Run for the Borders!

Long before I discovered Uppercase Living, I went through my fair share of decorating projects. Fifteen years, three houses, three kids and dozens of gallons of paint have seen me tackle everything from stenciling to installing moulding to removing a very stubborn wallpaper border while I muttered some descriptive suggestions for where the previous owners of our newly purchased home could insert their wallpaper glue.

There's no doubt that borders add so much to a room's decor. They can draw the eye up toward the ceiling or down to de-emphasize a too-tall space. They can pull together disparate elements to unify a room. Adding a sense of whimsy or formality, for example, a well-chosen border is the perfect touch to make a room look complete.

The new Uppercase Living catalog contains a whole section of borders that are easy to apply, come in all of our decor-friendly colors and can be put up end-to-end to fit any length. See how they complement the decor in the following rooms:

The border used in this formal dining room is the Urban Flourish. I love that rather than placing it predictably along the ceiling, the designer used it just above the wainscoting, where it doesn't compete with the elaborate crown moulding. Notice how the curves in the border mimic the curves of the light fixture.

In this monochromatic bathroom, the Loopy Line border is used just on one wall, between the bath tub and the window. In this otherwise traditional room, the border adds an unexpected whimsical touch. The main part of the two part design is white, which ties in to the tub, accessories and trim; while the second part is a darker shade of the blue used elsewhere in the bathroom.

The decor in this bedroom is structured and symmetrical, down to the perfectly centered pair of mirrors above the bed and matching lamps on the night stands. Enter the Curly Vine border to bring in organic shapes and curved lines to offset the straight slats of the prominently placed bed. The color matches the bedding perfectly and extends the soft shade up almost to the ceiling.

Applying our our borders is just as simple as applying any of our expressions. Registration marks included with the design help you match up each piece for a continuous effect with no gaps. Using the tips in the following short video will help you get the same custom look in minutes.



Seeing how easy these borders are to install and remove brings me back to all the time I spent peeling off that ugly old wallpaper border, piece by tiny piece. Knowing that these borders will never have anything to do with wallpaper glue and the future owners of my home cursing me behind my back makes me love them even more.