From Inspiration to Installation: Your Checklist for Choosing a Wall Covering

Choosing the right wall covering is a decision that impacts the look, feel, and longevity of your home for years. Unlike paint, a wall covering introduces color, pattern, and texture, making it a critical design element that requires careful consideration. Successfully navigating the myriad of options from rich vinyl to delicate grasscloth requires a clear plan. This checklist is your guide From Inspiration to Installation, helping you walk through key decisions assessing room function, defining style goals, and setting a budget to ensure you choose the perfect wall covering for your Indianapolis, Crown Point, or Fishers home.

Assess Room Function and Durability Needs

Before you fall in love with a pattern, you must determine what the wall covering will endure. The room’s use dictates the necessary durability and cleanability.

Durability by Room

• High-Moisture/High-Traffic Areas (Kitchens, Bathrooms, Entryways): These rooms require the highest level of durability and washability. Choose Solid Vinyl or Vinyl-Coated Paper. Vinyl is highly moisture-resistant, durable, and can be scrubbed clean, making it ideal for resisting steam and humidity in bathrooms.
• Low-Traffic/Low-Moisture Areas (Bedrooms, Dining Rooms): These spaces offer the most flexibility. You can safely choose more delicate materials like grasscloth, non-woven paper, or traditional paper. These materials offer incredible texture and color depth but require gentle dusting only.
• Lighting Check: Consider the room’s natural light. Walls opposite a window need a light-reflecting pattern or color, while darker rooms may benefit from a pattern with metallic ink to bounce light around.

Define Your Style Goals and Color Palette

This is where your vision takes shape. A wall covering is meant to support or define your core aesthetic.

Style and Scale Decisions

• Define Your Role: Do you want the wall covering to be the focal point (a bold geometric or mural on one accent wall) or the backdrop (a subtle texture or tone-on-tone pattern)? Most rooms only need one focal point.
• Scale and Space: Remember the illusion of scale. Use larger patterns in large, open rooms to avoid a busy look. Use smaller patterns or textural coverings in small rooms or hallways to add depth without overwhelming the space.
• Pairing with Flooring: Ensure the wall covering complements your flooring. For example, a busy patterned tile floor requires a more subdued, textural wall covering, while a simple, light laminate floor can handle a bold, dramatic wall print.

Budget and Material Selection

Sold in bolts or rolls, and the final price depends on the material’s quality, the size of the room, and the complexity of the pattern match.

The Budget-Conscious Checklist

• Material Cost: Traditional paper is generally the least expensive, while natural materials (like silk or grasscloth) or premium vinyls are the most expensive. High-quality vinyl offers the best balance of cost and performance for most homes.
• Setting a Realistic Budget: Get a preliminary quote on the cost of the material for your specific room size (factoring in waste for pattern matching) before you finalize your decision. This prevents disappointment after falling in love with a roll that breaks the budget.
• Professional Installation: Unlike painting, installing wall coverings requires specialized skills for pattern matching, seam alignment, and proper surface preparation. Professional installation is highly recommended to ensure a flawless, long-lasting finish that protects the material investment.

From Initial Idea to Seamless Wall

Choosing a wall covering is an exciting part of the design process. By following this checklist prioritizing function, defining your style, and planning for professional installation you ensure that your final choice will be beautiful, durable, and flawlessly applied.

At ICC Floors Plus, we offer quality commercial or residential flooring at a reasonable price. We have an industry-wide reputation for delivering the best products and services. With knowledgeable professionals who will work hard to make your purchasing experience convenient and enjoyable, at ICC Floors Plus, it’s all about you, the customer.

Ready to take your design From Inspiration to Installation? Visit one of our showroom locations in Fishers, IN – Crown Point, IN – Indianapolis, IN, to see and feel the difference of our wall covering collections. Or, contact us today to schedule an expert consultation and measurement!