How do you know if wallpaper is outdated?

I love my wallpaper but recently got a couple of new light fixtures and had a couple of friends say "Now if you'll only get rid of that outdated wallpaper and paint the room instead, your kitchen will look great!". This leaves me wondering if my wallpaper in particular is outdated or if all wallpaper is, or what. A lot of wallpaper stores have gone out of business in our area and everyone I know is paint-happy. What's the deal?

 

hi
mostly every year wall paper change design

so i think your is out dated

 

Painting is just easier to change all the time. Hey, if you like the wallpaper and it matches then who cares...it's your house! I've come to conclusion that wallpaper itself is not outdated...it's really, what does it look like? Are there flowers all over it or something? Not that that's bad but maybe it doesn't match what you just put up? I would leave it if you like it. You have to live with it and not them.

 

Moderator note: Edited out unhelpful response.


Johnny

 

wallpaper itself is not outdated. patterns & colors come in & out of style. and depending on the style of your house or room & the look you're going for, wallpaper may or may not be appropriate. most likely, it's the pattern and/or colors of your wallpaper that are outdated.

there are lots of great wallpapers out there now. some even look like painted faux finishes, which are great for those folks who just aren't artsy enough to do it themselves and have it turn out well.

how long has your paper been up?

 

You guys have made me feel better. Thanks. I have been trying to remember when I put it up (I guess that is a big clue right there - smile). Probably 5 years ago. Below the chair rail molding is a deep blue with a varying texture that makes people ask it it is painted, and above the molding is a vertical pattern with fruit on white, and then a very wide border at the top of wall of huge baskets of fruit. Deep down, I know it probably is outdated and I've about decided to take it down and paint. It is emotional though, because I do love it and I've bought white canisters with fruit that match, and lot of other accessories (I even buy kleenex in boxes with a fruit pattern). It really isn't a yucky fruit pattern....at least to me. It has vibrant happy colors, mostly cobalt blue and white, with a little lime green and a cranberry color, and a bright yellow. If it was a faded or beige country look, I wouldn't care for it. I looked a long time for it and have been so hapy with it until now. My two team leads at work are the ones who say all wallpaper is out. We live in a very up and coming town with multi-million dollar neighborhoods coming in everywhere, and it is sometimes hard to go to someone's house with all the latest and greatest, and then come home to a 20 year old kitchen. But - we love to travel, and the first child starts college in Aug. so I must try to keep perspective. Thanks for the advice.

 

honestly, it doesn't sound outdated to me. fruit is a pretty classic & timeless kitchen theme. (now if it were blue & mauve country geese, we'd be having a different conversation!! ) it sounds like your style differs from your "friends'". they are probably drawn to a more contemporary, sleek "theme-free" look, and that's fine, too. believe me - there does not exist a decor that will impress & appeal to 100% of the people that will walk through your home, so don't even try to please anyone but yourself. i think your kitchen sounds cute & friendly & cheery. keep it the way it is. 5 years is not outdated. and certainly not worth ripping down if YOU still love it and are not tired of it yet.

 

No, the paper isn't outdated. Don't succumb to your "friends'" opinions. You love it, your husband likes it and that should be all that matters.

 

Why does my post get deleted? This is a forum is it not? I should be entitled to express my own opinion.

In case this gets deleted again maybe one or 2 people will get to read it. I think wallpaper is outdated. It reminds me of the 50s-80s. That being said if thats the look you are going for then go for it.

 

Sounds to me like you either need new wallcovering or new friends. Your call.

 

Wallpaper will never be out of style. Some people won't have anything else in their house and others won't have it at all and there are millions in between.

Out of style? Hardly. My nephew does nothing but hang paper. He charges about 50% more per roll than others and he has all the business he can handle.

 

I posted the initial question last week. It was so very important to me then. That was a different me! Over the weekend, my son had a head injury due to a snowboarding accident. We think he is going to be OK but it has been very frightening. It made me realize that my little decorating dilemma isn't all that important in the big scheme of things! Also, you guys are right that decor is up to the individual and I should just try to please myself and my family. I also noticed that Southern Living for this month has an article about wallpaper, and a different friend told me that the Laura Ashley website has some paper that is almost identical to mine, so at least some people still like it. But who really cares...the real lesson to learn here is...drum roll please...wear a helmet if snowboarding.

 

wow! sorry to hear that about your son. hope everything turns out okay. it certainly is true what they say: the most important things in life.....aren't things!

best wishes!