Remember this when matching wallpaper and curtains

Matching wallpaper and curtains for a better home interior

Curtains and wallpaper have been widely used worldwide as key elements in interior design. However, the complementary design and color of these two have often been neglected. Therefore, home interior may seem to be not in proper balance. This is one of the many good reasons why the design of the curtains and wallpaper should complement each other.

Wallpaper and Curtains as interior design elements

Wallpaper and curtains are usually used as design elements in home interior. We often see lively and attractive prints of these two that add life to the home.

Wallpaper is a material used to cover and decorate the walls of the home interior. They can likewise be seen in offices, various establishments, cafes, museums, practically anywhere. They are sold in rolls and can be installed on your walls with the use of wallpaper paste. Wallpapers have different forms, for instance, you can buy them plain as a lining paper so that you will be able to customize it by painting on it or adding on your favorite designs. They can also come textured and/or with repeating pattern. Most often than not, the repeating pattern of the wallpaper has its use, so that when you cut the piece, you will just have to get a piece from the same roll to hang next to each other so that they will look like they were just a continuation of the other piece.

Historically, wallpaper has been inspired by old interior design techniques such as stenciling, woodblock printing and hand-painting. It is old since these designs can already be seen in the 1700s. Early wallpaper designs were basically the scenes on tapestries. Large papers hang loose just like how a tapestry is hung. Sometimes these large papers were pasted, just like the modern wallpaper. Since, only the elite could afford tapestries during those days, many homeowners resorted in using wallpaper instead to brighten up their homes.

 There are various types of wallpaper: vinyl wallpaper, flocked wallpaper, grass cloth wallpaper, and foil wallpaper.

Curtains, on the other hand, is a piece of fabric intended to block light, drafts or water. They are often hung inside the window to block light from entering to aid people in sleeping. Curtains are also used to prevent light from escaping the room, and likewise for privacy reasons. Curtains come in different materials, sizes, shapes and designs. There are also various ways on which hey were hung. It can be as simple as a wooden rod or a more advanced like those that are electronically controlled curtains which can be moved with the push of a button or with the use of a remote control.

In addition to these, curtains were also made from different materials, with differing thickness and degree of light absorption and heat insulating capabilities. Originally, curtains were designed to control indoor environmental conditions. However, these days, curtains are used for decorations and to make the room cozy.

Design ideas for matching curtains and wallpaper

Wallpaper and curtains are key design elements in the home interior. Matching them would be tricky but there is one key factor that they need, and that is balance. Balance is not about having the same or similar pattern or design to all design elements, but rather to have enough just to counter the excessive design or pattern of the other. Gone are the days that all design elements should have the same pattern so that they would match each other.

Matching the design of the curtains and the wallpaper finely decorates the room and in a way gives your room a personal touch. Here are some guidelines on how to decorate your room with wallpaper and curtains incorporating balance in it:

1. identify the color scheme of your room

2. Create the right color balance by identifying the dominant shade and which ones will be the accents. In most instances, the background color is the more dominant one.  

3. The background is usually the wallpaper, therefore curtains should have accents to balance the tone.

4. There are various patterns to choose from: floral, geometric, checks and stripes, vintage, texture.

5. Remember: designs of the wallpaper and curtains should contrast each other so as not top have monotonous or monochromatic theme. The key word is balance. Do not exaggerate your choice of designs.

Happy decorating!