The wallpaper trend dusted itself off and established its influence on a new generation. Modern prints, attractive color pairings and material elements incorporate updates for today’s taste.

Any application questions led us to JL Sears, a Foundary buyer. JL has an eye for remodeling and the know-how to back his claims. As our resident renovator and mid-century design enthusiast, we turned to him for advice.

While hunting for the perfect print, we’ve seen vendors mark a standard 56-square-foot roll anywhere from $19/roll to $300/roll. Are we paying for quality or for the brand name?
A little of both. There are some well-known wallpaper brands that target high-end design (and high-end wallets). Many of these new mod wallpaper companies offer products manufactured in the USA and are often screen-printed by hand. With any American-made handcrafted product, you can usually expect to pay a premium.

JL tell the truth, should amateurs hire a professional?
For $19/roll – you can do it yourself. For $300/roll – call a professional. I even flew my mom to California one time for 3 days to help me. It was cheaper than hiring someone to paper my flat and I got some awesome home cooked meals out of it. In all seriousness, hanging wallpaper isn’t difficult, but you must possess two qualities if you want it to look good: a lot of patience and you need an eye for precision. I always suggest buying one roll more than you need.

What’s your favorite adhesive trend?
Many of today’s wallpaper products come with pre-applied adhesive backing. There’s no need to relive the days of dipping sheets through wallpaper paste. For many applications, just a few sprits of water are all you need to activate the adhesive. There are so many options on the market today. I love, love, love a product called Tempaper. It’s temporary wallpaper that you just stick and peel off anytime you are ready to change it out. Tempaper is a self-adhesive that needs no additional products to hang and leaves zero residue when removed.

Check back for future Foundary Events featuring Tempaper and 3D wall panels to incorporate a retro trend with a modern edge – vintage ashtrays optional.