WALLPAPER . . . the perfect way to introduce wow factor to a room . . . is on a roll. Tricia Guild, creative director and founder of Designers Guild, says: "Whether you opt for a really bold, dynamic design as a feature wall or a more subtle design, perhaps with a metallic iridescent finish for all-over room use, it is a versatile way of introducing colour, pattern and texture to your space."

Wallpaper facilitates experimentation with pattern in pared-down spaces. It also anchors colour schemes.

Although mainly associated with living zones, it will waken up walls in any room in the house, including bathrooms.

Just make sure to stick to a wall that won't get too wet and use a quality paste containsing fungicides. Digital wallpaper from Imagine wallpaper in Kilkenny is UV-stable, wipeable and fungicidally stable.

"Wallpaper has become much more of a design statement with people using bolder, brighter patterns on one feature area or surface, " says Karen Beauchamp, creative director of Cole & Son. Its damask collection was launched last autumn while its Fornasetti range, based on the fine drawings of iconic Italian artist Piero Fornasetti, was unveiled in May.

A matter of paste Don't get hung up on the application process . . . it's now easier than ever to hang wallpaper.

According to Karen Beauchamp, Cole & Son's nonwoven wallpapers can be applied to a pasted wall (as opposed to pasting the paper), making the task really simple.

With such an array of designs available, reaching a decision on what best suits your home can be a dilemma.

Beauchamp suggests looking through interior-design magazines and marking everything that appeals.

"You can then see what the uniting factors are, maybe a colour or style or even a sense of space. This will give an indication of what you naturally like.

"Also if you have a vista, perhaps through a door, of a room beyond in which there is a dramatic wallpaper, you get two interesting views: an intriguing one from a distance and then an impressive one when you are actually in the room."

Many stores will let you take out their sample books and advise on a style to best suit your interior, O'Rourke says.

"If you have a lot of mahogany furniture, a stripe will add some nice texture. To avoid a clinical effect in a contemporary interior, florals will bring the outside in, " she says.

"Watch out for repeat pattern which can cause a lot of wastage."

David Oliver, creative director of the Paint and Paper Library, advises choosing wallpapers with related colours that don't contrast with the existing hues in the room.

"Tone-on-tone is more harmonious, " Oliver says. "Carry colour through from adjacent rooms to the wallpapered room to create continuity."

Live it large

"People are getting braver and the big trend for 2007 is for slightly modernised damasks in silk-style lustres and metallics . . . golds, gun metals and coppers . . . with a lot of dark colours and neutrals like blacks, greys, charcoals and dark taupes, " says Beauchamp. "Also the odd bright colour is softened with neutrals. Space is a luxury and the larger the scale of print, the larger the sense of space provided. Large dramatic patterns give an impression of open space and more air. You should be brave but go for softer, lighter colours if you feel hesitant. Homes are now less cluttered and you need bold patterns to fill the space and balance the look."

If you've selected a very graphic, bold contemporary print, Oliver advises using it in small doses. "Otherwise you will become sick of it. Alternatively use it in transitional zones such as in a hallway or on a wall that you wish to make a feature, " he says. Feature walls or areas can be created in dining zones or behind bedheads.

Wallpaper can also be used by big windows to blur the boundaries between your interior and exterior. Architectural detail may be accentuated by papering an alcove in a strong design.

"There is a belief that wallpaper should not be used in small spaces, " says Guild. "On the contrary, with the new direction of different finishes, such as gloss and tone-on-tone pattern, I believe wallpaper can actually enhance the scale of a room, especially when combined with white floors and ceilings."

Think outside the box

Wallpaper doesn't have to be confined to walls. It can give new life to old furniture. Vintage chests of drawers can be covered in vibrant patterns and cabinets lined with them.

Papered or patterned room dividers inject character and personality into open plan layouts. If you're sticking to walls, some designs can be used horizontally to striking effect . . .particularly striped patterns.

While there's a vast array of designs in the shops, you can also individualise your interior. Many artists are featuring interactive wallpapers, new materials and digital technology.

Imagine wallpaper will work with paintings or photographs supplied by clients, or can source imagery to fit a brief.

Finally, when it comes to wallpaper trends, anything goes. It's all a matter of taste.

"Recent trends have been for flock wall coverings and very fibrous papers, " says Oliver.

USEFUL CONTACTS

Cole & Son: www. cole-and-son. com
Designers Guild: www. designersguild. com
Giara Interiors: 4 Hynds Square, Portlaoise, 057-868 1579
Harlequin: www. harlequin. uk. com
Imagine wallpaper: Thomastown, Co Kilkenny, www. imaginewallpaper. com
Paint Library: www. paintlibrary. co. uk