How to Find the Best Luxury Mural Wallpaper Installers in Any State
Unlike low-end consumer wallpapers, high-quality scenic murals require a professional installer. Here’s how to find the best person for the job in any state.
Wallcovering Installers Association (WIA)
The WIA is a wonderful trade association that dedicates itself solely to the needs of professional wallpaper installers. Their members are experts in their craft who maintain a consistently high standard of quality.
There’s an incredibly useful tool on the WIA website that will allow you to locate a professional near you.
For scenic murals like ours, we recommend selecting “Delicate Scenic Murals” in the optional Accreditations section.
Other Resources
If you can’t find a WIA member in your area, Houston-based wallpaper expert Julie Young (aka The Wallpaper Lady) lists some things to look for an installer on her blog. According to her, a good installer:
should do a wallpaper work (and maybe painting) ONLY – not general handyman stuff
should remove any old paper, or
if it’s a painted wall, should remove texture, so the surface is smooth
should prime the surface
should allow sufficient time—not rush off to another job the same day
should have proper equipment
should have proper adhesive for the material you are using
and urges you to ask yourself:
Will they remove and replace towel bars and light fixtures, or “hang around them”?
How will they protect your floors and furnishings while they are working
Do they communicate well?
Are they organized? Will they give you a definite date, or will they “call you when there’s an opening”?
Is this someone you are comfortable with, and feel OK about having in your home?
She also includes other helpful pieces of advice, like why you should always let your paperhanger do the prep work.
You might also ask if the installer has experience working with high-end wallpaper brands like Brunschwig & Fils, Kravet, Gracie or de Gournay. Delicate wallpapers will often require double-cutting and should be smoothed over with a soft brush, rather than a plastic scraper. A skilled installer will be well-versed in those techniques.
If your city has a to-the-trade interior design showroom, they may be able to provide recommendations for local professionals that they’ve worked with, particularly if you’re buying product from the showroom.
Here’s a list of interior design showrooms in the US:
East Coast:
Boston, MA – Boston Design Center
Southern US:
Atlanta, GA – Atlanta Decorative Arts Center
Dallas, TX – Dallas Design District
Houston, TX – Decorative Center Houston
Dania Beach, FL – Design Center of the Americas
Estero, FL – Miromar Design Center
Midwest:
Chicago, IL – The Merchandise Mart
Troy, MI – Michigan Design Center
Beachwood, OH – Ohio Design Center
Western US:
Denver, CO – Denver Design District
Las Vegas, NV – Las Vegas Design Center
Scottsdale, AZ – Scottsdale Design District
West Coast:
San Francisco, CA – San Francisco Design Center
Los Angeles, CA – Pacific Design Center
Seattle, WA – Seattle Design Center
