Though wallpaper is considered a better option to decorate the four walls of a room, it has not been able to allure customers.

People still prefer to paint the walls of houses with different types of paints rather than using wallpaper. It is learnt that the wallpaper could not dominate walls or the market as its price is comparatively more expensive than that of paints.

Nepali importers primarily import these wallpapers from different countries like -China, India, Germany and Thailand. Wallpapers are available in various designs, patterns and sizes. The price of wallpapers vary depending on quality and design and range from Rs 35 to Rs 150 and above per square feet.

“The concept of using wallpapers is gradually increasing but it is yet to make its mark,“ said Rajat Sarawagi, director of Ambience Life Style Pvt Ltd. Stating that wallpapers are more expensive compared to paints, he said, “It is worth to invest on wallpapers as it is hassle free to use and has no side effects as those found in paint.“ He stated that there is huge scope of wallpapers for both new constructions and re-modeling of rooms.



“The lack of awareness about wallpaper is also a cause behind its slim utility,“ he said, adding that wallpaper lasts a minimum of four years to a decade if care is taken to prevent damage from moisture and scratches. He also informed that it is easy to peel off and fix new wallpaper in case of any problem.

“People prefer wallpaper in remodeling their space instead of painting the walls as painting is much more time consuming and tedious,“ said Sailendra Malik, operation manager at Kunal Furnishing.
Informing that it takes only an hour to set up a roll of wallpapers, he said, “It gives a new look to the room with lesser effort.“ According to him, they offer as many as 300 patterns of wallpapers in different colours. Stat ing that they sell Chinese wallpapers the most, he said, “China made wallpapers are comparatively more cost effective than the European ones and are more popular.“

It costs Rs 1,450 up to Rs 7,000 per roll of 10 metres of wallpaper depending on quality.

Bindra Kachhapati Pradhan, principal interior designer and managing director at Keen Enterprises Pvt Ltd, suggests choosing wallpapers wisely to ensure an aesthetic look to the room. “There is no hard and fast rule to choose wallpapers, however, one should consider a few things for better outcome,“ she said, adding that one should focus on colour combination, furniture, blinds, room space and purpose before finalising the wallpaper.
“Simple pattern of wallpapers with light colours are ideal for small rooms while dark hues are appropriate for bigger rooms,“ she advised.

She opined that it is suitable to use horizontal patterns for the rooms with higher ceilings. Citing that currently the trend is to place wallpapers on a single wall of a room, she said, “One can also stick wallpaper on the entire walls of the room as it depends on individual preference.“ She further informed, “There are water resistant wallpapers in the market, which are much durable than ordinary ones.“

source: the himalayan times,29 march 2014