Fabric Walls:  Creating a new wall in fabric can add another dimension of warmth and texture to a room.

For a standard, 36-inch wainscoting, choose a fabric pattern that can be installed in vertical sections. Though this requires seaming (as with wallpaper) every 54 inches (the standard width of decorator fabrics), it creates less waste than a pattern that is printed horizontally, or railroaded. The floral pattern shown in Photo 1 works well because it has no obvious direction.

Repair flaws in walls. Trim fabric selvage. Measure wall segments and cut fabric slightly longer than needed, matching patterns where fabric butts together. To secure fabric to wall, roll or brush clear, nonstaining vinyl adhesive or cellulose paste onto an area slightly larger than the width of the fabric (see Photo 2). Apply fabric to pasted wall, using a dry wallpaper brush to smooth air bubbles and wrinkles. (Use more glue on raw edges if needed to prevent raveling.) To cover large sections of wall easily, roll fabric back onto bolt after trimming, then roll it out directly onto the wall. Trim top edge with a razor and broad knife. Attach decorative chair rail, slightly overlapping top edge.