Wallpaper news.

It is now three years since I last wrote an article on wallpaper. As usual, fashion has moved along, and there are lots of fabulous new wallpapers in the new collections for Autumn 2009.

In 2006, wallpaper was just regaining popularity after many years in the fashion wilderness. Now, it is considered a normal part of home decorating and available in all styles and price ranges. Personally, I have always loved it and incorporate it into as many schemes as possible for my clients.

From extravagant accent wallpapers, which are ideal for one-wall impact, to softer wrap-around papers for the whole room, there is a wallpaper for every occasion. It can transform a boring, bland room into one of drama and personality.

Think: dramatic reds and silver-hued wallpapers for the dining room; colourful prints for the bathroom; soft floral patterns for the bedrooms and sweet nursery characters for the children’s rooms. Let your imagination run riot.

As there are now many painter-decorators able to hang wallpaper properly, there is less risk involved in getting the work done professionally.

The top wallpapers are designed and manufactured by companies such as Cole & Sons, Zoffany, Colefax & Fowler, Jane Churchill and Designers Guild. Many of their papers are heavy duty and are washable, so suitable for kitchens and bathrooms. There are also many cheap, tissue-thin wallpapers on the market, so make an informed decision before you purchase. Remember; where wallpaper is concerned, you usually get what you pay for and what looks good in a magazine or brochure doesn’t always look so good in reality.

Hot off the press: having just seen many of the new wallpaper collections, just released this month and about to hit the shops, I can tell you that dramatic paisley and delicate floral patterns with silver backgrounds are very popular this year. Black, grey, aubergine, deep purple and lime green are still very much in evidence, but this year they are joined by lemon yellow. You read it here first!