Fearless Facades
It’s bold! It’s elegant! It’s fun! Wallpaper is a wonderful way to customize your home and add depth and texture to your walls or ceilings. Cara Saven of Cara Saven Wall Design has created and curated some of the most unique wallpaper options on the market.
Saven has created an international following from her South African studio where she designs and curates distinctive wallpapers to match everyone’s style and color scheme. From soft ombrés, to striking geometrics, to bold, large scale florals, her fresh touch on classic design elements gives people who want to incorporate the beauty of wallpaper a modern way to accomplish their vision. As Saven explains, “Wallpaper has become much more user-friendly in the last few years. In the past you were confined to rolls of wallpaper in particular patterns. Now, you are able to not only tap into a diverse range of designs, but you are also able to customize them to suit your unique setting or color palette.” With these advances, people can add wallpaper to any room.
While bright, colorful patterns are often applied to accent a room, Saven also offers more subtle options that can be used more liberally. “There really is no limit to where you can use wallpaper. Guest bathrooms are a great place to have a bit of fun with your designs whereas a bedroom might need something a bit more calm and soothing,” says Saven. “Wallpaper can either be a backdrop or a talking piece so decide what you want its purpose to be and then the design will follow.”
For people ordering their wallpaper online, measuring can seem a bit daunting, but it needn’t be. Saven has a few tips to assist you in ordering the correct amount for your room. “For our wallpaper, we only require the full height of the wall and the full width. We don't need to know the cut outs—that is the air conditioner, doorways or archways, unless of course you would like us to superimpose your wallpaper onto the wall so you can see the completed result before purchasing. You don’t need to measure baseboards or moldings and don’t stress if you're an inch or two out, as we always add a bit extra.”
Once your wallpaper is up, you will want to keep it looking new. Just like paint, wallpaper is very low maintenance once it has been applied. “All our papers can be wiped using a slightly damp cloth so that's good news,” Saven says. One thing to consider is exposed edges. If you are wrapping wallpaper around corners or using it on a wall with an edge, that might be rubbed or brushed as people walk by, it is best to use a protective trim to keep your wallpaper from ripping or peeling. Keep ventilation in mind as moisture can shorten the wallpaper’s character. Be sure the space will dry properly before you spend the time and money wallpapering a frequently used bathroom.
For more information on custom wallpaper, visit carasaven.com or email cara@carasaven.com.