You found a wallpaper design you love. You can already picture it in your room. And then you get to the next decision:
Traditional, Peel & Stick, or Luxe Peel & Stick?
If you're not someone who spends a lot of time thinking about wallpaper, those choices can feel a little overwhelming. What is actually different about them? Is one easier to install? Does one look better? And how do you know which one makes the most sense for your home?
At Rusky Rose, my wallpaper designs are available in three different materials: Luxe Traditional, Peel & Stick, and Luxe Peel & Stick. Each one has its own feel and advantages, and there really isn't one material that's right for every person or every space.
So let's break them down.
First: What's the Difference Between Traditional and Peel & Stick Wallpaper?
The biggest difference is exactly what it sounds like: how the wallpaper attaches to your wall.
Traditional wallpaper is installed using wallpaper paste. Peel & stick wallpaper has an adhesive backing already applied, so you peel away the backing and adhere the wallpaper directly to the wall.
But installation isn't the only difference.
The materials have different textures and finishes, they behave differently while you're installing them, and your wall surface and the permanence of your project can all play a role in deciding which one is best.
Here's a closer look at the three options I offer.
Luxe Traditional Wallpaper
If you're looking for that beautiful, classic wallpaper experience, Luxe Traditional is my favorite place to start.
Traditional wallpaper is installed with wallpaper paste rather than an adhesive backing. While the word "paste" can make traditional wallpaper sound intimidating, it actually has one major advantage during installation: you have some ability to move and adjust the paper on the wall.
That can be incredibly helpful when you're trying to line up a repeating pattern.
Instead of the wallpaper immediately sticking exactly where it touches the wall, the paste allows you to gently slide and reposition the panel while you're working. For someone who wants a polished, permanent installation, that adjustability can be a big benefit.
The Luxe Traditional material also has a beautiful, elevated finish that works especially well with the organic, botanical and vintage-inspired nature of Rusky Rose designs.
Luxe Traditional may be right for you if:
- You're wallpapering a space you plan to keep for a while
- You want a more permanent installation
- You love the look and feel of traditional wallpaper
- You want some ability to reposition the paper while matching your pattern
- You're comfortable using wallpaper paste or hiring a professional installer
- You're looking for an elevated, high-end finish
Traditional wallpaper isn't necessarily the "hard" option and peel & stick isn't necessarily the "easy" option. They're simply different installation methods, and some people actually find traditional wallpaper easier to work with because of that ability to adjust it during installation.
Peel & Stick Wallpaper
Peel & Stick wallpaper skips the paste entirely.
The adhesive is already on the back of the wallpaper, so installation involves removing the backing and carefully smoothing the material onto your wall.
This can make it a really appealing option if the idea of mixing or applying wallpaper paste isn't for you.
Peel & stick is also a great option for people who want more flexibility with their space. Maybe you love changing things up. Maybe you're decorating a child's room that you know will evolve over time. Or maybe you're simply not ready to commit to the same wallpaper for the next decade.
There is one important thing to understand, though:
Peel & stick does not automatically mean easier.
Because the adhesive grabs the wall as you work, careful placement is important, especially with repeating patterns. You don't have quite the same ability to slide the wallpaper around on the wall that you do with a pasted traditional wallpaper.
The condition and texture of your wall matter, too. Peel & stick wallpaper performs best on properly prepared, smooth surfaces. Heavily textured walls can make it more difficult for the adhesive to create consistent contact.
Peel & Stick may be right for you if:
- You don't want to work with wallpaper paste
- You like the idea of a removable wallpaper option
- You change your decor more frequently
- You're decorating a nursery, child's room or another space that may evolve
- You have a smooth, properly prepared wall
- You prefer a self-adhesive installation method
It's a wonderfully flexible option, but choosing the right material for your actual wall is just as important as choosing the pattern you love.
Luxe Peel & Stick Wallpaper
Then there's Luxe Peel & Stick, which combines the convenience of a peel-and-stick installation with a more elevated material and finish.
This is a beautiful option if you know you want self-adhesive wallpaper but still want that more substantial, high-end feel.
You still get the no-paste installation of traditional peel & stick wallpaper: remove the backing, position the wallpaper and smooth it onto your wall. But the Luxe material gives you another option when the finished look and feel of the wallpaper are especially important to you.
Luxe Peel & Stick may be right for you if:
- You want a peel-and-stick installation
- You don't want to use wallpaper paste
- You want an elevated material and finish
- You have a smooth, properly prepared wall
- You want the flexibility of peel & stick without sacrificing that luxe feel
For someone torn between the elevated feel of Luxe Traditional and the convenience of Peel & Stick, this can be a really lovely middle ground.
So... Which Wallpaper Should You Choose?
There isn't one answer I can give everyone.
If you want a long-term, polished installation and don't mind working with paste, I would strongly consider Luxe Traditional.
If avoiding wallpaper paste is your biggest priority and you like the flexibility of a self-adhesive material, Peel & Stickmay be the better fit.
And if you want that same peel-and-stick installation method but are looking for a more elevated material, Luxe Peel & Stick gives you the best of those two worlds.
But there's another factor that's just as important:
Your actual wall.
Wallpaper isn't being installed in a perfectly controlled environment. It's going into real homes with different paint finishes, textures, lighting and surfaces. That's why I always recommend testing before placing a full wallpaper order.
Please, Please Order a Sample First
I know.
You've fallen in love with a design online and you're ready to wallpaper the room.
But this is one step I really don't recommend skipping.
Order the sample.
There are two reasons for this.
First, screens are weird.
Your phone, tablet and computer can all display the exact same color differently. A warm cream on my screen may look slightly different on yours. And even if your screen were perfectly color accurate, the lighting inside your home can completely change the way a color feels.
Morning sunlight, cloudy afternoon light, warm lamps and cool LED bulbs can all affect how you perceive a color.
Tape your sample to the wall where you're actually considering installing it. Leave it there. Look at it in the morning. Look at it in the afternoon. Turn the lights on at night and look at it again.
You might be surprised by how much it changes.
Second, ordering a sample gives you the opportunity to feel the material and test it against your actual wall.
Wallpaper is tactile. The finish and weight of the material are difficult to fully understand through a photograph on a screen.
If you're deciding between materials, order samples of the ones you're considering. Hold them. Feel the difference. See how the artwork prints on each material.
And if you're considering Peel & Stick or Luxe Peel & Stick, testing a sample on your wall is especially helpful. Your wall texture, paint and surface can affect adhesion, so a sample lets you see how the material interacts with your particular space before committing to a full installation.
A few dollars spent on a sample can give you a whole lot of confidence before making a much larger purchase.
A Quick Wallpaper Comparison
Choose Luxe Traditional if:
You want a beautiful, long-term installation, an elevated finish and the ability to adjust the wallpaper somewhat while installing it with paste.
Choose Peel & Stick if:
You want a self-adhesive option without wallpaper paste and like having more flexibility to change your space down the road.
Choose Luxe Peel & Stick if:
You want the convenience of a peel-and-stick installation with a more elevated material and feel.
And if you're still not sure?
Sample them.
Sometimes feeling the materials in your own hands and seeing them against your own wall makes the decision surprisingly easy.
Wallpaper Should Help You Create a Space You Want to Be In
At the end of the day, I'm much less interested in telling you that there's one "correct" wallpaper material than I am in helping you find the one that makes sense for your home.
I create Rusky Rose patterns because I genuinely believe our surroundings affect how we feel.
There is something special about walking into a bedroom, bathroom, nursery or little corner of your home and thinking, yes, this feels like me.
Wallpaper can completely change a space without changing the things that make it yours. It can bring warmth to a blank wall, make a small powder room feel intentional, turn the back of a built-in into a focal point, or finally give that bedroom the feeling you've been trying to create.
Choose the pattern that makes you happy.
Choose the material that makes sense for your home.
And before you cover the whole wall, order that little sample and live with it for a few days.
Your walls aren't going anywhere. You have time to make sure you love it.
Original artwork designed by Amy Ruskusky of Rusky Rose.