Alternatives to paint and wallpaper

When you move into a brand-new Cruden home, you might not notice how pristine the walls are with so many other features vying for attention. Yet the smooth plasterwork in new homes is a far cry from the dented paint-layered walls found in older properties. Peel back wallpaper and it’s not uncommon to find older paper lurking underneath, while a Victorian or Edwardian house might have numerous paint layers below its top coat.

Wallpaper and paint are rightly regarded as the main options when it comes to decorating rooms at home, but they’re far from the only choices. 

These are some of the alternatives to paint and wallpaper which deserve consideration…

Timber panelling. Best for: living rooms

You can buy timber wall panels, but it’s easy to build your own using batons screwed into large boards. Add a lick of paint, and even a cheap timber will seem classy and sophisticated. Hardwoods like oak and mahogany look great when stained or varnished, instead of painted.

Self-adhesive panelling. Best for: home offices

If solid wood seems extravagant or expensive, you can buy self-adhesive wall panels which come in rolls and are applied rather like paper. They tend to have a ribbed texture and slatted appearance which works well when decorated with artworks or deployed as a feature wall.

Fabric. Best for: guest bedrooms

Fabric wall coverings are a niche choice, often best deployed in occasional-use rooms like guest bedrooms. Silk, hemp, linen and velvet can all be hung up to offer a classy, tactile alternative to traditional papers, though their fragility doesn’t always suit family life.

Tiles. Best for: utility rooms

While kitchens and bathrooms are routinely tiled, utility rooms tend to be plaster-boarded. Tiles are a good option here, since they’re impervious to the moisture generated by laundry and wet coats/boots/pets. Half-height tiling is classy and practical yet relatively affordable.

Reclaimed timber. Best for: dining rooms

In the same way scaffolding boards or tea chests can be fashioned into dining tables and bench seating, reclaimed wood can be transformed into a feature wall. Different colours, textures and patinas add character – but choose one type of timber and stick with it.

Stencils. Best for: nurseries

Painting a child’s room a block colour is a bit clichéd, but stencils let you add individuality relatively affordably. Stencils can be recurring patterns (geometrics, stripes, dots) or one-off decorations such as large ferns, with paint applied through designated holes in a frame.

Photo murals. Best for: bedrooms

In recent years, whole-wall photo murals have soared in popularity. Typically depicting forest or coastal scenes, these photorealistic murals are hung like wallpaper to create an immersive and evocative backdrop. They’re printed to fit your room’s dimensions, so they aren’t cheap.

Dado rails. Best for: formal spaces

Dado rails rose to popularity in Victorian times to prevent chairs damaging walls. Their post-war ubiquity damaged their appeal, but today, a horizontal timber rail around a room once again lends a classy aura. It also supports combinations of paper, paint and other finishes.

Paper decoupage. Best for: studies

This is a specialist option, which requires a degree of artistic flair. Even so, you can decorate a feature wall (a whole room is usually too much) with anything from old maps or historic newspapers to pages from a favourite book or pieces of sheet music. The effect is dramatic.

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