Wallpaper: Wallcovering that lasts and lasts

A lot of people say they don't like wallpaper. Well, choice of wallpaper is everything. I have wallpaper in my home that has lasted 25 years and still looks great and I'm not tired of it.
The secret is to look for patterns that have texture instead of multiple colors. Texture is background indented patterns that have no color. For instance, my living/dining room has a taupe-colored textured paper, it has texture but the color is solid. The texture in the paper lives quietly in the background, not shouting for attention but quietly adding character to the room. And, over time, I re-did this room from traditional to modern and the paper did quite nicely even after the change. I do not plan to change the walls in the room for the foreseeable future.

So what are the advantages?
Well, first off, wallpaper does not collect "dirt" like paint does. It can go for years and years and not appear dingy. This can save a bundle on paint over the years. However, most wallpaper IS washable if/when you choose to clean it.
Secondly, wallpaper can cover a multitude of wall imperfections. My bathroom has an area of plaster that was water damaged to the point that I had to seriously re-spackle it. There was no way to get it even enough to look decent when painted. But wallpaper covered this area perfectly and no one would ever know by looking that I had repaired the wall.

Saving Money with Wallpaper
I shop around at different stores and on the internet for discounts on wallpaper. Most stores will mark paper down over time. You can save 50% and even more at times. This cuts the cost of wallpaper way down.
If you choose stripes or solid colors, there may not be a "match" to the paper. This saves the loss when cutting sheets, and also makes hanging go much quicker, because you don't have to match the pattern. My bathroom is done in in a tiny woven stripe that looks like fabric (but isn't). I bought the paper off Ebay BUT ONLY AFTER I checked out the colors in a book at a local wallpaper store. This way I was able to be sure that the color was what I needed before I ordered the paper from Ebay. Do NOT trust the colors you see on your monitor screen when ordering off the internet. You can check out a book from a local wallpaper store, bring it home and check for the colors you need, and then shop with confidence off the internet.

Renewing the Look of your Wallpaper
Over the years, you may think you are tired of your wallpaper, when in fact all you need to do is add a border, or put up a new border. My bedroom has now had three borders over the years, and each time it renewed the appearance of the room totally. I also did this in my bathroom, hanging no less than 3 borders over 25 years before I decided to re-do the entire room.
Also, changing window treatments will change the way your paper looks. I put up a taupe-colored roman shade with valance in my bedroom and it brought out the taupe stripe in my wallpaper and made the entire room look different.

Hanging Wallpaper Without Losing Your Mind
Can a novice hang wallpaper? You betcha! I have always hung my own wallpaper and I've never even watched anyone else hang it.
There are a few steps to take:
1. You need a "plumb line" to ensure that the paper is hung totally straight vertically. It can be any weight on a piece of string that you use to show you the vertical line of the wall. This is especially important with stripes, but should be done with all wallpaper. Otherwise, you will tend to get the paper off vertical and it will show when you stand back and look at the finished wall.
2. I recommend a carpenter's square to cut the paper. It makes it much easier to cut it straight across.
3. If there is not a match, I cut several sheets at a time, after making SURE that I have the length correct. Once you are totally sure you have the first piece cut to the right length, use that sheet as a measure for the other sheets.
4. If there is not a match, I allow only 3-4 inches of extra length per piece, just barely enough to be sure that it won't be too short.
5. If there is not a match, I put my paper even with the top of the wall at the top, and do all my trimming at the bottom. This makes trimming MUCH easier, because there's nothing harder than cutting with your arms above your head.
6. Invest in a really good cutting knife to trim the paper edges. Dull knives tend to tear the paper instead of cutting it. You can get one like this at your local hardware store for around $10. You will also need some blades for it, but they are not expensive. Trust me, this knife is well worth the expense! These have MUCH better blades than the "break-off" blades you find on ordinary utility/box-cutter knives and they are much more comfortable in your hand.
7. If you plan to hang a border at the top of the paper, don't paper all the way to the top of the wall but instead leave a few inches (making sure you don't exceed the width of the border paper). It will save on paper and your hanging will go much quicker and easier.
8. Hanging borders: If you read the directions on border paper, it tells you to cut the border every few feet and hang it in pieces, matching each piece to the end of the cut on the former piece. Bull crap! Here's an easier and quicker way: Find enough chairs that you can align them along the wall, dip the entire border to wet it according to the instructions, and then hang the entire border strip all at once, stepping from chair to chair as you put the border on the wall. (Sometimes you may have to paste a border to get it to stick over paper, if the paper has a really deep texture in it.) You will only hang the border after you have all of the wallpaper hung.
9. Wetting the pre-pasted paper: you need a tray made especially for this purpose. You can buy an entire tray with wallpaper brush all together for a rather modest price, and it's reusable over and over. All you really need is the tray and the short-bristle brush, so don't over-buy on this item, go to your local Lowes or Home Depot or Wall-Mart and get a cheap one. (tip: put the tray where you will be using it and don't try to carry it full of water, because you WILL spill it, take it from me) You will need some kind of plastic drop-cloth to keep the paste off your flooring or carpet. Thicker is better, it won't wiggle around so much when you stand on it. I frankly use an old plastic tablecloth, because it's thick and large enough.
10. Seam-roller: some people use these, I have never used one and my paper comes out just fine.
11. The secrets to having paper stand the test of time for holding the wall are don't overwet it, and be SURE you get all the bubbles out when you brush it. You will have to brush some pieces a lot, so be prepared for that.
12. Take you time, look critically at each piece of your work, and remember that you can move the paper around as needed until you get it right, as it does not dry instantaneously.