In the grand scheme of things, what happened is not earth-shattering, but it was a big disappointment for me. I had spent over a year planning what to do with the two guestrooms in my house. I purchased two euro shams for one of the guest rooms and ordered wallpaper samples, which I displayed for over a year. Eventually, I bought enough wallpaper to cover an accent wall during a good sale on Spoonflower. We hired a woman to install the wallpaper in half a day, resulting in a stunning transformation. I felt great pride in my design. It altered the entire feel of the room.

However, fate took an unexpected turn. Less than 24 hours later, the home water filter casing burst, flooding gallons of water into the garage and into the newly papered guestroom. Fortunately, we were home when the damage was done. We were able to call a plumber to replace the water filter. The plumber pointed out the water damage to the wall and flooring in the garage, where mold had begun to surface. He also pointed out the corroded water softener unit that needed replacement, leading to the involvement of a restoration specialist. This incident resulted in extensive repairs; the wallpaper was ruined, the carpet soaked, and both sides of the wall needed new drywall, insulation, and baseboards. The water heater needed to be relocated to the garage floor. The area was treated with dehumidifiers and the guest room was sealed to prevent contamination.
I hoped that we could salvage the wallpaper with minimal repairs, but the hot air fans raised the room temperature to 102°F. I am sure that the wallpaper is damaged. This is a temporary setback, but I anticipate insurance coverage for the wallpaper. The irony of waiting a year for the perfect design is not lost on me. Nevertheless, amidst this challenge, the three diligent young men handling the repairs restored my faith in the younger generation.