theSun Property July 2016

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BYALYSSA J. OON
WITH Brexit a hot topic
over the last weeks, we
ran a two-part series
and held our monthly
article on interior design. So here is
our July take on ID, highlighting
creativity and imagination onwalls,
amuch neglected area especially in
Malaysian homes. While the
majority of people seem to go for a
“clean slate” using pure whites or
creams, slapping themas single-
tone wall paint, these walls are
often overlooked day in, day out,
without anyone batting an eyelid or
taking any notice at all.
With that, we share ways one
can spruce up and add colour and
character to a space by simply
decorating walls. Here are some
wall decor ideas which are versatile
and can be altered to any set theme.
Best of all, some can be achieved as
a do-it-yourself project that also
presents one a chance to express
creative freedom.
WALLPAPER
Give your walls that much-needed
boost by dressing them in
wallpaper of a bright, funky or
outrageous type. Wallpapers are
second to paint in terms of a quick
and easy solution to drabby or
plain-looking walls.
Easier said than done, Los
Angeles-basedwallpaper retailer
WalnutWallpaper owner Norinne
DeGal advises “wallpaper novices”
to do research on designs before
heading out to buywallpaper. In
the same Architectural Digest
interview, Domaine editor-at-large
Estee Stanley emphasised the
importance of making the room
about the wallpaper, adding that, a
room should be decorated
according to the wallpaper. If using
bold prints, the decorations in the
room should be simplistic and kept
within the same
colour palette.
Textured
wallpapers allow
more freedomwith
decoration.
ACCENT WALLS
An accent wall is
much like a
“conversation
piece” – something
which possesses an
unusual quality or
characteristic that
captures attention
andmakes for a
topic of
conversation.
Accent walls can be
achieved
through
various means
andways.
Before
attempting to
set up an
accent wall, it
is important to
understand the
purpose of it,
which is to
draw attention
to an anchor
piece or define
a space. A
current trend uses wallpaper with
panoramic views, such as a city
skyline, amisty forest or clouds in
the sky. These draw attention to the
wall, which also helps visually
expand the space of a room. This
trend is most noticeable in
bedrooms, where the panoramic
wallpaper sits
behind the bed
headboard,
effectively
highlighting the
bed as the
anchor piece.
FUNKY
SHELVING
For avid readers
or collectors of
trinkets and
memorabilia,
quirky shelves
will serve the
dual-purpose of
providing a
space for public
display, while
covering up an
emptywall. In its
ownway,
shelving that
takes up the
entire space of a
wall functions as
an accent wall.
Add a sense of
warmth and
comfort by using
wooden crates,
stacked upon
each other in
randomised
horizontal and
vertical
positions. This
style offers a
minimalist feast
for the eyes.
For amore
vintage
atmosphere, Old
BrandNew
founder and
interior designer
Dabito came up
with the idea to
use upright twin
tracks, shelf brackets and
plywood to create amid-
century deskwall unit.
The ingenious DIY is
perfect for the study room
or bedroom, and the
shelving height can be
adjusted to suit one’s
needs, offering a fabulous
option towork style
within your display of
collectibles.
VINYL STICKERS
Vinyl stickers are
commonly used to decorate the
walls of children’s rooms.
Sometimes they have educational
value. The thing about vinyl
stickers is that it is an easymethod
that is convenient. You can even
design your own stickers, adding
that personalised touch to the walls
in your home.
Vinyl stickers are also easy to
stick on and peel off. The principle
of vinyl stickers are similar to those
of accent walls, which is to choose a
wall that needs to be emphasised.
Vinyl stickers of quotes are a
favourite withmany home owners,
featuringmessages to spur
inspiration, laughter or family
values to abide by.
For themodern living room, the
rising trend of using gold vinyl
stickers of geometrical shapes adds
a great burst of colour. Antonia
Schmitz of Craftifair, a DIY blog
based in Cologne, Germany,
highlighted usingmasking tape to
imitate wall stickers featuring a pair
of origami birds. The pair sits above
Schmitz’s bed, and the attractive
washi tape was used to add colour.
NATURE GREEN
Add a breath of fresh air to the
home by bringingMother Nature
in. Succulents are a rising trend
amongmembers of the gardening
community and the ease of caring
for themhas attracted gardening
fledglings into using it. What are
succulents? A group of plants that
store water in their leaves explains
an online site. Hang
these succulents in
cutemini ceramic pots
above the couch or
line themup along the
walls of the hallway.
Using geometrical-
shaped pots in pastel
or metallic hues
present the perfect
decoration for a
contemporary-looking
room. Mandi Gubler of
DIY blog Vintage
Revivals, usedwood to
create a plant trellis for
an emptywall in a
sunny part of her
home. Using leather,
Gubler created straps
to hold the pots
securely. The trellis
wall delivered a sense
of rejuvenation,
Off the wall
>Creativemeans andways to
dress walls and breathe life into interiors
especially if used to decorate walls
of homes in bustling cities.
GALLERY WALL
Displaying family photos or art
pieces on a wall is the perfect way
to display the personality of the
home and the familymembers who
live in it. When planning a gallery
wall display, online art shop 20x200
founder Jen Bekman suggests
trying out a fewdifferent layouts
before deciding on one.
To do this, outline the size of the
wall using tape on the floor, and
proceed to lay the framed pieces
within the stipulated area. Bekman
advises, “Use two to four pieces
hung in the centre at the same
height to establish your anchor or
focal point and fill in from there.”
Other important points to
remember are to ensure that the
pieces are placed at eye level.
When hanging up art pieces, use
pieces that will complement the
room’s colour palette. Interior
designer Hillary Thomas suggests
mixing drawings with photos and
paintings for amore eclectic
personality to the room.
PROJECT FABRIC
For those whowant to add pizzazz
to their mundane walls, try using
fabric. From small prints to large
motifs of all sorts in a variety of
colours – try using textured
material or even amix of a few
types of materials. Do note that if
you are usingmore than one fabric,
matching is required.
Colours and designs on fabric
must also complement the
surrounding decor style. Online
site Budget Decorating suggests
using starch to attach the fabric to
the wall. One can use a paint roller
to help paste the starch on before
dressing the wall upwith cloth. You
can even use another roller to
smoothen out thematerial on the
wall. With this option, you can
create different looks and
atmospheres within the home ever
so often as costs are quiteminimal,
depending on the type of material
used. There are thousands of other
ideas that one can attempt to give a
rooma fresh new look by playing
withwall space. Many DIY
tutorials are available online and
most are easy to recreate. No
matter what one’s budget is, there is
an idea out there to suit any pocket.
With these, there is no need to
beat one’s head against the wall
when it comes to breathing life into
interiors via wall dressing.
Email your feedback and
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20 theSun ON FRIDAY | JULY 15, 2016