Stylish and unusual wall decor with fabrics is a great way to create a special atmosphere in the living rooms of the house. This finishing option allows you to bring a twist to any design, make it stand out and make it as comfortable as possible. Work on decorating walls with fabrics should begin with a choice of materials. This applies to the type and quality of paintings, their colors. The appropriate color scheme, the presence of patterns or their absence will affect the possibility of a complete or partial change in the interior. You also need to carefully study the information about the methods of fastening and choose the one that the owners can do with their own hands. Take into account the advice and instructions of specialists in choosing fabrics, their fixation, the rules for subsequent care, and you can easily transform your apartment and make it unique.
The history of the design of the walls with fabric
The use of fabrics for decorating walls dates back to ancient Rome. Craftsmen made luxurious canvases from wool, linen, and painted with patterns. The widespread use of such materials arose in the XII century and in Western Europe. The so-called trellises were woven rugs that completely covered the walls. Of course, only representatives of the nobility could afford such a luxury. The main plot of such fabrics was biblical motifs. Later (around the 15th century) in Paris they created a completely new catchy look of paintings “millefler”. Their main feature was the selection in the center of any hero, plot, animal. The background of such fabrics was dark, and smaller flowers and leaves were more numerous around the woven thematic center. And in 1633 the Tapestries brothers created a large manufactory for the production of such fabrics for decorating houses. Such canvases are known today: they are familiar to us under the name tapestries. Their widespread use ceased after the appearance of paper wallpaper in the 18th century.
Advantages and disadvantages
The main advantage of fabric wall decoration is the creation of a special homely atmosphere: even wooden decoration is not able to so ennoble the interior. The other advantages of decorating walls with fabrics include:
the ability to create a common composition of decoration and identical upholstery of upholstered furniture;
environmental friendliness of most materials;
increased sound insulation of walls;
high resistance of tissues to mechanical damage;
maintaining good vapor permeability of the walls;
quick installation without joints (or just 1-2 joints on a long wall);
the possibility of additional imperceptible sound insulation and insulation (though not possible with all types of fabric fastening).
As for the minuses of such decoration, it is worth remembering: the fabric will collect dust, therefore, it will require frequent cleanings. Canvases in sunny rooms can quickly fade. The price of the material itself (even when attaching the fabric with your own hands) is quite high, and fixing the fabric near the electric points is a rather difficult job.
Material selection
The best solution for wall decor with fabric in residential premises will be the choice of special paintings designed specifically for fastening as decoration. They are completely safe (painted with harmless paints), retain brightness well for a long time, but are very expensive. Inexpensive options include furniture fabrics (jacquard, tapestry). Dense weaving of the paintings provides ease while maintaining integrity. Such fabrics slowly fade. An additional plus is the creation of good soundproofing in the rooms. It is permissible to use natural fabrics with less dense weaving and correspondingly less wear resistance (linen, cotton and sisal in pure form or with a small percentage of viscose). The use of such materials allows you to create a special cosiness and guarantees an environmentally friendly decoration. The least commonly used for interior decoration are light and translucent fabrics (taffeta, cambric). They are suitable for decorating individual sections of walls.
Methods for attaching fabric
When choosing a fastening method, it is necessary to take into account the complexity of the work. If gluing the wall and pulling the fabric on a solid frame can be done by everyone, then it is almost impossible to do neat drapery or upholstery with your own hands without skills. In addition, in any of the ways of fixing the paintings need 1-2 assistants. Correctly align or raise the fabric only when decorating a small section of the wall.To design the entire room, one pair of hands will simply not be enough. Also pay attention to the complexity of preparation for work: some methods require perfect alignment of the wall. Otherwise, it will be impossible to achieve a snug fit.
If you need additional insulation and soundproofing of the room, choose a method of fastening in which auxiliary materials can be placed under the fabric.
Pulling fabric
To pull the fabric on the wall you will need: slats (nailed along the perimeter of the wall), small nails or a furniture stapler (for attaching the canvas), a piece of fabric (the size is determined by the size of the wall + 3-4 extra cm along all edges for fixing), the construction level, dowels. The procedure is as follows:
Under the level, the locations of the rails along the perimeter of the wall are marked. They must be placed strictly parallel so that the surface of the web is not overtightened.
The fabric is trimmed neatly (it should make a perfect rectangle or square).
The slats are fixed with dowels to the wall.
The fabric is twisted twice by 1.5-2 cm in the upper part. Then it is lined with small cloves or furniture staples to the top rail.
The fabric is stretched to the lower rail, undercuts are also made and the web is fixed. Similar fastening is carried out on the sides.
A layer of sound insulation or insulation can be fixed under the stretched fabric. They are attached directly to the wall.
Sticking fabric
For gluing fabric, the following tools and materials will be required: a piece of fabric for decoration (2 cuts can be used for a long wall), putty, putty knife, paper, glue for paper wallpaper, fine sandpaper, furniture glue, iron, small nails and slats. Work on gluing is carried out according to the following scheme:
The fabric is checked for deformation: a small piece of it should be wet and dried.If it has decreased in size, then the selected section is completely soaked, dried and smoothed. This will prevent shrinkage of the fabric in the future.
The wall is cleaned with a putty knife, if necessary, leveled with putty. Glue for paper wallpaper is applied to the wall and paper is glued, which after drying is rubbed with sandpaper. If spotting spots are found on the wall, you need to treat these areas with nitro-varnish.
The wall is covered with furniture lacquer, the stretched fabric is carefully glued from top to bottom (work for two people), leveled, ironed to fix the glue. In addition, it can be knocked on top with slats and nails for the most accurate fixation. They can be removed after 6-12 hours. Excess tissue is trimmed, the edges are treated with glue.
After 3 days in the presence of tubercles, you need to break through each of them and re-walk with an iron. Above and below you can install skirting boards, baguettes.
Drapery
For proper draining of the wall with your own hands you will need: self-tapping screws, a rail (of a length equal to the length of the wall), a piece of fabric (2-3 times longer than the length of the wall and 10-15 cm longer than its height), small cloves, building level. Work on fixing the canvas is carried out as follows:
At the top, the location of the rail under the level is marked. The wall is cleaned of debris and dust: there is no need to level the surface.
3-4 cm fabric is tucked under the rail on the left and fixed on it with the first nail from underneath. In this case, the blade should have an allowance of 5-7 cm from above. After 10-15 cm, a fold is formed along the length of the cut, it is fixed under the rail (on the back side) with a nail. Similar work is done until the end of the cut. On the right, its edge is also tucked under the bottom of the rail and fixed.
The rack with the typed fabric is fixed according to the established marking. Fastening is carried out with screws from the front (that is, the studs will be located on the side of the wall).In the lower part, the fabric is tucked 2 times and neatly grabbed or, according to a similar scheme, is fixed on another rail.
When using the slats below, it is very difficult to withstand that a smooth wave fell down and there is no deformation. Therefore, the best solution is to fix the canvas only on the upper bar.
Upholstery
Upholstery is one of the most time-consuming and complex methods of decorating walls. To work, you need: a piece of fabric (length and width of the wall + 10 cm of reserve on all sides), slats for the frame, dowels, small cloves, putty knife, putty, furniture glue and glue for heavy wallpapers, iron, thick insulation, building level. For the upholstery of the wall under the carriage screed, you need to do the following work:
Strip the wall with a spatula and putty to smooth the surface.
Draw up a drawing for the desired upholstery pattern (with squares or rhombuses). Mark the level of the location of the slats and then fix the slats on the wall with dowels (without the frame, the finished decor will have a small volume, and all its luxurious appearance will be lost).
Draw a similar picture (just like the slats!) Draw on the Whatman paper and make holes at the joints of the slats. Using the blank as a stencil, transfer these points to the fabric.
Glue a thick insulation on top of the rack frame with glue for heavy wallpaper.
On top of the wall above the rack frame (1-2 cm higher), glue the fabric with furniture glue and go with an iron, additionally knock out with carnations (then they can be removed). Pull the fabric to the floor, and gently moving from top to bottom, nail the material at the points noted earlier. Thus, each point should clearly coincide with the intersection of the rack frame located on the wall.
Stylistic directions
The original design of rooms using fabric canvases can be done in completely different styles. The raisin is the use of fabric materials instead of ordinary wallpaper.The fabric finish will look appropriate and beautiful in the following directions:
Art Deco: for direction it is recommended to choose contrasting canvases with large repeating patterns;
modern: for styling in this direction, materials with abstractions, bright repeating patterns or special models with one large pattern (similar to photo wallpaper) are suitable;
urban: for the style, plain fabrics of light soft color (or models with discreet patterns) will be predominant;
ethnic style: fabrics with zigzag patterns of different colors are suitable for the direction;
50s style: bright fabrics with repeating flowing patterns perfectly complement the direction;
Oriental: materials in dark color with golden or silver patterns are suitable for the style;
classic: a great solution is the choice of paintings with a dark background and eye-catching, repeating patterns, stripes.
Wall decoration in the living room
You can decorate the walls with fabrics in a spacious room in various ways. The most beneficial design options include:
fabric decor for all walls of the living room;
You can stick the paintings or pull them on each surface. In this case, it is allowed to use two materials of the same color with different patterns (for example, decorate a pair of walls with a cloth with stripes, the rest with a cloth with ornate patterns).
allocation of a recreation area;
Behind a sofa and a pair of armchairs designed for relaxing with friends and family leisure, you can have any of the brightness and saturation of the fabric (not contradicting the style and overall color scheme). Unusual decoration will give the room an original look, and at the same time will not distract the owners from the rest.
stylization of the wall opposite the recreation area.
This design allows you to highlight the wall opposite the sofa and chairs. For decoration, it is recommended to select fabrics with soft colors and discreet patterns or no patterns at all.
Wall decoration in the bedroom
Unusual decoration of the bedroom with fabric trim allows you to emphasize its originality and comfort. The best options for using textiles in a living room include:
highlighting the head of the bed;
Here the usual sticking of fabric or full drapery of the wall is allowed. It will be unusual to look not at the complete decoration of the surface, but at the allocation of the rectangular zone behind the head (though the fabric should slightly protrude on the sides behind the head). You can make a stylish niche with backlight, inside which the fabric will be glued.
allocation of a sleeping bed;
In this embodiment, you can place a pair of strips of fabric on the sides of the bed (for example, behind the bedside tables). It will also look good and gluing, nailing paintings on two walls, near which the bed is located (that is, behind the headboard and to the left or right of the sleeping bed).
highlighting the entrance or wall opposite the bed.
It will create special comfort and help the hosts start in a good mood every morning.
Care Tips
Cleaning the fabric must always be done in a dry way. Any wetting of the surface can lead to the appearance of spots and stains on it. Therefore, to accurately remove accumulated dust, you need to use a vacuum cleaner. You will need to purchase a special nozzle (with a soft coating) in advance for cleaning furniture and various textile coatings. Following these recommendations will also help maintain the pristine condition of the fabric finish:
When installing the air conditioner, be aware that dust particles carried away by the flow will settle on the surface of the paintings. Therefore, it is not recommended to hang the air conditioner opposite the fabric wall or in a room with the walls fully decorated with fabric.
In sunny rooms, burnout should be avoided. Therefore, the decoration should immediately be placed on the walls where the sun's rays do not fall, or close the windows with blackout curtains during the period when the sun enters the room.
In rooms with fabric finishes, low humidity should be maintained. If necessary, installation of a dehumidifier is recommended.
Textile wallpaper as an alternative to fabric finishes
A good substitute for sticking or stuffing fabric on the walls can be textile wallpaper. In their appearance, they are somewhat similar to ordinary fabrics, but at the same time they are produced using a special technology: by gluing a web or individual layers of fibers onto a base. The base of the materials itself can be paper or non-woven. The first option has an affordable price, but the duration of preservation of the original appearance of such a finish is rather doubtful: a heavy canvas can last for many years or soon begin to peel off. Non-woven textile wallpapers have a higher price, but also last longer. For added protection, this type of finish can be coated with a clear varnish or polymer film. This allows you to guarantee minimal damage to materials and their slow burnout in the sun. But you only need to paste textile wallpapers on a perfectly flat wall. Despite the possibility of hiding irregularities in the structural finish, the presence of differences will lead to quick peeling of the material.
Conclusion
The correct selection of fabric in composition, quality and color is a guarantee of the original decoration of the walls in the house. However, it is worth using such materials only in living and living rooms: in the kitchen or in the hallway they will be exposed to significant negative impacts and will soon lose their attractiveness. In addition to choosing the right fabrics, we advise you to pay special attention to the available options for attaching canvases. Most of them can be done without the skills to carry out repair work. But it is imperative that any method of fastening should be carried out with exact observance of the procedure for preparing the fabrics and the wall itself. Do not neglect the advice on the features of fixation, checking paintings for deformation.Following the advice of experts will help you easily and simply stylize the apartment and get a chic design of decorated rooms.
Stylish and unusual wall decor with fabrics is a great way to create a special atmosphere in the living rooms of the house. This finishing option allows you to bring a twist to any design, make it stand out and make it as comfortable as possible. Work on decorating walls with fabrics should begin with a choice of materials. This applies to the type and quality of paintings, their colors. The appropriate color scheme, the presence of patterns or their absence will affect the possibility of a complete or partial change in the interior. You also need to carefully study the information about the methods of fastening and choose the one that the owners can do with their own hands. Take into account the advice and instructions of specialists in choosing fabrics, their fixation, the rules for subsequent care, and you can easily transform your apartment and make it unique.
Content
The history of the design of the walls with fabric
The use of fabrics for decorating walls dates back to ancient Rome. Craftsmen made luxurious canvases from wool, linen, and painted with patterns. The widespread use of such materials arose in the XII century and in Western Europe. The so-called trellises were woven rugs that completely covered the walls. Of course, only representatives of the nobility could afford such a luxury. The main plot of such fabrics was biblical motifs. Later (around the 15th century) in Paris they created a completely new catchy look of paintings “millefler”. Their main feature was the selection in the center of any hero, plot, animal. The background of such fabrics was dark, and smaller flowers and leaves were more numerous around the woven thematic center. And in 1633 the Tapestries brothers created a large manufactory for the production of such fabrics for decorating houses. Such canvases are known today: they are familiar to us under the name tapestries. Their widespread use ceased after the appearance of paper wallpaper in the 18th century.
Advantages and disadvantages
The main advantage of fabric wall decoration is the creation of a special homely atmosphere: even wooden decoration is not able to so ennoble the interior. The other advantages of decorating walls with fabrics include:
As for the minuses of such decoration, it is worth remembering: the fabric will collect dust, therefore, it will require frequent cleanings. Canvases in sunny rooms can quickly fade. The price of the material itself (even when attaching the fabric with your own hands) is quite high, and fixing the fabric near the electric points is a rather difficult job.
Material selection
The best solution for wall decor with fabric in residential premises will be the choice of special paintings designed specifically for fastening as decoration. They are completely safe (painted with harmless paints), retain brightness well for a long time, but are very expensive. Inexpensive options include furniture fabrics (jacquard, tapestry). Dense weaving of the paintings provides ease while maintaining integrity. Such fabrics slowly fade. An additional plus is the creation of good soundproofing in the rooms. It is permissible to use natural fabrics with less dense weaving and correspondingly less wear resistance (linen, cotton and sisal in pure form or with a small percentage of viscose). The use of such materials allows you to create a special cosiness and guarantees an environmentally friendly decoration. The least commonly used for interior decoration are light and translucent fabrics (taffeta, cambric). They are suitable for decorating individual sections of walls.
Methods for attaching fabric
When choosing a fastening method, it is necessary to take into account the complexity of the work. If gluing the wall and pulling the fabric on a solid frame can be done by everyone, then it is almost impossible to do neat drapery or upholstery with your own hands without skills. In addition, in any of the ways of fixing the paintings need 1-2 assistants. Correctly align or raise the fabric only when decorating a small section of the wall.To design the entire room, one pair of hands will simply not be enough. Also pay attention to the complexity of preparation for work: some methods require perfect alignment of the wall. Otherwise, it will be impossible to achieve a snug fit.
Pulling fabric
To pull the fabric on the wall you will need: slats (nailed along the perimeter of the wall), small nails or a furniture stapler (for attaching the canvas), a piece of fabric (the size is determined by the size of the wall + 3-4 extra cm along all edges for fixing), the construction level, dowels. The procedure is as follows:
Sticking fabric
For gluing fabric, the following tools and materials will be required: a piece of fabric for decoration (2 cuts can be used for a long wall), putty, putty knife, paper, glue for paper wallpaper, fine sandpaper, furniture glue, iron, small nails and slats. Work on gluing is carried out according to the following scheme:
Drapery
For proper draining of the wall with your own hands you will need: self-tapping screws, a rail (of a length equal to the length of the wall), a piece of fabric (2-3 times longer than the length of the wall and 10-15 cm longer than its height), small cloves, building level. Work on fixing the canvas is carried out as follows:
Upholstery
Upholstery is one of the most time-consuming and complex methods of decorating walls. To work, you need: a piece of fabric (length and width of the wall + 10 cm of reserve on all sides), slats for the frame, dowels, small cloves, putty knife, putty, furniture glue and glue for heavy wallpapers, iron, thick insulation, building level. For the upholstery of the wall under the carriage screed, you need to do the following work:
Stylistic directions
The original design of rooms using fabric canvases can be done in completely different styles. The raisin is the use of fabric materials instead of ordinary wallpaper.The fabric finish will look appropriate and beautiful in the following directions:
Wall decoration in the living room
You can decorate the walls with fabrics in a spacious room in various ways. The most beneficial design options include:
You can stick the paintings or pull them on each surface. In this case, it is allowed to use two materials of the same color with different patterns (for example, decorate a pair of walls with a cloth with stripes, the rest with a cloth with ornate patterns).
Behind a sofa and a pair of armchairs designed for relaxing with friends and family leisure, you can have any of the brightness and saturation of the fabric (not contradicting the style and overall color scheme). Unusual decoration will give the room an original look, and at the same time will not distract the owners from the rest.
This design allows you to highlight the wall opposite the sofa and chairs. For decoration, it is recommended to select fabrics with soft colors and discreet patterns or no patterns at all.
Wall decoration in the bedroom
Unusual decoration of the bedroom with fabric trim allows you to emphasize its originality and comfort. The best options for using textiles in a living room include:
Here the usual sticking of fabric or full drapery of the wall is allowed. It will be unusual to look not at the complete decoration of the surface, but at the allocation of the rectangular zone behind the head (though the fabric should slightly protrude on the sides behind the head). You can make a stylish niche with backlight, inside which the fabric will be glued.
In this embodiment, you can place a pair of strips of fabric on the sides of the bed (for example, behind the bedside tables). It will also look good and gluing, nailing paintings on two walls, near which the bed is located (that is, behind the headboard and to the left or right of the sleeping bed).
It will create special comfort and help the hosts start in a good mood every morning.
Care Tips
Cleaning the fabric must always be done in a dry way. Any wetting of the surface can lead to the appearance of spots and stains on it. Therefore, to accurately remove accumulated dust, you need to use a vacuum cleaner. You will need to purchase a special nozzle (with a soft coating) in advance for cleaning furniture and various textile coatings. Following these recommendations will also help maintain the pristine condition of the fabric finish:
Textile wallpaper as an alternative to fabric finishes
A good substitute for sticking or stuffing fabric on the walls can be textile wallpaper. In their appearance, they are somewhat similar to ordinary fabrics, but at the same time they are produced using a special technology: by gluing a web or individual layers of fibers onto a base. The base of the materials itself can be paper or non-woven. The first option has an affordable price, but the duration of preservation of the original appearance of such a finish is rather doubtful: a heavy canvas can last for many years or soon begin to peel off. Non-woven textile wallpapers have a higher price, but also last longer. For added protection, this type of finish can be coated with a clear varnish or polymer film. This allows you to guarantee minimal damage to materials and their slow burnout in the sun. But you only need to paste textile wallpapers on a perfectly flat wall. Despite the possibility of hiding irregularities in the structural finish, the presence of differences will lead to quick peeling of the material.
Conclusion
The correct selection of fabric in composition, quality and color is a guarantee of the original decoration of the walls in the house. However, it is worth using such materials only in living and living rooms: in the kitchen or in the hallway they will be exposed to significant negative impacts and will soon lose their attractiveness. In addition to choosing the right fabrics, we advise you to pay special attention to the available options for attaching canvases. Most of them can be done without the skills to carry out repair work. But it is imperative that any method of fastening should be carried out with exact observance of the procedure for preparing the fabrics and the wall itself. Do not neglect the advice on the features of fixation, checking paintings for deformation.Following the advice of experts will help you easily and simply stylize the apartment and get a chic design of decorated rooms.