Wall Woes: Paint or Paper?

Walls have the advantage of transforming and changing your space either with wallpaper or paint. A room that feels too dramatic can instantly be made to look soft and very airy with a suitable application of a light shade of paint. On the other hand, a room that is too large can instantly be made to feel cozy using darker wallpaper.

Your lifestyle could have a considerable influence in the finish selected. As you consider a condo for sale, you should also consider how long it will take you to prepare the wall. Other factors are cost, ease of application, and versatility of the space.

Both of these approaches in decorating your condo come with pros and cons. 

Wallpaper Pros

· Wallpaper is relatively durable and can last fifteen years or more, which make it cost-effective.

· It smoothly and easily adheres to your walls, hiding any imperfections on the surface.

· It can add style, depth and warmth to a room that cannot be achieved by simply applying a coat of monotone paint.

Source Houzz

· Can be used in creating a designer look in all manner of space, or applied to a single wall as your feature wall.
Wallpaper Cons

· The wallpaper applying process is more time consuming compared to painting.

· When the time to change or modify comes, you must do some prep work as you just can’t paint over the wallpaper.

· Some older versions of wallpapers could be quite tedious when it comes to removing.

· Before you even attempt your wallpaper project installation, you have to do some reading on aspects like strip levelling, pattern matching, and hanging wallpaper around corners. If you are decorating rental real estate in the Philippines or other countries, make sure to check with the landlord if it is allowed.

Pros of Paint

· Paint can be fairly priced when buying and is typically easy to accomplish.

· This is something you can do yourself with basic paint supplies at hand.

· It is relatively easy to paint over wallpaper or even over an older coat if you want change.

Cons of Paint

· Paint only provides a very limited spectrum of color finishes.

· Over time, paint cracks and chips, so you will have to retouch or reapply more often.

· Painting can be quite messy and it’s easy to stain your furniture, appliances, floors and ceilings.

· Oil-based paints are less heat-resistant and also tend to run as you apply. It could potentially release volatile organic compounds that are harmful to human beings and pets.

Conclusion

In terms of price, paint and wallpaper can range from the high end to the low end of the cost spectrum. It’s worth pointing out that you are actually under no obligation to pick either of the two alone. Lots of well-designed homes incorporate both wallpaper and paint into their designs. The most important thing is what you want to achieve as you decorate your condo home.