Buying wallpaper online can be a daunting task, especially since you’re ordering a product that will last for years and years to come. However, many wall décor sites these days are offering customers the chance to order wallpaper samples. These are typically square or rectangular in shape and are cut from the wallpaper roll, giving you a small piece of the actual product. Though it might seem like an unnecessary step, here are the top 5 reasons why you should always order wallpaper samples!
1. Better Color Representation
Just how bold is that yellow color scheme? Honestly, it can be hard to tell when looking at it on a digital screen. The sample image is never the exact replica of the actual wallpaper since colors will look different on a computer screen. This can be due to a number of reasons, whether it’s due to the lighting, area of the wallpaper being scanned, quality of the product image, and so on. Ultimately, while wallpaper stores do their best to present an authentic representation of the image, it’s still just a digital image and there will be slight color differences!
Not only will a wallpaper sample give you a clear indication of the actual color, but it can also help you choose a specific wallpaper color for your interior space. For example, let’s say you’re trying to choose a wallpaper to match with your current interior design layout and you wonder if the purple/taupe wallpaper below would look nice as a backdrop with your current chair and sofa. With an actual piece of the wallpaper in hand, it’s as simple as holding it beside your furniture and seeing whether your selection would work or not.
2. You get to touch and feel the wallpaper.
Some wallpapers are made with different materials. The example above is a natural (or grasscloth) wallpaper that uses a dense layer of small mica chips. These are highly textured and give the walls a sense of depth and organic appeal. Other natural wallpapers, such as this Sunset Gradient, have a flatter appearance but also feature a different material, such as fibers and arrowroot. Textile wallpapers are made with fabric. Glass bead wallpapers, as the name implies, feature hundreds of tiny glass beads attached to the surface.
With an online image, you will not get a good representation of the wallpaper materials as it’s only meant to represent the general color and design. Ordering an online sample means you get to touch and feel the wallpaper and see if it’s right for you. Often times, wallpaper materials such as textile come at a premium; it’s definitely a luxury product for sure! However, different wallpaper materials so add a different visual element unlike regular vinyl.
3. Compare and contrast.
Vintage Deep-set Brick Wallpaper Red and Orange R4804
Modern Minimalist Brick Wallpaper Red R4807
Deciding between different red brick wallpapers but you just don’t know which one to choose? Instead of playing a game of "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe," ordering wallpaper samples means you’ll be comparing each of them at once. You might find that you absolutely adored one when viewing it online, but after seeing the real wallpaper, you might even gravitate towards your second or third choice!
Ordering wallpaper samples is a really good way or narrowing your choices down because you get a real representation. Just as with the wallpaper color, some styles will just look better in your space. Holding up the three different red brick wallpapers can help you determine which one fits best. Here’s a tip: use some wall-safe tape and put the various wallpaper samples up on the walls. Walk around your room and see which one makes an impact and which one you love the best!
4. Take the opportunity to get creative.
Mixing and matching different wallpaper patterns is one of the best ways to showcase your originality and personality in your space. Ordering some samples will help you determine if your chosen patterns match nicely or if it’s back to the drawing board. Using one gorgeous wallpaper pattern as your feature wall (such as Koi Pond Watercolor above) and plain or textured wallpaper for the complementary walls is one simple way to create a stylish, high-end look for your space.
We’ve given the example of a white plain cotton wallpaper below, but ordering wallpaper samples will allow you to test various colors. If your feature wall is the Koi Pond Watercolor above, you can even order different plain wallpaper and see which one looks best with it: white gives it a minimalistic, relaxed look; beige will give it a more classic traditional look, while something out of the box – like black – will give it a bold, dramatic look.
5. You’ll get a sense of scale when looking at the actual wallpaper pattern.
When we cut our wallpaper samples, we make sure to include as much of the entire pattern as possible. That way, you’ll get a good feeling for how large it is. Whether it’s a large-scale damask pattern like the contemporary wallpaper above, or a dense, small-scale geometric pattern like the one below, the wallpaper’s image scale can have a dramatic impact on your space. Depending on the shape and size of your room, large-scale wallpapers may be a better choice over small-scale imagery. Larger rooms or larger walls tend to showcase large-scale imagery better because the repetition can “breathe” and be showcased in its entirety.
With an online image, it can be hard to distinguish the exact scale of the wallpaper pattern. After all, the image has been cropped so that the repeated pattern is shown, but this isn’t a 1-to-1 ratio that’s consistent across every single wallpaper image. While pictures or room shots can give you a better indication of the wallpaper scale, it’s always best to see the actual size instead of making assumptions.
Bonus reason why you should always order wallpaper samples:
Because it’s free at Walls Republic! We offer wallpaper samples for both residential (around 8 1/4" x 11 1/2" to 15 1/2" x 21") and commercial wallpaper (9 3/4" x 7 1/2"), so no matter what your interior design project is, you can shop with ease of mind knowing that you’ll be able to get your hands on actual physical samples of the final product.
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