Now, when I first starting looking into wallpaper, wall decor, wall murals… wall everything(!), I got a bit overwhelmed. There are so many different options to choose from and I had no idea what pattern match even meant! A year or so on, and wallpaper is becoming second nature to me. The best place to start is looking in the design specifications of the wallpapers you are interested in. These details might be the deal breaker on your well thought out room decor ideas. I hope this blog will teach you all you need to know about pattern matches, and inspire you to try some new designs!
What is a pattern match?
A pattern match is what it says on the tin: it is how the pattern will match up when applying to the wall. It is important to understand the difference between straight pattern match and drop pattern match. Not only will it help with deciding which wallpaper to buy, but also how many rolls you need to buy. Random match is usually the easiest to apply, as you do not need to be careful when lining up the design. For ease: lets call each strip of wallpaper a “drop”.
What is straight match wallpaper?
A straight match wallpaper means the pattern or design matches in a horizontal line across strips next to each other. These are usually more intricate patterned wallpapers with the complete pattern starting and ending along the width.
What is the difference between straight and drop match?
So, we’ve learnt what straight match means, but what does half drop pattern match mean? Half drop match is where the top of each drop is staggered relative to the start of the pattern on adjacent drop. If you look at the example below, you can see the wallpaper on the left only matches when the second drop is positioned half way down the first drop. What is an offset match? An offset match is just another way to say “drop match”.
What does random match mean?
Random match patterns are the easiest wallpapers to hang as there is no need to line up any patterns. The design is created in such a way that it is not obvious where the pattern begins and ends, and therefore it does not matter where you hang each drop in relation to each other. Random designs tend to be either block colour, striped or textured wallpapers.
What is the easiest pattern of wallpaper to hang?
Random match is the easiest wall paper pattern to put on your walls, and creates the least about of waste! Random patterns can be the most striking of all wallpapers, especially if you are using textured wallpaper.
What is a repeat in a pattern?
A repeat in a pattern is the length from where the pattern starts, to where it ends. For example: a 53cm repeat means that if you measured from the start of the pattern, it repeats at 53cm.
Types of wallcovering pattern matches
So, there you have it: straight, drop/offset and random match. If you are ever unsure about which wallpaper is best for you, just drop us a message. Not only can we help choose the best wallpaper for your house – we can also tell you so much more! We can tell you what each wallpaper pattern type means and where on the wallpaper the pattern begins and ends. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going wallpaper shopping!
