I am constantly thinking of ways to save my clients money while still delivering a very high end, unique look. Since wallpaper is making a huge comeback, I have lots of clients asking me for ideas on affordable wallpapers. Well, the truth is, most of the really fabulous wallpapers are very expensive. They are gorgeous and once you see them in person, you realize there is a huge difference in the quality and feel of the more expensive papers. For example, the nubby texture of a Phillip Jefferies mettallic grass clothe is simply unmatched by some of the lesser priced grass clothes. Period.
Sometimes, when you are trying to get a high end look on a budget, you are better off thinking about the elements a certain product (like wallpaper) provides and looking for these in other places. Rather than trying to find an exact match for less. That's the trick - to come up with something unique and different to give you just as much nubby texture, but for less.
In this case, the solution is fabric.
Did you know you can use any fabric to wallpaper your walls? And no, just because you are using fabric, the walls do not have to be padded for an upholstered look (although this can be stunning). You can simply have your wallpaper hanger (they do need to know what they're doing), paste and hang the fabric on your walls. Additionally, there are even some DIY versions that are actually temporary allowing you to change things up without the commitment.
So, with this in mind, here are a few fabrics that can give you some great texture for much less than you would pay for wallpaper.
