaper.

There is a huge difference between flat and textured wallpaper.  You do not see much of a difference from online pictures but when it is hanging on your wall it is extremely noticeable. Textured wallpaper, especially brick patterns, look close to the real thing. Flat wallpaper does not.

This wallpaper became unavailable approximately six years ago.  The manufacturer went bankrupt and we were unable to get a supply of this stuff for a long time.

You might be wondering why a wallpaper that is so popular be made by only one person?

Its manufacture is banned in the United States.  A gas that is deemed hazardous is emitted when you are making textured wall covering and the EPA thinks that it is too risky to put American workers at risk.

Once it is made it is 100% safe and posses no threat but it has to be made in another country.

This year one of our manufacturers picked it up. I was approached by a representative from York Wallcovering telling me that they were making it and would be available to my customers.

Getting rid of old or damaged wallpaper can dramatically change the look of an area and the following article is meant to explain how you can do this the easiest way possible.

Prime The Wall

Take a piece of sandpaper and smooth out the wall.  Make sure you sand out all the rough edges and any bubbles that might be present in the wall.

Take wallpaper primer and coat the wall with it. Use a small foam roller and a foam roller tray to accomplish this. You might want to have a tarp on the floor in case some of it might spill on the ground.

Measure The Strips

Take the wallpaper roll and measure how long the wallpaper strips will have to be.  Go over the length that you think you will need by several inches.  Remember you can always cut the excess paper off later but you want to avoid having a strip that is too short.

Add Glue

Take some wallpaper glue or adhesive and add it to the back of the wallpaper.  Do not add the adhesive to the actual wall, as this will cause air bubbles to form.  Make sure you do not add too much glue, instead adding a thin coat onto the paper.

These days, many types of wallpaper come pre-glued.  All you have to do to make the back of the wallpaper sticky with a damp washcloth.  Just be certain not to douse the back of the wallpaper with too much water.  You only need a little moisture for the glue on the back to activate and make the paper stick to the wall.

Place the strips on the wall. Do not overlap the strips but instead place them side by side each other.   Smooth the wallpaper strips out with your hand.

Seam Roller

Many people make the mistake of using the seam roller prematurely. It is a bad idea to use the seam roller when the wallpaper glue is still wet.  You end up rolling out the entire adhesive and then the paper does not stick to the wall like it should.

Instead, wait a little while until the wallpaper has become tacky and then use the seam roller to get it perfectly how you like it. Seam rollers are great for getting the wallpaper to look smooth and neat like you want it.

Finally, the job is done.  Your new room has new wallpaper on it and it looks brand new. Congradulations!  Now go pour yourself a glass of wine.

The color and patterns on the walls can really change the look of any room. By changing the color, you can make a dark room seem like it is filled with light. You can also make a small room suddenly appear larger, by lightening the walls. When deciding how you would like your house to look, you want to pay special attention and pick the correct wallpaper or paint.

Installation

If your walls have never had wallpaper, then it can be easier to install wallpaper because you won’t have to remove anything from the walls. However, if your walls already have wall paper, then it can be very difficult and long to remove this paper. You can use a variety of tools or other equipment to take the wallpaper off; however, if this process is not completed by a professional, it can really damage the walls. This can be very important when installing wallpaper, because eventually the wallpaper will need to be replaced.

Preparation Time

All walls need to be prepped, whether you paint or use wallpaper. However, contractors believe that painting does not need as much preparation time as wall paper. Also, if during the preparation process, you notice that the wall is somewhat damaged, it can be easily fixed if you are painting the wall. If you use wall paper, then the process of repairing a damaged wall and putting on the new wallpaper can take a while.

Creating a Modern Look

You will find a variety of nice wallpaper and paints, as long as you are patient and look around. Currently, wallpaper comes in not only paper, but also vinyl, which can be very durable. However, many people believe that if you purchase even the nicest wallpaper, it can become outdated fairly quickly. When the wallpaper becomes outdated, you will either have to remove it, which is a long, arduous task, or you will have to live with the outdated look.

Durability

Both paint and wallpaper are very durable as long as you are careful not to bump the walls. If you choose high quality paint and wallpaper, your walls will withstand children and other forms of traffic. Although both are very durable, wallpaper tends to be more expensive than paint to purchase and install. Also, wall paper can be less effective in bathrooms and kitchens because of the high moisture in these areas. The water from the shower and also from the faucet and appliances in the kitchen can damage the wallpaper, causing it to peal.

If you are looking to create a new look, then wallpaper and paint can transform a room. Look into your options closely and make the appropriate decision, taking into account your taste and budget.

Step 1

Your first goal is to have a primed and sealed wall that is free of blemishes. To do this you will need two items, sheet rock mud and Shellac. Skim the wall with the sheet rock mud to get a smooth finish. You can also use sandpaper if you notice a lot of bumps or rough edges.

Next, take some Shellac (old fashioned but still a good choice) and dilute it with 50lcohol. Rub it on your wall. It will soak into the surface and harden the wall making it perfect for new wallpaper.

Many people use Latex to prime their walls these days. The problem with Latex is that it just dries on the surface of the wall and does not soak into it causing a hardened finish. Shellac is by far the best option as a wall primer though it seems that people have stopped using it in the past ten years.

Step 2

Measure your wall to see how tall your wallpaper sheets will have to be. Whatever the exact measurement is, make your wallpaper strip two inches taller so that you have ample room to play with.

Most wallpaper sold these days come pre-glued. You need to dip the rolls in water ( you can use a bucket or your bathtub). After the entire sheet is wet you can hang it up. It should stick to the wall quite nicely.

Start hanging up the wall in an inconspicuous place or a corner where few people will be able to see it. When you wrap around the room to the place where you started there will be a mismatch. There is no way of getting around it. It’s much better that the mismatch happen where nobody will see it.

Step 3

You want to get your wallpaper clean. Take an old t-shirt, wet it and wipe off the wallpaper as you hang it up to clean up the small residue adhesive. Failure to do this may leave your wallpaper with a hazy and dry look.

There might be a few air bubbles in the wallpaper 5-10 minutes after you hang it up. This is because the paper is relaxing and expanding causing air pockets to form. Use a seam roller to iron out the air bubbles. Metal ones are the best and should leave your walls looking very smooth with a nice finish.

This wallpaper is great for any boy who has a love of aviation or planes.

If you have a boy who has a love for airplanes or has any kind of interest in flying then this particular wallpaper is perfect for him. This particular style has everything a young child would like, floatplanes, airplanes and helicopters. He’s going to love it!

First and foremost is to assess the working conditions. Find out whether behind the wallpaper the walls are either drywall or plaster. Drywall is layered, smooth, and hollow were plaster is harder and not hollow.

The importance of knowing what material is behind the wallpaper is substantial because water damage and gouges happen more with drywall than plaster. By removing a small corner of wallpaper with a putty knife and peeling back can show which material your walls are or by taking a light socket cover off will show whether you have drywall or plaster walls.

Using a putty knife, by peeling back a corner of wallpaper slowly or dry stripping will gauge what conditions your working with in regards to the wallpaper. Some maybe in luck to find the wallpaper easily comes right off. However, the decorative layer make come off leaving a foil or adhesive layer. Next step is knowing if the adhesive layer is porous or not. This is important because if the adhesive layer isn’t porous you will need to roughen the adhesive layer before getting it wet so water will be absorbed making it possible to remove the adhesive layer. To find out if the adhesive layer is porous spray a small amount of water on it and see if the water is absorbed meaning it is porous. If no absorption happens, the layer is not porous and will need to be made porous using sandpaper.

To get started, make sure you have all the tools needed such as, a drop cloth or towels to lay to catch any water or wallpaper,spray bottle and warm water or wallpaper removing solvent,sandpaper for roughening any adhesive layers, and a garbage can for old wallpaper. If conditions permit for dry stripping, start at an angle and remove slowly. If small amounts of adhesive layering are left, roughen with sandpaper and remove by spraying solvent or warm water, let set and then remove with putty knife. Make sure to let the solvent or warm water soak long enough, because you don’t want to have to put too much force into remove the adhesive layer that may cause gouges in the wall. If quite a bit of the adhesive layering is left from dry stripping,you may potentially be able to just put new wallpaper right over it.

If conditions call for spraying solvent or warm water to remove all of the wallpaper, only spray in the area the you will be immediately working with. By doing this you’re not letting any moisture sit for any substantial amount of time avoiding possible water damage to drywall or plaster.

One tool that makes removing wallpaper less time consuming andough works great for multiple layers of wallpaper is a steamer. The steamer works by putting water into the device that heats and creates steam the travels thr a hose and released through an attachment that lays flat on the wallpaper. The steamer does get fairly hot and has a higher risk of causing water damage than the spray method.

Creating Your Individual Look with Designer Wallpaper

Designers are making great headway by producing wallpaper ranges that allow us to create a particular theme for our homes.

Take the ‘green’ theme for example. Actually it’s more than a theme: going green is about becoming more aware of our impact on the planet, and where an interior design theme is concerned, it is about reflecting our concern for our surroundings and their sustainability, as well as creating a green, harmonious and relaxing atmosphere.

Gathering Your Elements for a Green Interior Design Theme

Elements that can be found in the best designer wallcovering ranges and that fit this green them perfectly are those for sand, leaves, grasses, glass and cork.  You can make a great

- Stepladder
- Level
- Utility Knife or Box Cutter
- Sponge
- Bucket
- Water Tray
- Wallpaper Border
- Towel
- Primer/Sizer

You will need a dry, flat space to cut or paste on and patience! This project takes time and needs to be done properly the first time around. Please look through the instructions before you get started.

Preparation

The first step to preparing your wall is to clean it. Wash your walls with warm, soapy water to free them from dust.

Now you need to prime your walls. To do this, you must choose your primer/sizer. Acrylic or oil-based primer is recommended. The type you purchase will depend on the color of your walls.

It is important that you wait to prime your wall until you are within 24-48 hours of putting up your border. The primer will then be slightly tacky, which helps adhere the border to the wall.

Getting Started

1. Take the label off of the roll and set aside.
2. Reverse roll the border.
3. Fill the water tray with lukewarm water.
4. Submerge the border into the water for 30 seconds.
5. At 10 seconds, starting unrolling the border out of the water.
6. Stick the border that is out of the water to itself. This is called Booking.
7. Book the border until half of the border has been booked.
8. Book the other half of the border so that the ends meet in the middle.
9. Let sit for 3-5 minutes.

Now undo the end of the border and start placing the border at the desired starting place (i.e. the door frame, middle of the entryway). Smooth the border with a damp sponge lightly, using the sponge to wipe away excess paste.

When you are finished, make sure you like the way the border looks. If the border is level, there are no bubbles and it looks pleasing, it is time to move on. You will then need to prepare your second piece of border. You may have to cut the border, so that the ends match. Continue hanging the border as you did before. That’s it! You are finished.