![\"Wallpaper](\"https:\/\/paintlogs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Wallpaper-vs.-Paint.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWallpaper, natural wallcoverings, murals, lime-based finishes, Venetian plaster, and other specialty surfaces are increasingly being used alongside traditional paint. Rather than treating every wall the same way, homeowners and designers are considering what each surface can contribute to the architecture of a room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Colorado, that decision also involves practical considerations. Dry air, strong sunlight, existing drywall texture, older plaster surfaces, and significant differences in housing stock can all influence which finish makes sense \u2014 and how the wall should be prepared before anything is applied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Paint Is Still the Foundation of Most Interiors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Paint remains one of the most versatile wall finishes<\/a> available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is relatively affordable, easy to maintain, available in thousands of colors, and appropriate for almost every architectural style. A well-selected paint color can make a small room feel larger, emphasize natural light, or provide a quiet backdrop for furniture, artwork, cabinetry, and millwork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Different sheens also provide different levels of durability and visual character. Flat and matte finishes can soften minor imperfections, while eggshell and satin finishes are commonly selected where easier cleaning is important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For many rooms, paint is still exactly the right solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Its limitation is not performance but dimension. Paint primarily changes color and sheen. When the design calls for pattern, tactile texture, large-scale imagery, or significant visual depth, other wall finishes can accomplish things that conventional paint cannot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Modern wallpaper is a much broader category than many homeowners realize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today’s wallcoverings include traditional paper, non-woven materials, vinyl, fabric-backed commercial products, natural grasscloth, textile wallcoverings, metallic surfaces, handmade papers, digitally printed murals, and custom designs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This variety allows wallpaper to do more than decorate a wall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A vertical pattern can emphasize ceiling height. A panoramic mural can change the perceived dimensions of a room. Grasscloth can introduce natural texture without a strong printed pattern. A large botanical or geometric design can turn a plain drywall surface into the primary architectural feature of the space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Designers can also use wallcovering selectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A dining room might combine wallpaper with painted wainscoting. A bedroom may have three painted walls and one mural. A powder room can carry a much stronger pattern than the surrounding spaces because it is experienced for shorter periods of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The result is not necessarily “more wallpaper.” It is more deliberate use of different surfaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the biggest differences between selecting a paint color and specifying a specialty wallcovering is the importance of the substrate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A beautiful wallcovering cannot compensate for a poorly prepared wall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Heavy drywall texture, damaged gypsum board, old adhesive, glossy paint, previous repairs, uneven plaster, moisture issues, or improperly sealed surfaces can all affect the final installation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is particularly relevant in Colorado, where textured drywall is common in residential construction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A pronounced orange-peel or knockdown texture may need to be skim coated and sanded before certain wallcoverings are installed. Otherwise, the underlying texture can telegraph through the material.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Natural and premium materials can be even less forgiving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For homeowners looking for a wallpaper installation company in Colorado Springs<\/a>, evaluating the existing wall before ordering material can prevent several problems at once. The installer can determine whether smoothing or repair is necessary, identify an appropriate primer, review the wallcovering specifications, and help establish how much material the project is likely to require.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That assessment becomes increasingly important as the cost of the wallcovering increases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wall preparation for wallpaper is sometimes misunderstood as simply painting the wall first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The two processes are not identical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wallpaper primers and wallcovering preparation systems are designed to create a suitable surface for adhesive, help control porosity, improve installation characteristics, and make future removal more manageable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The correct preparation depends on both the substrate and the material being installed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n New drywall, previously painted drywall, repaired surfaces, plaster, and walls from which old wallpaper has been removed may require different approaches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The wallcovering itself also matters. A lightweight non-woven paper does not necessarily have the same requirements as natural grasscloth, fabric-backed vinyl, or a specialty handmade product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For this reason, product specifications should be reviewed before preparation begins whenever possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Colorado’s semi-arid climate is part of what makes the state attractive, but dry conditions and strong sunlight also influence interior materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Indoor humidity can change substantially through the seasons. Homes at elevation can experience intense UV exposure, particularly in rooms with large windows. Heating systems can further reduce indoor humidity during winter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not every wallcovering reacts to these conditions in the same way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Natural fibers, papers, adhesives, wood products, and plaster-based finishes each have their own material characteristics. Manufacturer instructions regarding acclimation, adhesive, primer, and installation conditions therefore deserve attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This does not mean wallpaper is poorly suited to Colorado. Quite the opposite: wallcoverings are used successfully throughout the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It means material selection and installation should be considered as one system rather than separate decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Grasscloth is a good example of why understanding the material matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unlike machine-printed wallpaper designed for visual uniformity, natural grasscloth contains variations in fiber, color, texture, and panel appearance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Its seams are generally part of the finished aesthetic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trying to make natural grasscloth look like perfectly uniform printed vinyl misunderstands what makes the material desirable in the first place. The variation creates depth and changes subtly as daylight moves through a room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That makes grasscloth particularly effective in dining rooms, studies, bedrooms, entry spaces, and other areas where texture is more important than a repeating graphic pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It also makes planning important. Panel placement, lighting, wall condition, and expectations about seams should be discussed before installation begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Large-format murals create a different set of challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With conventional repeating wallpaper, additional material can often compensate for some layout adjustments. A mural may instead consist of a predetermined sequence of panels forming one continuous image.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That means the starting position matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Doors, windows, cabinetry, fireplaces, sloped ceilings, and other architectural elements can determine which portion of the artwork remains visible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A few inches of movement can change whether the focal point of a mural lands in the center of a wall or disappears behind furniture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Measurements therefore need to account for the entire composition, not simply total square footage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is one area where early communication between the homeowner, designer, supplier, and installer can prevent expensive mistakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is little reason to view paint and wallpaper as competing products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of the most balanced interiors use both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A wallpaper pattern may provide the color palette for painted trim or adjacent rooms. Painted millwork can frame a wallcovering. A subtle textured paper can sit beside stronger painted cabinetry without competing with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This approach can also control cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead of installing an expensive wallcovering throughout an entire home, homeowners can reserve it for spaces where it has the greatest visual impact and use coordinated paint elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The transition between materials becomes part of the design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wallpaper is not the only alternative to conventional paint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Decorative plaster finishes \u2014 including Venetian-style plaster, lime-based finishes, travertine effects, and concrete-inspired surfaces \u2014 create visual interest through depth and movement rather than printed pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Light interacts with these surfaces differently throughout the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This can make plaster especially effective on fireplaces, feature walls, entryways, stairwells, and large architectural surfaces where a repeating wallpaper pattern may not be desirable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Plaster can also work alongside wallpaper and paint within the same interior.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWallpaper Has Become an Architectural Material<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Wallpaper](\"https:\/\/paintlogs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Wallpaper-Has-Become-an-Architectural-Material.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe Wall Underneath Matters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Primer Is Not Just a Coat of Paint<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Colorado’s Climate Adds Another Variable<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Grasscloth Is Supposed to Look Natural<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Murals Require Planning Before the First Panel Goes Up<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Paint and Wallpaper Work Better Together Than Apart<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Decorative Plaster Adds a Third Option<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Calculate](\"https:\/\/paintlogs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Calculate-Wallpaper-From-the-Product-1024x683.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n