Experiments in creating original wall decoration have no limits. Imitation of stone or brickwork, textured plaster and other techniques are certainly very unusual, but, alas, not everyone can afford it. In addition, such techniques often require professional skills and abilities in application to the surface. However, you can always find an alternative, and in this case it is companion wallpaper. What they are and how to use them in the interior - more on that later.
What are companion wallpapers?
Companion wallpapers are two options for covering walls that differ in color, texture or pattern. But the most important principle here is a harmonious combination of paintings.
Most often found: neutral tones on two or three planes, bright ornamental and expressive companions on one or two planes. This finish can be presented in the form of stripes, squares and other combinations that look great in interior design. You can find a variety of luxurious canvases for every color and taste at picwalls.ru.
A lot can be said about the advantages of such wall decoration, but the obvious ones are:- unlimited possibilities for designer creativity;
- originality and non-standard finishing with companion wallpaper;
- by combining styles, textures, and colors, you can successfully hide the obvious shortcomings of a room;
- wallpaper companions assume the presence of ready-made combinations in an abundance of various modifications. And you don’t need to painfully and time-consumingly select combination options - manufacturers of finishing materials have already provided for everything;
- paired wallpaper is an excellent option for simple zoning;
- Such wall decor can be organized in any room, be it a living room, bedroom, nursery or hallway.
In the kitchen
For a combined kitchen, companion wallpaper is perfect, as it allows you to separate the work area from the dining room. Warm colors that stimulate the appetite and create a homely atmosphere - for eating areas. In the kitchen area you can use expensive washable coatings. It would be good if they also had fire-resistant impregnation. Typically, vinyl coverings or glass wallpaper are used to decorate the work area.
For the kitchen, horizontal combination with decorating the joint with molding or wooden slats is suitable. This will allow you to support the lines outlined by the kitchen set and adjust the visual perception of the ceiling height.
Selecting couples: basic rules
In order to organically fit a similar decorative finishing technique into a room of any style, purpose and size, you must follow several important but simple rules. So, combination options can be classified as follows:
1. Same color palette, but different textures and patterns. This type is found in ready-made collections from manufacturers. Distinctive characteristics are a background canvas of a monotonous neutral shade or with a barely noticeable pattern. His companion is expressive, bright, in the same tone, but much more noticeable. This type of finish is usually used in European classical styles.
2. Different colors, but the same pattern and texture. Here the background wallpaper is quite neutral and calm; Decorative, on the contrary, are catchy and noticeable. There should be at least 60% background paintings in the room. This technique is popular in modern styles such as minimalism, eclecticism, and hi-tech.
3. A different pattern, color and texture is the most original way of combining, but manufacturers do not produce ready-made combinations, so here you need to trust your personal preferences and taste. Typically, this technique is used in experiments only by professional designers who have been choosing finishes for many years. This combination looks beautiful in eclectic or pop art styles.
Same pattern - different texture or color
The most common print, which can be easily depicted in different shades and textures, is stripes. Simple lines create a sea of possibilities for implementing design ideas. In order not to bother too much with repairs, it is better to combine original striped wallpaper and paintable canvases with a “matting” texture.
It is easy to change the color of the wallpaper for painting, so it will not be difficult to update the interior of the living room. In this case, you also need to take into account the style of the hall. For rooms with a classic mood, silver or golden tones are suitable. The tenderness of Provence will be emphasized by pastel colors (sand, pale blue, lilac, white). White, light shades of gray and brown will add austerity and detachment to living rooms in the style of hi-tech and minimalism.
Options for combining background and bright canvas
In addition to the selection of colors, patterns and textures for companion wallpaper, it is also worth considering the combination of volumes of background wallpaper and bright ones. Let's consider a few main rules:
- one wall is decorated with bright wallpaper, the rest with background wallpaper. This option is often used in decorating a children's room;
- alternating canvases in stripes, the width of which can be different or the same;
- horizontal zoning, when the lower part of the walls is covered with dark wallpaper or quite bright wallpaper with a large pattern, and the upper part is covered with neutral light wallpaper or with a small pattern (or vice versa). The joints are usually decorated with molding. Such a solution will help visually adjust the space. So, in a room with high ceilings, for the lower part of the wall with a bright or dark background, it is best to allocate a place up to 2 meters high from the floor; if the ceilings are low or standard, then 1 meter will be enough.
- inserts are a relatively simple option for decorating walls. After all, first of all, the background canvas is pasted, and on top of it is a bright and noticeable companion. Eye-catching inserts are framed. This type of wallpaper combination is typical for classic interiors;
- The patchwork method is interesting, but quite difficult to implement. The decoration on the walls is very similar to patchwork, but in this case it is made from wallpaper. Here the shreds are distributed in a checkerboard pattern. In this case, individual companions should be contrasting and fit perfectly with the rest of the elements. The main principle is harmony and integrity of the perception of the composition;
- contrasting walls and ceiling - this technique is used for a clearer perception of the volumes of space; This method of finishing gives the room greater depth and expressiveness.
Note: when choosing a pair or three of companions, keep in mind that contrasting combinations visually reduce the space. Therefore, the ideal option for a compact room would be plain canvases and patterns, but not bright combinations.
In the living room
For the living room, wallpaper companions are an excellent solution. They allow you to create a background for furniture and highlight the necessary sections of the wall, thus zoning the space. The living room is a large room, so bright wallpaper is the most common option. Here you can safely combine three companions. Recreation areas are decorated with calm background coverings, and the rest of the room is decorated with patterned wallpaper. It is widely used to decorate the walls of the living room behind the TV, the work area near the computer, and the space behind the sofa with eye-catching canvases. As a rule, a large wall that is as free as possible from furniture is covered with a bright canvas.
The walls in the hall can be covered with stripes. At the same time, it is desirable that in places where furniture is placed there is a calm background, and in those where there is more free space - a bright companion. The hall often has a complex multi-level ceiling shape, which can be emphasized with the help of companion wallpaper.
Advice
To “reconcile” bright companions with each other, add accessories to the interior that will echo the wallpaper.
You can safely use contrasting colors for the hall, but they must be in harmony with each other and with the interior details. Contrasting wallpapers are usually plain and without a pattern. It is not recommended to combine warm and cold colors in their pure form, but you can play with shades. A combination of black and white is very often used.
How to visually adjust space using companion wallpaper?
This finishing method allows you to successfully correct flaws and irregular shapes of the room. Let's look at the basic techniques:
- background wallpaper can be used to cover walls with defects, and bright wallpaper can be used to cover a smooth surface. This will help distract attention from imperfect planes;
- it will be easy to turn the rectangular shape of a room into a square if long surfaces are decorated with canvases with a vertical pattern, short surfaces with a horizontal pattern;
- if you want to extend the space, the opposite plane to the entrance is decorated with wallpaper with a darker color; if the task is to expand the room, the same place is decorated with pastel light shades;
- It is better to avoid bright contrasts in a small room, they will make it even smaller;
- in a room with a large, luxurious square footage, you can safely use three companion wallpaper options without any special restrictions on brightness.
Advice: when choosing wallpaper for a combined finish, you should not buy canvases from different manufacturers and different price categories. Budget material will contrast too much with expensive material. This will significantly reduce the cost of interior design, even if the texture and color combination is chosen well.
Paired wallpaper is a great option to refresh and dilute the standard decor of a modern interior. To make such canvases look harmonious, listen to the rules described above regarding combinations, but it is better to entrust this issue to a professional specialist with extensive experience in creating such projects.
What type of wall decoration is in your apartment? And what type of wallpaper combination did you like best? Share with us in the comments.
Same texture – different pattern or color
A fashionable and popular trend is the use of wallpaper for painting. This is the best option for renovating a living room of any size. When choosing finishing materials, it is important to take into account the surface topography, since the walls can be repainted several times, but it will not be possible to change the texture. Wallpaper with a chaotic pattern is perceived pleasantly if the relief is shallow and rounded lines predominate. A simple and repeating pattern will give the decor a laconic character. The size of the relief also matters. Large drawings decorate the walls of the hall and attract attention. And a small pattern is quite capable of becoming a background for exquisite furniture. Textures that imitate untreated surfaces (brickwork, plaster, concrete) are recommended to be selected for specific styles (loft, Provence).
An excellent design technique that allows you to add dynamics to the atmosphere is to paint the walls in different shades. Thanks to this method, you can visually make the room larger or smaller. This is also a suitable option for designating zones for different purposes in the living room. In a studio apartment, pastel warm shades will bring peace to the relaxation area, and bright colors will add energy to the work area. Pleasant shades (orange, pistachio) will visually make the kitchen area appetizing and fresh.
Reasons for combining wallpaper
- Room zoning (allocation of areas for work and rest).
- Emphasizing the features of the bedroom, as well as hiding flaws.
- Visual change in the proportions of the bedroom.
- Using accents to focus the eye.
Vertical direction
Such stripes visually make the ceiling higher. How wide and frequent they will be, as well as the number of shades, depend on the room. For greater harmony, it is better to choose identical rolls from the same collection. Decorating a room is considered the simplest; there is no need to think through patterns of drawings at the joints.
In addition to the zebra stripes, it is easy to highlight a niche, as well as divide it into a soft corner, a place for a bed, a closet, a table, a window or a door. Today this is the most popular type of decor. Different stripes with the same print and texture smoothly transition into a darker or lighter tone.
Photo wallpaper
Although they are not usually used to cover the entire bedroom, as an accent and 3D effect they can enlarge the space, add romance and inspiration. They immediately spread. Thanks to the latest technologies, a wide variety of images and photographs are applied.
In order not to overload the interior, it is recommended to use them with plain wallpaper in muted tones. They can be smooth or with an uneven surface, reminiscent of brick, masonry or wood. Truly exclusive – luminous collections.
In the bedroom
In the sleeping area, the main thing is not to create disharmony. They resort to the most harmonious combinations: wallpaper of the same color with a slight difference in tone or with different patterns.
In the bedroom you can cover one wall with photo wallpaper. Another good option is to use textile textures in the most visible place. They are in perfect harmony with the upholstery of upholstered furniture and the bedspread, adding warmth and comfort.
Inserts can be used to emphasize the space at the head of the bed, highlight an armchair, or create niches. Sometimes the insert in the headboard is “extended” to the ceiling, which further highlights the sleeping area.
So, companion wallpaper has become an indispensable design solution in the design of apartments and houses. The basic rules of combination will help you choose two canvases harmoniously: wallpapers should have more similarities than differences. In small rooms they resort to minor contrasts; in spacious rooms you can experiment. The main thing is to focus on a sense of proportion and leave more surface for a calm background. And if you don’t want to bother with selecting rolls, you can always buy companion wallpaper from ready-made collections from leading manufacturers.
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Fashion trends
The main trends in the world of bedroom interior design are simplicity, relaxation atmosphere, sophistication and comfort. The main design option is pastel colors.
Experts suggest decorating sleeping areas using natural motifs with accents using photo wallpaper. Imitations of brickwork, concrete and wood are also not losing ground.
Another new product of the season is a black and white graphic print that creates rigor and conservatism. Panel elements serve as additional decoration.
The geometric pattern is increasingly gaining momentum and is the accent of a monotonous room. The use of metallic effect creates an atmosphere of glamor and luxury.
The next hit is the use of gold-plated wallpaper. Such a pattern fits perfectly into the interior, setting the mood of romanticism.
Illustrative examples can be seen in the photo gallery below.
The use of combined wallpaper occupies a special place in the interior design of a bedroom. The method of using two types of wallpaper is popular among techniques for decorating a relaxation zone. Following the rules for combining the materials used will allow you to achieve impressive results.
