The work of nationally known interior designer Michael Berman can be seen from New York to Los Angeles. He teamed up with the company Fromental to put out his debut collection of wallcoverings. It pays homage to movies, art, and familiar objects that are synonymous with Art Deco. To celebrate, he shared with us the lessons he has learned over the years just in case any of us are thinking about adding wallpaper to our homes. Below we have listed his do’s and don’t when it comes to wall treatments.

It pays homage to movies, art, and familiar objects that are synonymous with Art Deco. To celebrate, he shared with us the lessons he has learned over the years. Below we have listed his do’s and don’t when it comes to wall treatments.

Do’s:

Use large scale prints. They are an instant success and they will surely create design drama and make a bold statement. Large prints also give the illusion that the space is much bigger than perceived.

Try and experiment with pattern and negative space. Wallcoverings that have open space between the repeating pattern allow for very interesting options for hanging mirrors and artworks. The negative space catches the eye even more than the area where the motifs appear.

Get innovative with the wallpaper. Use metallics and texture on the ceiling as a way to give more height to the room. In a wall, paneling gives off a gallery effect. For dining rooms, an amazing idea is to use large prints for wainscoting on the lower area of the room, while using grasscloth or silk above the wainscot. This wraps the room like a jewel box.

On a wall, paneling gives off a gallery effect. For dining rooms, an amazing idea is to use large prints for wainscoting on the lower area of the room, while using grasscloth or silk above the wainscot. This wraps the room like a jewel box.

Make sure that before installing the paper the proper wall preparations are made.  Make sure any divots, bumps or scars are corrected, or these wall blemishes will telegraph right through the wallcovering.

The walls need to be primed with a wallcovering specific primer coat to unify the surface.  Finally use a stripable wallcovering paste, which will enable the client to remove the wallcovering with out damaging the walls should they change their mind about the pattern in a few years. This will ensure that the installation process will go smoothly and your wallcoverings will last a long time.

Don’ts:

Don’t hesitate to ask for a custom sample print or color of a wallpaper. If you have found the perfect print, but it isn’t available in the right color, be sure to talk to the manufacturer. Ask about custom coloration and what are the minimum material requirements. It’s often inexpensive and many manufacturers work with custom orders.

Different rooms require different materials. Don’t use non-durable materials in bathrooms, kitchens and high traffic areas, vinyl wallcovering is an appropriate material for these surfaces. They can easily get tears, stained or wet. There are coated papers that are specifically designed to be used in such rooms. Their durability will ensure that the room always looks amazing.

They can easily get tears, stained or wet. There are coated papers that are specifically designed to be used in such rooms. Their durability will ensure that the room always looks amazing. Silks, grasscloths, hand painted and permeable materials (to name a few) can easily get tears, stained or wet stained.

Don’t match wallcoverings with the surrounding artworks or fabrics. Be bold and experiment. You never know what a combination looks like until you’ve tried it.