Welcome to the world of wallpaper

Bridget Bodoano hails the return of wallpaper, a stylish alternative to paint

After years in the wilderness, wallpaper is back and bringing a welcome dash of pattern and cheer to the barren wastes of the "pared-down" interior. Some designs are extremely expensive, while even the less exclusive papers are around £30-40 per roll, which means that papering the whole of a medium-sized room can cost up to £500. Not as cheap as paint, then, but you do get more for your money. Unlike paint, wallpaper cannot be washed down easily (you can get washable papers but they are normally for use in kitchens and bathrooms) and any damage is difficult to repair.

But enough of the bad news. In older houses, stripping paint carries the inherent danger of stripping the base plaster off too, so wallpaper can be a wiser option which covers a multitude of imperfections - although, if your walls are in very bad condition, it's worth getting them replastered.

Top tips for better papering

1. To get around the expense factor of wallpaper, compromise by papering just one wall (it's very popular on the pages of interior magazines). Choose a wall with a focal point (the fireplace or a bed-head, say), then wallpaper it and paint the rest of the room.

2. Alternatively, keep it cheap by putting up panels of wallpaper instead of kitting out a whole room. Use a board made from MDF, cover it with wallpaper and attach it to the wall.

3. If you're the type who changes their mind often, or if you are decorating a child's room, just put up lining paper - then you can paint it and change the colour relatively easily.

4. Prolong the life of your wallpaper, and protect it from general wear and tear, by varnishing it. Polyvine do a water-based Decorators Varnish in three different finishes: dead flat, satin and gloss (www.polyvine.com). Professional and specialist decorators use this to give an "old" look to wallpaper as well as making it more hardwearing and stain-resistant. It is very easy to apply as it is very thin, but it must be brushed out thoroughly, otherwise it could dry with a white haze. Two coats are recommended, with the first coat diluted with 10% water.

5. If your wall is in good shape, wallpaper will stay on it better. Prepare the wall by stripping off any old wallpaper (see panel) and washing it down with sugar soap.

... and how to strip off the old stuff

If the former owners of your house had a penchant for 70s wallpaper and you'd prefer the remnants weren't all over your walls, read on. You'll need a bucket filled with water, a wallpaper steam stripper, a sponge, protective gloves, safety goggles, a stepladder and a stripping knife.

Change into old clothes and trainers, clear the room, and put any furniture that needs to stay put in the middle of the room, covering it with a dustsheet.

A steam stripper is advisable for stripping large areas of wall, given that it's got a bit more power than the second option, a large wet sponge and your arm muscles. But for smaller, more fiddly areas and hard-to-reach parts of the ceiling, use a stripping knife to mark off an area, get the paper soaking wet, then slide the knife under the paper at the seam or edge you've created.

Warning: When working round light switches and electrical fittings, turn the power off. And be careful when using the steam stripper: always follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Our favourite eco-wallpapers:

Graham & Brown Eco range

In collaboration with Central StMartins College of Art & Design in London, Graham & Brown has created a wallpaper inspired by environmental issues and printed on paper from responsibly managed timber sources, using water-based inks. Patterns include Bitten, Green Chair and Urban Birdcage. www.grahambrown.com

Interactive Wallpaper

The Long Flower wallpaper range in Giraffe and Leaf by Rachel Kelly uses recycled flax as its base. It is designed to be used as a single or diptych installation on a wall, rather than a repeated pattern. www.interactivewallpaper.co.uk

Eco Front

Natural fibre lace design by Eco Front. Owing to its delicate nature, with this range you are advised to paste the wall, not the paper. www.interiors-europe.co.uk

V2 PaperForms

This lightweight recycled wastepaper is made into wall tile shaped wallpaper that can be attached with double-sided tape or wallpaper paste. www.mioculture.com/store/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=8