(CYNTHIA MUGI) When picking wall paper for your interior decorating you need to consider your walls as well as the wall paper you want. When it comes to the walls, it is important to take note of the finish. If the walls have a perfect finish you can use wall paper that has a flat finish or that has a shimmer to it. A silk look also works well with a perfectly finished wall. However, if your wall has uneven finishing or is less than perfect, you need to consider wall paper that has an embossed finish also known as a patterned or textured surface. There are four major types of wall paper which include natural textile, paper, vinyl and fabric. Depending on your household, you will need to choose wisely in order to maintain your wall paper in the best condition possible.

Well done wall paper can last a long time. On average, you can get 10 to 25 years of service from well installed wall paper. For most Kenyans, especially if they have children, the question becomes how to clean it. Most Kenyan children will spend their day in school or outdoors playing games that involve becoming one with the dust of the ground. This dirt is usually transferred to the walls in the house. When it comes to cleaning your wall paper it depends on the kind you buy. It is advisable to purchase wall paper that has a vinyl or acrylic surface that is easy to wash. With this kind of surface you can easily wipe off marks with a sponge or wet rag.

The other concern when using wallpaper for Kenyan interior decorating is repairing tears. You do not have to replace the whole wall should there be a tear in your wall paper as it is quite possible to repair the tear. What you need to do is ensure that you have purchased extra wall paper in case you need to fix it. There is nothing worse than going back to the store only to find that the wall paper you need is no longer in stock. When repairing, be sure to cut and remove both layers of wall paper, clean the area you have just exposed and then re-paste the piece you are putting in. Make sure that the edges are cut in the pattern of the wall paper to make the repair less noticeable. After about 15 minutes of pasting the new piece, be sure to seam roll the edge lightly and you will be done!

For more on decorating with wall paper check out our blog HERE