Beyond a New Coat of Paint: Mastering Color and Pattern with Wall Coverings

In the pursuit of sophisticated interior design, many homeowners in Fishers and Crown Point focus solely on flooring and paint color. However, to truly elevate a room from ordinary to breathtaking, you must look to the fifth wall: the surface that surrounds you. Wall coverings including wallpaper, grasscloth, and vinyl textures are a powerful, versatile tool that allows designers to dramatically influence a room’s mood, size, and design narrative in ways paint alone cannot. At ICC Floors Plus, we explore how wall coverings allow you to master color and pattern, transforming your space with depth, movement, and visual interest.

The Psychology of Color Choice

Color is the most immediate tool for establishing a room’s mood. With wall coverings, you gain access to a richness and complexity of color that is often difficult to achieve with simple latex paint.

Influencing Mood and Perception

• Warm Colors (Reds, Yellows, Oranges): These colors advance, making the walls feel closer. They create a feeling of energy, excitement, and coziness, making them ideal for high-activity areas like dining rooms or entryways.
• Cool Colors (Blues, Greens, Purples): These colors recede, making the walls feel farther away. They promote a sense of calm, tranquility, and space, perfectly suited for bedrooms, bathrooms, and home offices where relaxation is key.
• Intensity and Shine: Wall coverings often feature subtle gloss or metallic sheens that interact with light throughout the day. A rich, matte covering absorbs light for a moody, enveloping feel, while a vinyl wall covering with a slight sheen can reflect light to make a space feel brighter and more open.

The Power of Pattern to Create Illusion

Pattern is the key differentiator between paint and wall coverings. Patterns are used to manipulate a room’s perceived size and inject personality and movement.

Manipulating Space, Depth, and Interest

• Vertical Patterns (Stripes, Tall Motifs): These patterns guide the eye upward, making ceilings appear higher and the room feel more stately and grand. This is a common strategy to maximize the vertical space in smaller rooms or hallways.
• Horizontal Patterns (Broad Stripes, Wide Textures): These patterns visually lengthen a room, making a narrow room appear wider or a long wall feel less imposing. They create a sense of steady movement and calm.
• Large vs. Small Patterns:
  • Large-Scale Patterns: Use bold, large patterns in big rooms. In a small space, a large pattern can feel overwhelming, but in a large room, it creates a dramatic, well-proportioned statement wall.
  • Small/Subtle Textures: Use subtle textures (like grasscloth or embossed vinyl) in small spaces. These add depth and sophistication without overpowering the room, making it feel layered and cozy.
• Creating Depth with Texture: Wall coverings introduce physical depth and visual interest far beyond a flat paint finish. Grasscloth adds an organic, woven texture; raised flock patterns offer a velvety, tactile feel; and vinyl can mimic everything from metallic finishes to linen fabric.

Wall Coverings as a Design Statement

Using wall coverings thoughtfully allows you to move beyond simply decorating a room and into designing an experience. They are an affordable, high-impact tool for personalizing your space.

Wall coverings are the ultimate tool for mastering interior design. They allow you to control a room’s mood through color richness and manipulate its perceived size and movement through pattern, transforming your home into a truly customized space that goes Beyond a New Coat of Paint.

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 master color and pattern in your home design? Visit one of our showroom locations in Fishers, IN – Crown Point, IN – Indianapolis, IN, to explore our extensive wall covering collections. Contact us today for a design consultation!