WHAT ARE WALLPAPER BORDERS?
This wallpaper trend pretty much does what it says on the tin. Wallpaper borders are strips of wallpaper typically used as a perimeter border on the wall of a room - be it around the cornices, skirting boards or wainscoting - but can border a door or other feature too.
WHY ARE THEY TRENDING NOW?
Since you probably associate borders with being an unfashionable fad, you might have been happy to never see them crop up in designs ever again. So why the sudden return? 'In the post-lockdown era, people have had more time to experiment with their homes,' says Susie. 'If you still want to play around with your interiors, but don’t want to commit to decorating a room top-to-toe in wallpaper, then borders are an impactful and hassle-free way of adding a visual accent to your space.' The idea is all about making traditional patterns feel modern.
1. CHOOSE A SIMPLE PATTERN
If you've decided to give wallpaper borders a go, the pattern should be your first thought. While a busy floral design might suit your eclectic style, Susie suggests opting for a more simple, understated design if you want to play things safe.
2. EXPERIMENT WITH POSITIONING FOR A MORE MODERN EDGE
Traditional wallpaper borders would be found around skirting boards or as dado rails along the bottom third of a room, but contemporary designs encourage bolder experimentation.
3. THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX
Although we've generally been discussing borders as room perimeters, you should think outside the box (literally). Wallpaper borders are by no means limited to our walls. 'There are no rules when it comes to borders,' Susie says. 'They're so versatile that you don’t even have to confine them to a room – they can go on staircases, furniture or even around window frames.' She encourages using borders in a more multidimensional way, too. Use them to create the illusion of panel frames on the bottom third of your wall, or apply them to intersect and overlap with other border patterns.