| Do you remember that hideous trend in the eighties for | | | | in. Digital photos can be enlarged, altered, added to and |
| chintz? Every surface, from wall coverings to curtains, | | | | enhanced in all sorts of ways to end up as a wall |
| from cushions to sofa covers and bedding was | | | | covering that is completely unique. Many people |
| covered in flowery fabric with a soft sheen that made | | | | choose nature as a way of enhancing their rooms |
| you feel like you were laying in the Garden of Eden. | | | | with enlarged pictures of greenery on their walls. No, |
| I have to hold my hands up and admit I was party to | | | | this is not chintz, this is new wave natural look that is |
| this fashion, albeit in a small way. We all thought our | | | | supposed to instil inner tranquillity and calm. |
| flowery pastel wall covering looked classy but the real | | | | Andy Warhol type designs have been used for those |
| word we should have been looking for is horrible. Or | | | | who want something 'unique' but have no imagination |
| we could choose horrendous, horrific, ghastly, nasty, | | | | of their own. This is when we take a picture of our |
| repulsive or atrocious. Ok, this may be a little strong but | | | | child and have it coloured in with hideously garish |
| look at it! What were we thinking? | | | | colours, blown to gigantic proportions and placed on a |
| This may seem a tad unfair as interior fashions come | | | | 'blank wall canvas'. Please remember parents, that it is |
| and go like any other trend and what seems the bees | | | | only us that thinks our chubby faced baby is cute and |
| knees today will be tomorrows vomit stimulator. After | | | | as a wall covering it really doesn't cut it. |
| the chintz area, interior wall covering trends took a | | | | Of course, it's not so long ago that wall coverings |
| large swing in the opposite direction leading to an era | | | | made of paper just wouldn't be dreamt about near |
| of smooth plastered walls in neutral colours, giving us all | | | | water. The only type that could be used in a kitchen |
| time to get over the madness induced by the array of | | | | that could withstand the steam and water involved, |
| colours and flowers from the chintz fest. | | | | were those ugly, thick vinyl wall papers that were |
| This era lasted for quite some time but many of us | | | | always designed to look like tiles. Why not just use |
| are leaning back towards the warmer wall covering of | | | | tiles? |
| paper. | | | | Now we have the introduction of water proof paper |
| Of course, things have taken a turn with new | | | | that allows us to bring real paper wall coverings into |
| technologies and we no longer have to just accept | | | | the kitchen and even the bathroom. Again, this comes |
| what the local DIY store has to offer. What we can | | | | with the choice of absolutely any picture or design we |
| now put on walls only knows the bounds of our | | | | wish. |
| imagination. | | | | Looking for a step back to nature? It is now possible |
| Wall coverings made of linen and silk are not as new | | | | to use scanning techniques that not only copy the |
| as they may seem. Victorians were lovers of this type | | | | image but can actually pick up enough detail to create |
| of thing but it was only for the wealthy back then. | | | | wall paper that looks like it has texture. This is useful if |
| Nowadays it is accessible to all. | | | | we want to make a feature of a wall that looks like |
| Digital technology has done its bit in bringing the outside | | | | tree bark or elephant skin. Tasteful! |