Treat your walls

You stare at those walls every day, and frankly, they're starting to look dull. You think about painting or putting up wallpaper, but both ideas seem outdated and uninspired.

It turns out that both paint and wallpaper have modern applications that can be used to enliven your space. The key ingredients? Texture. Imagination. And thinking outside the box. Here are some ways to apply those elements and make your walls pop.

Wallcoverings

Today's fashion world is taking note of the versatility and creative capacity of "wallcoverings." Different from the retro, largely floral wallpapers of yesteryear, today's wallcoverings are noted for their variety of texture and composition. "This is something completely different than what existed before," says Marty McGrane, owner of Allen Funk's Wallpapers in Raleigh.

Modern wallcoverings are available in a variety of styles, patterns and fabrics, including metallic, linen, beaded, cork, vinyl, felt, pebble, wooden, bamboo, pre-dyed grasscloth, leather and suede. "Spurred by people becoming tired with tan, boring walls, these wallcoverings are a way to accent your space and make it have a custom look," says Angela Pence of Angela Pence Interior Design of Raleigh. "Emerging in Europe about 10 years ago, its popularity has really boomed in the Triangle in the last five or six years," she adds.

While its use may be growing, people are still somewhat timid about committing to these wallcoverings. For that reason, accent walls, powder rooms, foyers and ceilings are popular uses.

"I usually apply it in small spurts to really maximize impact," Pence says. "I love to do it on ceilings and in powder rooms. Covering a ceiling gives it a focal point and makes it a lot warmer and more homey, giving it texture that really pulls everything in a room together and makes it pop." In foyers, grasscloths are popular, because they add texture with a plain pattern that won't bore you.

Wallcovering options vary significantly in cost. Lowe's and Home Depot carry more affordable vendors and textured options that include grasscloth, leather, vinyl, metallic and a slew of other contemporary coverings.

Allen Funk's Wallpapers offers an assortment of contemporary and traditional styles, from the more economical styles to a range of high-end vendors such as Schumacher, Thibaut and York.

"We have every book of contemporary, traditional styles out there, and we work with clients on how to do what they want to do," says owner McGrane. "Ultimately, we want customers to like what they're looking at as much at home as they do here."

Sew Fine II of Durham also offers solutions based on customers' design and budget needs. A full-service design firm that specializes in draperies and interiors, Sew Fine II carries wallcoverings from vendors such as Blue Mountain, Candice Olson and Seabrook.

Stickers

Another option for people who like the detail of wallcoverings without the cost and commitment: removable wall stickers such as WallPops ( www.wall-pops.com). These peel-and-stick designs come in a variety of mix-and-match decals, ranging from safari animals and birds to dots, stripes and graphic designs.

These stickers are removable and reusable and don't use harmful adhesives. They work for any age or space - from dining and living rooms to nurseries and dorm rooms - but perhaps most appealing is the affordability. While costs vary, these stickers are very economical when compared to wallcoverings. A five-pack of styled dots, for example, runs about $15.

Decorative finishes

If you like the idea of adding texture to your walls, another option is faux finishing. This technique, often referred to as decorative finishing, can be an affordable way to add depth to a room and make your walls pop through painting techniques that create architectural styles and effects. Metallic, quartz, marble, leather, distressed walls, Old World, plaster, raised stencil, stone, parchment and glazing are a few.

"The days of sponging and ragging are long gone," says Tamara Clark, a local artist and expert in decorative finishing. She applies these custom looks to walls, ceilings, outdated cabinetry and even furniture. "Today's styles are much more sophisticated, elegant and customized."

Elizabeth Conlon, interior design assistant at Angela Pence Interior Design, agrees. "It absolutely allows for a unique finish that complements your room or space. It can be simply adding stripes to your wall or be more complex by adding a texture. Its multidimensional quality sets it apart from simply painting an accent wall."

Resources are available for those looking to learn finishing techniques, from books to how-to websites. Lowe's, Home Depot and Sherwin Williams offer a range of finishing styles and products for self-application.

Local professionals such as Clark can create much more custom and dramatic finishes. Her studio, TC Artworks Design Studio in Raleigh, offers a range of finishes for any kind of budget. "Many people think they can't afford it, and they can," says Clark, who has been in the business for 28 years. "It depends on the finish you'd like. The more embedded the design, the more expensive."

Just paint

And not to be forgotten, a simple paint is still very chic, and doesn't have to be complex to be elegant, attractive or stand out. "We're not completely dismissing the accent paint color either; a high gloss paint or paint with a metallic finish adds a great pop as well," Conlon says.

However you choose to adorn your walls, the key is an open mind. "When you're ready to step out of the box, that's where you get good design," Pence says. "That's what makes a room. It's in the details."