Don’t assume trim and woodwork have to be white
If you’re using a bold paper, Feldman suggests coordinating the room’s moldings, doors, and other accents with a color in the wallpaper. “The wallpaper will kind of bleed from top to bottom,” she explains.
Do embrace trends
“No one’s favorite color is beige,” Feldman says. “Have fun with paint and wallpaper that can be changed easily, and invest in furniture that’s more simple and classic.”
Don’t discount the ceiling
You can even paper only the ceiling. “You wouldn’t want a heavy pattern, but there are solid metallics that look like glazes, or amazing textures,” she says. Decorating a child’s room? Try stars.
Do be mindful of scale
Feldman loves a busy print in a small space: “It can create a cool jewel-box effect, where you feel ensconced in the paper.”
Don’t be too matchy-matchy
Choose furniture from a different era than the wallpaper style—and vice versa. If you like a traditional floral-print paper, try pairing it with simple, clean-lined furniture. Says Feldman: “Always be playing off the contrast so you’re never creating a themed or predictable room.”
This article appears in the April 2014 issue of Washingtonian.
