The decoration of the walls of the apartment largely depends on the taste preferences of the owners. Choosing the finishing material that matches your wishes is a complex process. After all, it is necessary to adhere to a uniform design and create a cozy atmosphere in the apartment. In addition, one should take into account the specifics of this or that room, especially the bathroom or kitchen, where the problem of moisture appears, and not every finishing material can withstand it.
There are a large number of materials available for sale, which are used to cover the walls in the apartment. The main ones include:
- wallpapers of various types;
- decorative plaster;
- painting walls;
- Ceramic tile;
- covering with cork wood;
- artificial stone;
- natural stone;
- PVC panels;
- wooden lining.
Wallpaper
Wallpaper, no matter what format it is, is a classic for facing living spaces. Quite durable and wear-resistant. They are warm to the touch and the most diverse in terms of possible design. Basically, wallpaper is made on a paper basis with various types of external surface, from a simple pattern on paper to vinyl coatings for painting. To use wallpaper, it is necessary to carefully prepare the surface of the wall. The entire wall must be flat and without damage, if necessary, plastering and puttying is carried out using the starting putty.
In terms of design, the choice of wallpaper is always relevant, as it can become not just a colorful decoration, but also imitate the surfaces and textures of other finishing materials (tile, wood, stone, etc.). Another interesting option is wallpaper for painting, they are especially good where it is not possible to level the walls in order to paint them.
The disadvantage of wallpaper is that it is practically impossible to use it in a humid environment (bathroom, kitchen). There are, of course, moisture-resistant types, but they are not durable either.
Decorative plaster
Textured or decorative plaster allows you to implement any even the most complex pattern on the surface of the wall. Not only different terrain is used, but also the possibility of using various colors. For this type of coating, it is sufficient to plaster the wall evenly. Read more about the types of decorative plaster and the features of its use in different rooms here .
Painting the walls
Painting the walls is an excellent aid for displaying an artistic touch in interior design. In addition to the possibility of depicting a picture or simply painting everything in one color, there are a number of extravagant options. For example, you can cover the wall with multiple layers of multi-colored paint and sand the surface. At the same time, sanding is carried out to different depths in different places, revealing new layers of paint. As a result, the entire wall will be covered with a wonderful ornament with a transition of colors. There are no particular difficulties with painting the walls, but it is extremely important to bring the surface to an ideal state. The slightest distortion or bumpiness will affect the result.
An undoubted advantage of wall painting is that it can be used in any room of an apartment or house.
Ceramic tile
Ceramic tiles are a classic way of facing walls in the bathroom, toilet and kitchen. It is rarely used in other rooms. This application is determined by the characteristics of the tile parameters, in particular, it is moisture-resistant and tolerates different temperature regimes well, and it is easy to wash it from various household contaminants. The use of tiles in decorating the walls of residential areas is often determined only by design ideas.
Ceramic tiles are presented in various textural and stylistic variations, so it allows you to implement a wide variety of ideas.
Covering from cork wood
Cork covering for walls is an eco-material with high practical characteristics. The plug is resistant to pollution, abrasion, ignition, anti-allergenic and provides excellent heat and sound protection. It can be produced in the form of panels, wallpaper, rolls, tiles. It has a wide variety of colors and textures, so its design possibilities are no less great than those of its counterparts. It is an excellent, albeit expensive, substitute for wallpaper, ceramic tiles, and wall panels. Can be used in any room.
Artificial and natural stone
The use of decorative stone in the interior allows you to create a special atmosphere, emphasize the design and style of the room. It is perfectly combined with other finishing materials, which makes it possible to create original compositions, to highlight a certain area in the room. Stone will look good in an interior dominated by metal and glass, and the addition of good lighting and indoor plants will make the room cozy, despite the use of “cold” materials. Walls in the hallway, kitchen or living room are mostly lined with stone.
Wall panels
They have many options of colors and textures, can be made from both natural and artificial materials (wood, PVC, MDF, chipboard, fiberboard, glass, gypsum vinyl). Their advantage over analogues is that wall panels allow you to decorate a room with minimal costs. Also, they are easy to install and do not require preliminary leveling and preparation of the draft wall. This option of wall cladding appeared relatively recently, but is already gaining popularity. They are mainly used in the bathroom, hallway, kitchen, less often in living areas.
It is difficult to say which of the described cladding options is better or worse. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages, and the choice can be based not only on operational characteristics, but also on financial possibilities. The cork finish is soft and reliable. Ceramic tiles are easy to operate and maintain. Decorative stone looks great, especially when all other interior elements are selected accordingly.
In terms of design, all options are good, especially plaster, tiles and wallpaper, which can imitate the textures of other facing materials. The easiest in terms of the finishing process is painting or plastering the walls, but in other cases, special adhesive mixtures are used, with the help of which the wall is plastered with tiles or pieces of material.