
It’s theorized that Oscar Wilde said on his deathbed,”It’s the wallpaper or me. One of us must go.” Historically, wallpaper has become the poor relation in the realm of the cosmetic arts, since it sits in the background and is often fragile and difficult to work with. But now’s wallpaper can play an essential role in decorating, influencing the choice of all of the other furnishing colors and styles in an area.
Are you ripped about wallpaper? Find out more about the history of wallpaper, and it may change your mind about using it now.
Tobi Fairley Interior Design
Early-15th-century background was made as a cheaper alternative to the paneling and tapestries used to warm and adorn European palaces.
Designed by Flemish artisans, this age’s wallpaper was printed with stained wood blocks. During the 1500s more ornate designs mimicking fabric patterns — such as brocade (as in this photograph ) and damask — coated the walls and lined the armoires and chests of their gentry.
The earliest documented form of wallpaper in England dates from around 1509: a woodcut Italian-inspired pomegranate layout printed on a proclamation by Henry VIII.
Dufner Heighes Inc
Chinoiserie wallpaper in the 17th century has its roots in the Chinese silk wall coverings designed for nobility throughout the Ming dynasty. This design became popular by European designers throughout the 1600s, who utilized rice paper panels to depict landscapes with delicate blossoms and birds.
The very simple furniture lines within this room complement the delicate nature of the chinoiserie wallpaper. If you adore chinoiserie wall coverings, companies such as de Gournay and Griffin & Wong are worth a look.
Flocked wallpaper in the 17th century showed French designs; it reached its pinnacle of popularity around 1745.
Flock is the wool deny left after fleece was processed. For this kind of wall covering invention historically, paper or canvas has been given a background color, then the layout was printed or stenciled using an adhesive. Ahead of the adhesive dried, the flock was implemented, giving the layout a velvet pile. The wallpaper wasn’t attached directly to the wall; it had been glued to lace, and the linen has been fixed into the wall.
Crisp Architects
Background in the 18th century was about color and pattern. In this era artists translated pictorial depictions from tapestry design onto papers.
Background became so prevalent in England during that period that a tax had been implemented in 1712 on any newspaper that was painted, printed or stained to serve as hangings.
The French were the most adventurous in their designs, largely because they had the assistance of a new machine, invented in 1785, that was utilized to print the newspaper. In this period 34 ft became the typical size for a roll of wallpaper, as decreed by King Louis XVI.
Scenic, large scale papers were remarkably well known in France. Hand printed using several wood blocks, these newspapers are extremely expensive.
Interior Works Inc
Background in the 19th century included many distinctive wallpaper patterns made by William Morris, father of the Arts and Crafts movement.
Using stylized forms and motifs in nature, Morris made horizontal but intricate patterns motivated by Pre-Raphaelite painters and overdue –Middle Ages tapestries. Several designers worked with Morris, and several of the original Morris & Co designs are still in production now.
This laundry area indicates the brand new, delicate pattern of Iris, made by J.H. Dearle, one of the designers at Morris & Co in 1887.
Think Contemporary
Background in the 20th-century had its ups and downs. The initial mechanical silk screen machine appeared in 1920, and millions of rolls of wallpaper were sold within the next 10 decades. However, after that, paint finishes over before the 1950s.
Midcentury backgrounds were clean appearing; the colors were bright; and the designs were reflective of this optimistic interval. Vinyl and prepasted newspapers also emerged in the’50s, making wallpaper even more accessible.
The peacock design gracing this bedroom wall is reminiscent of the art nouveau revival layout that emerged during the middle of the century.
GRUBER HOME REMODELING
Background today is kicking and alive. Besides the traditional wallpapers we know and love, contemporary geometric patterns are now extremely common. And digitally printed wallpapers now allow for large murals in diverse patterns and colors.
The wallpaper in this hall is an outstanding example of the endless design possibilities.