Wall coverings aren’t just for residential homes from the 90s anymore. Historically, wallpaper meant floral patterns in your grandma’s kitchen. Today, printed wall coverings and mural wallpapers have emerged as powerful branding tools. Brands use wall coverings to complement their brand from retail stores to lobby areas and beyond. This custom wall decor is transforming spaces into visual narratives that turn heads and reflect brand values.
What Exactly Are Wall Coverings?
Wall coverings use materials such as wallpaper or vinyl as a decorative covering for walls. Wall coverings, opposed to wallpaper, are typically used in more commercial settings and are made with more durable materials than traditional residential wallpaper. They can be custom printed and applied to various surfaces, including drywall, concrete, brick, plaster and more. Commercial applications can be seen in retail stores, restaurants, airports, hotels, communal spaces, offices and more. Wall coverings allow businesses to express their unique brand identity through the use of custom printing.
Image 1: Large wall covering mural in Nike retail store. Image 2: Corewell Health added a large abstract wall covering at Blodgett Hospital.
Choosing the Right Wall
Selecting the right wall affects how effectively your message reaches your audience. Focus on highly visible, impactful locations within your space. Popular choices include entryways, feature walls behind sales counters or communal gathering areas. Current interior design trends emphasize large, bold mural prints that immediately attract attention and create memorable brand experiences, as well as subtle patterns on accent walls that add depth and dimension to a space.
Choosing the Right Artwork
Your wall covering artwork influences the perception of your space. Abstract designs can communicate creativity and innovation and are great for tech startups or modern brands. Realistic wall mural prints communicate authenticity, creating a connection with customers. Custom wallpaper printing, compared to painted murals, allows for more control over the artwork and your brand’s identity, which helps create consistency in the space and across multiple locations.
Choosing the Right Texture
The texture of your wall covering impacts the look and feel of your space. Traditional vinyl wall covering textures, like canvas or suede, communicate familiarity and are great for boutique retail settings or hospitality environments. Peel-and-stick self-adhesive options offer practicality and adaptability for seasonal promotions or quick design updates. Special effects textures, which have reflective or metallic finishes, add depth and visual interest. Sustainable wall coverings, crafted from recycled materials or natural fibers, appeal to environmentally conscious brands and support green initiatives and LEED certifications.
DreamScape offers many different textures and effects to find the perfect match for your space.
Understanding Commercial Wall Covering Types
Commercial wall coverings are classified into Type I, Type II and Type III based on durability and intended use. Type I coverings are lightweight and are best used for low-traffic spaces like small offices or private rooms. Type II coverings are very popular in the commercial space and have medium durability, suitable for busier spaces such as retail stores, restaurants and public spaces. Type III coverings are the heaviest commercial-grade media and most resistant to wear. These are recommended for high-traffic areas where the added durability is necessary.
Pasted vs. Peel-and-Stick Wall Coverings
Installation methods vary between pasted and peel-and-stick wallpaper options. Traditional pasted coverings involve wallpaper paste and are typically a more permanent application. Peel-and-stick coverings simplify the installation process, and typically allow for faster installations and removal, and are especially ideal for temporary uses. Each installation method, depending on the type of wall covering, uses multiple wall covering panels to cover large walls and can either be overlapped or installed with a double-cut wallpaper seam for perfect panel alignment.
Maximize Impact with Professional Installation
Proper installation is important to ensure a bubble- and wrinkle-free as well as longevity. Improperly installed wall coverings can cause bubbling, visible seams, peeling edges and can shrink over time, exposing panel gaps. Using a certified signage installation professional ensures your walls perfectly reflect your brand and deliver long-lasting results.
Image 1: Brick wrap mural in courtyard of Chicago hotel. Image 2: DreamScape wall coverings in restaurant offer an immersive dining experience.
Wall coverings are growing in popularity in commercial interior design and retail signage. As businesses prioritize immersive branding experiences, the demand for innovative and unique wall covering solutions grows. With evolving options in materials, textures and eco-friendly products, wall coverings will continue to shape how brands visually engage with customers visually and experientially. Ready to explore the possibilities? Contact 40 VISUALS and redefine your brand’s presence today.
