Wall Coverings: Paint, Wallpaper or Panelling?

Choosing the Right Wall Finish for Your Home

Wall coverings have changed enormously over the years. We now have everything from traditional paint and wallpaper to VJ panelling, timber battens, textured finishes and decorative feature panels.

I love that we have so much choice, but before making a dramatic change I think there are two questions worth asking:

Will I still love my wall coverings in a few years?

And:

How difficult will it be to change if I decide to sell?

That doesn't mean your home has to be bland. While you're living there, it should absolutely reflect your personality. But some wall treatments are much easier and less expensive to change than others.

1. Paint - Still the Simplest Option

Paint remains one of the easiest ways to completely change a room.

Colour can make a room feel lighter, darker, warmer, cooler, larger or more intimate without changing anything structural.

It's also relatively easy to change again.

That's one of the reasons I like paint when homeowners want to experiment. If you decide that dramatic charcoal wall wasn't quite the brilliant idea you thought it was, you can repaint it.

When you're preparing a property for sale, paint can also be one of the most cost-effective ways to freshen a tired interior.

2. Wallpaper Can Add Real Personality

Wallpaper can introduce pattern, colour and texture in a way that ordinary paint simply can't.

Used well, it can make a fantastic feature.

The choices available now are enormous, from very subtle textured papers through to oversized botanical designs, geometrics and dramatic murals.

The issue is that wallpaper is much more personal.

You may absolutely love a particular pattern while the next owner immediately starts calculating how difficult it will be to remove.

That doesn't mean don't use it. It simply means I'd think carefully about where you use it and how dominant it will be.

3. Wall Panelling Can Add Character

Panelling has made a huge comeback, and I'm not surprised.

VJ boards, half-wall panelling, decorative mouldings, timber battens and other architectural wall treatments can add depth and character to a room that would otherwise feel quite plain.

They can work particularly well when the style suits the architecture of the property.

That's the important part.

I would be cautious about adding a very strong architectural feature simply because it's currently fashionable if it doesn't suit the home itself.

Trends change.

4. Textured Wall Finishes

Textured plaster, rendered finishes and other decorative coatings can create a beautiful result, particularly in contemporary homes.

They add interest without necessarily introducing a strong pattern or colour.

But unlike repainting a wall, some textured finishes aren't particularly easy to reverse.

Before committing, I'd consider whether you're happy to live with the finish for quite a long time.

5. Think About the Whole Home

One mistake I see with feature walls and wall coverings is treating each room separately.

A beautiful wallpaper might look fantastic in isolation, but does it work with the flooring, cabinetry, furniture and adjoining rooms?

The same applies to timber panelling or a strong paint colour.

I prefer a home to have some continuity rather than feeling as though every room belongs to a completely different property.

6. Think About Maintenance Too

Looks aren't the only consideration.

Some finishes are easier to clean than others. Timber products may require maintenance. Wallpaper can be problematic in areas with moisture if the wrong product is used. Highly textured surfaces can also collect dust and be more difficult to clean.

Where you're putting the wall covering matters just as much as what it looks like.

What Happens When You Eventually Sell?

This is where I look at wall coverings from a real estate perspective.

If you're planning to stay in your home for many years, I think you should enjoy it. If you've always wanted that incredible wallpaper or dramatic wall treatment, there's a good argument for doing it.

But if you're likely to sell in the foreseeable future, I'd think about how buyers might respond.

A very distinctive wall treatment can be a selling feature for one buyer and an immediate objection for another.

When preparing a property for sale, my preference is generally to reduce unnecessary buyer objections rather than create new ones.

That doesn't mean everything needs to be white and boring. It means understanding the difference between adding character and creating something so specific to your own taste that buyers struggle to see past it.

Make Your Home Yours

Ultimately, while you're living in your home, it should feel like your home.

Use colour. Add texture. Put up the wallpaper you love. Introduce panelling if it suits the property.

Just think about how permanent the change is before you start.

Paint can be changed relatively easily. Some wallpapers take considerably more effort. Architectural panelling and textured finishes can be a much bigger commitment.

And when the time eventually comes to sell, look at those choices again through a buyer's eyes.

Sometimes the feature you've loved for years will help make your home memorable.

Sometimes a tin of paint before photography will be the better decision.