🥳 Wallpaper party

Hello, Saturday! Today we're talking about wallpaper's big comeback.

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🎂 Happy birthday to our Axios Twin Cities member Bryan Oakley!

Today's newsletter is 672 words — a 2.5-minute read.

Wallpaper has come a long way since your grandma used it, says designer Jen Klein at Minneapolis-based O'Hara Interiors.

The big picture: Designers have been wrapping rooms in personality-packed paper this year — and the trend is here to stay for 2025.

• Taskrabbit saw a 70% increase in wallpapering bookings nationwide from January to May 2024 compared to the same period last year.

What they're saying: "With lots of neutrals dominating many furnishing choices, it's a chance to add a pop of personality to an otherwise blank palette," Klein tells Axios.

The latest: It's not just bedrooms and dining rooms. Nooks and crannies, closets, bookshelves and laundry rooms are all getting makeovers, too.

• These small spaces are a playground for bold colors and patterns that might be overwhelming in main living areas, experts say.

What's next: Look up. Klein expects to see more people wallpapering their ceilings to add a dramatic flair, especially in homes with limited open wall space.

The bottom line: Plain walls be gone.

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Here's Klein's advice for choosing wallpaper that matches your vibe.

💙 For a relaxing space: Pull in warm browns or soothing blues and greens.

🌿 For a pop of whimsy: Add a pattern featuring botanicals, birds or other animals.

• "Any print bringing the outdoors inside will be popping up a lot this next year," Klein says.

🪵 For an earthy look: Ground your walls with something textured, such as grasscloth or woven paper.

Pro tip: DIYers should order extra yardage to account for any repeating patterns, since the wallpaper sheets will need to line up, Klein says.

• She suggests looking to companies such as Thibaut, Schumacher and York Wallcoverings for prints and Phillip Jeffries for textured options.

Thanks to everyone who replied to our request for wallpaper snaps. Here are a few Axios Twin Cities reader notes we had to share.

🛁 Mendota Heights homeowner Kathy Oakley is happy wallpaper is making a comeback in smaller spaces such as powder rooms or accent walls.

• She and her husband, who covered one bathroom wall with a leafy print, "don't want to saddle any future owners with a huge wallpaper removal project."

🐈 Case in point: Angela Ledding of Grand Rapids in northern Minnesota installed $110 worth of wallpaper herself.

• The resulting "surprise wall" boasts dozens of cats wearing sunglasses.

🐾 Pup prints are also paw-pular. A waggish mix of florals, Corgis, Dalmatians and other dog breeds decorate former Minneapolis Council Member Lisa Goodman's half-bath.

✂️ The fine print: As the pros warned, patterned papers can be tricky to DIY. It's one reason why Teresa Eisenbise of Columbia Heights, who wallpapered her staircase, is opting for paint next time.

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Wallpapering a room is pretty but pricey, especially if you're hiring a pro to hang your new wallcoverings.

By the numbers: Installation costs range from a few hundred dollars to thousands, depending on factors like the complexity of your space and type of paper, according to home services platform Angi.

• For instance, installation for larger spaces like living, dining and bedrooms costs about $200-$1,500 on average, while smaller spaces like a laundry room may cost under $250, according to figures Angi shared with Axios.

In some cases, professional installation costs upwards of $10 per square foot, according to Houzz, another home project platform.

We want to know what you'd like to see more of in your Saturday real estate-themed newsletters.

• Do you have questions about the housing market? Are you looking for more home inspiration? Is the rent vs. buy debate your Roman Empire?

Email realestate@axios.com with your thoughts and questions.

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Our picks:

🤩 Bri is eying peel-and-stick grasscloth and maybe these framed panels for her walls.

🤨 Sami can't decide on art, let alone wallpaper.

Thanks to our editor Ashley May.