Wallpaper or Paint – Which is the Better Choice for Your Project?

You’re working on a hospitality, corporate or residential interior design project. You’re tempted to use wallcovering instead of paint, but you’re not 100% sure which is the better way to go for your design scheme and budget. We’re here to explain why wallpaper is an excellent choice for virtually any installation.

We admit we’re just a little prejudiced. That’s because we’re Bijou Coverings, a bespoke wallpaper studio specializing in manufacturing custom high-end wallpaper.  With our innovative technology and quick turn-around time, we provide the building blocks for designers and makers to bring their vision to life.  While paint may be the classic choice, with Bijou’s custom wallpaper, you can what you can achieve is limited only by your imagination.

Here's why custom wallpaper is a great choice for your next project.

Wallpaper Gives You More Variety and Design Options

Design projects can be complex, involving scores of different materials with varying patterns, textures and color schemes. Wallcovering is the hands down better option for your project because it offers so much more freedom than paint. With our ability to create anything you can dream up, we open up a world of possibility with infinite options for pattern, texture and color.

Design: It is possible to create designs using paint, but it’s a long and difficult process, and near impossible to get the detail you are looking for. Wallpaper, on the other hand, offers so many more options. Custom wallpaper with a unique design helps you achieve a unique look that paint simply cannot.

Texture: Wallcovering can range from very smooth to highly textured, a feature that you can feel when you run you hand over its surface.

Color: While some might argue that paint is available in nearly any color or shade, we can do the same for your project because our work is 100% customized.

There are No Toxins in Bijou Wallpaper

In 1971, U.S. Congress banned the use of lead-based paid in federally funded residential and commercial projects. Six years later, the U.S. Product Safety banned it entirely in newly-built residential and commercial buildings. But despite those measures, paint does cause some environmental concerns, the biggest of which is the risk of VOCs (volatile organic compounds). They can be released by the paint over time and have been proven to be harmful to humans, children in particular.

On the other hand, wallpaper in general poses very little environmental risk. Bijou’s custom wallpapers are California Proposition 65 compliant and NSF 342 sustainability certified. In addition, they are produced with a low VOC content, passing CA 01350 for indoor air quality.

The inks we use are water-based and are UL ECOLOGO and CGREENGUARD certified.

Wallpaper is More Affordable When You Look at the Big Picture

Both wallpaper and paint range in price based on whether its quality is low end or high end, but don’t forget you get what you pay for! Paint is generally less expensive, ranging from $15 to $50 per gallon.  

While your initial capital investment is less at the start when you use paint on your design project, your long-term costs will add up due the maintenance required. All wallpaper needs is an occasional cleaning, while paint must be touched up constantly. Wallpaper has a longer lifespan than paint (see below), lasting up to three times as long before needing replacement. Amortized over its lifetime, it actually costs less than paint. If you want to maximize your investment, wallpaper is the way to go.

Wallpaper is More Durable Than Paint

Any professional will tell you that wallpaper has a 15-year lifespan, compared with paint’s 5-year one. Not only that, paint can chip easily and requires regular touch-up, particularly in a public space.

Our custom wallpaper is durable and virtually maintenance free. In fact, it is classified as Commercial Wallpaper Grade Type 2. The means it is manufactured to meet or exceed the minimum requirements set forth in Federal Specifications CCC-W-408. For maintenance, all that is required is wiping with a dry, lint-free cloth.

Take a look at our Lookbook to get inspired, or call us today to get started on ridiculously good looking wallpaper for whatever type of project you are working on.