
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, August 27, 1995                   TAG: 9508300013
SECTION: HOMES                    PAGE: B-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: KATHY SUE GRIGG
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

WALLPAPER CAN DO WONDERS FOR A ROOM

We all have a compulsion to decorate the walls that surround us. As early as prehistoric days, man decorated hand-painted figures on cave walls. In the first century B.C., the Roman architect Vitruvius wrote a design manual offering detailed advice on appropriate wall decorating. Brilliant tapestries and linenfold paneling typify the Middle Ages; while brocades and gilded plaster characterize the Renaissance. In the past. people were limited to their choices when decorating walls.

Today, there are so many choices in wallcovering it is easy to be confused.

First you need to decide the role you intend your walls to play in the overall scheme. Either use the wallcovering to establish your basic color scheme or to provide a subtle background. For instance. if you used a large floral printed wallpaper with jewel tones, your draperies and upholstery should be more subdued or vice versa. A powerful red and gold wallpaper could be overwhelming in a living room, but might produce a nice effect in the powder room.

The size of the room and wall area can limit your choice of wallcovering. For example you would not want to use a large printed pattern in a kitchen where cabinets and work areas interfere with wall space. You would not be able to get the full effect of the print. A smaller printed pattern would work best in this type of situation. Also. make sure that the wallpaper in a kitchen area is washable. (It should say on the back of the page of wallpaper).

The foyer is a great place to use wallpaper to introduce the colors you use throughout your house. If you choose a stripe with colors of cranberry, sapphire blue and a golden yellow, then you can use these colors throughout the rest of the house. You could introduce cranberry as a prominent color in the living room and maybe use the blue in the dining room.

Wallpaper, sometimes called "poor man's tapestry," can change a room so quickly and easily you will wonder why you waited so long to do it.

Just "hang" it up.

by CNB