Cork wallpaper in the interior (19 photos): eco-friendly room decoration

Choosing a suitable wall decoration during repair, we advise you to take a closer look at this type of coating, like cork wallpaper. They look original and beautiful, environmentally friendly, and can be used as additional heat and sound insulation. There are a lot of advantages and features - therefore, in the article we will consider what this new coating is, how to choose the cork wallpaper correctly, and for which rooms of the house they are best suited.

What is cork wallpaper

Consider what and how this wall covering is made of, its features as a building material.

Cork wallpapers are made from a southern plant, more precisely from its bark. This plant is a famous cork tree; corks for bottles of wine are also made from its bark. The plant lives in southern countries, mainly in the Mediterranean region and in Africa.

Cork wallpaper is a small crumb of a tree bark, which is glued in a thin layer on a non-woven or paper base. The rough surface of the cork is polished and varnished - thus the wallpaper acquires a characteristic gloss and smooth texture. Often wax is used to give gloss - then the wallpaper becomes especially decorative and acquires an interesting texture. As a result, the design of the living room, hallway or bathroom is very original and unusual.

Cork-based wallpapers are available, as a rule, in three standard sizes - 300/600/3 mm, 300/300/3 mm or 450/450/3 mm. As we see, the thickness is the same everywhere, only the width and length of the roll changes.

pros

What are the benefits of cork-based wallpapers?

• Cork coating looks very decorative, decorates the interior both in the bathroom and in the hallway, making them unusual and original.
• This type of wall covering belongs to safe and environmentally friendly materials. Cork wallpapers are made from natural bark of a tree - this is the same, in fact, wood - of a standard brownish color.
• Cork-based wall coverings bring a special atmosphere into the room - warm and cozy, make the room truly “residential” and equipped, it will be pleasant to be in it.
• Cork wallpapers look especially good in combination with solid wood furniture. This coating also goes well with a natural floor covering - laminate or parquet.
• Cork wallpaper, like bamboo, is a very durable coating, they have virtually no “demolition” - they do not age, do not fade and do not lose their decent appearance.
• This type of finish is fire resistant. Moreover, cork wallpapers in the interior are able to some extent even withstand fire, to the last resisting fire - this advantage in certain circumstances can give the very “head start” that will save lives.
• Cork wallpaper for walls is sometimes used specifically to provide the entire apartment with excellent sound insulation. Experts say that if you have noisy neighbors, then when covering the walls with cork wallpaper, the audibility will be much less. In addition to excellent sound insulation, cork-based wall coverings also hold heat well.
• Cork wallpapers are not electrified, do not accumulate static electricity, and do not collect dust.These advantages allow you to use them, designing the design of the premises where people with allergies and children live.
• This wall covering has good antibacterial properties, prevents the formation of fungus and mold on the walls of the bathroom and hallway.
• All types of cork wallpaper are practical, they are easy to care for, they do not require the creation of any special conditions, are unpretentious and convenient.
• Paste this material is not difficult - whoever glued ordinary wallpaper at least once, will be able to stick cork - the technology is similar. In addition, cork coating does not require prior alignment of the walls, it holds well in the bathroom and in the kitchen without peeling off.
• Even if your room, covered with cork wallpaper, is on the sunny side and is constantly lit, the wall covering will not fade and will not lose its color.
• The design looks great on the wall, turns an unremarkable room into a fashionable and stylish room.
• In addition to covering the walls with cork wallpaper, they can also be used not for their “intended purpose” - old furniture is finished with this material, giving it a second life. And such furniture will look as if you have purchased a new one, especially if it is combined with a floor covering.

Minuses

In addition to the obvious pluses, such material has several drawbacks, although they are much smaller, but to complete the picture it is necessary to consider them:

• The first and most important minus is the cost of cork coverage. This price is not too affordable, although it may well be justified by the obvious and undeniable advantages of such a finish.
• Cork for walls is not very resistant to mechanical damage. Therefore, if your child wants to tear off a piece of wallpaper from the wall, then, to his joy, he will succeed. But then restore the coating in the hallway or in the kitchen will be difficult.
• Since rolls of cork wallpaper are usually quite small in length and width, there is a lot of waste material, which makes the repair cost even more expensive.

Color

The color scheme of this finishing material is quite wide - most natural shades - from sand to dark brown with characteristic small splashes. As a result, the design of the bathroom, hallway or any other room is very interesting and original.

The usual colors of cork wallpaper are ocher, gray and brown. There are also color options, but less often, and it will be an artificially painted coating - in nature, pink or purple tree bark can not be found.

Also quite often you can find the natural color of the coating, say, brown with rare colored splashes. Merging on a large canvas in one color, the wall acquires an interesting pattern and a stylish, beautiful look. It’s good if at the same time the wall covering is “consonant” with the floor covering.

Cork wallpaper in the interior of each room

Consider what features cork walls have in wall decoration in different rooms of the house

Kitchen

If you design the kitchen with a cork wall coating, it is advisable to install a kitchen set in a natural color with a natural pattern, preferably in a classic style. Thus, natural wood surfaces will be in perfect harmony. And the corresponding floor covering will make the overall picture even more harmonious.

Be sure to soak the surface of the walls in the kitchen with a special composition - otherwise cork wallpaper will absorb all the smells that the pots and the oven exude - and as a result the smell from the walls will be “indescribable”. You can even write this coverage property in minuses.

Children

Cork wallpapers, like bamboo, are great for a child’s room due to their naturalness, freshness, natural appearance and good soundproofing properties - nothing will disturb and wake a sleeping child.In addition, all types of this finish are hypoallergenic, which is also important for young children.

The main thing is to carefully monitor so that curious children do not tear off the wallpaper, mechanical fragility is the only drawback in this case.

Living room

Cork wall covering gives the living room an original look, makes this room light, cozy and comfortable, a real family “oasis”. The same properties can boast and bamboo wallpaper. If you want to see your living room original, unusual, but at the same time a cozy place for the whole family, then cork wallpaper is the material that you need.

Bedroom

An eco-friendly coating will make sleeping in this important room especially pleasant and strong. A favorable microclimate finish allows you to sleep well and relax during the night for new labor achievements.

Hallway

Due to its practicality and ease of maintenance, all types of cork wallpaper are excellent for covering walls in the hallway. In addition, they do not absorb odor, dirt and dust, and stains from them are easily wiped off.

Cabinet

Due to good sound insulation, no one and nothing will interfere with productive work in an office covered with cork wallpaper. Bamboo wallpaper is also perfect for an office.

Bathroom

Cork is even suitable for this specific room. An excellent replacement for cold and uncomfortable tiles. The warm cork surface is pleasant to the touch, moreover, it is quite resistant to moisture, fungus and mold.