DigitalBuddyHomeowners are usually split quite evenly when wallpaper is the subject of discussion. Many individuals can’t shake off the images of tacky wallpaper designs and colors from the ’70’s and the ’80’s, so they would just avoid wallpaper altogether. But also, as more elegant and tasteful wallpaper designs are being produced these days, other homeowners still use wallpapers for enhancing certain feelings and ambient moods in certain areas or rooms of the home.
One obvious characteristic of wallpapers is they are often reflective of a person’s tastes and preferences. Specific bedrooms can be decorated with wallpaper that shows the hobbies or interests of whoever is occupying the room. For example, sports-themed wallpaper designs are popular for boys, or dollhouse wallpaper prints for the girls. Wallpaper is a lot like paint when it comes to decorating purposes, because both are easily tailored or customized according to the homeowner’s preferences. But wallpaper takes it up a notch with different designs and prints that are more reflective of personal taste.
For home staging efforts, wallpaper becomes more of a distraction most of the time, and this is because of the very personal reflection of the homeowner’s preferences. Remember that home decorating has a different purpose and goals compared to home staging. While home decorating and interior design is geared towards reflecting the ambiance that the homeowner wants to come home to, home staging is designed specifically for presenting a home that is neutral and appealing to the widest range of potential buyers.
Home staging professionals generally agree that wallpaper is more detrimental than helpful for home staging efforts, so they would recommend that wallpaper be removed or painted over in some instances. This is because when potential home buyers see wallpaper in a house, they automatically assume that it would require lots of effort and money to remove the wallpaper, and this can get in the way of selling success instead of contributing to it. Regardless of how trendy or nice you might think the wallpaper you picked out is, it will only be attractive to a limited number of potential clients, while the rest of the people who tour your home would likely see it as another chore for them to do.
Be sure to inquire from your professional home staging firm if they have work with or can recommend any service providers who can manage the wallpaper removal for you. If you have the time and the patience to do it yourself, you can make the process quicker and more convenient by using equipment such as a wallpaper steamer or chemical stripper. In some cases, wallpaper can be painted over, but the area has to be checked first for air pockets or other problems that would make painting over a disaster. More often than not, removing the wallpaper before repainting the walls is the better choice.