“My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. Either it goes or I do.”
Oscar Wilde
How do you feel about the latest wallpaper trend? Are you fighting it as Oscar Wilde allegedly did on his deathbed? Have you wallpapered every room in your house with the new, popular designs?
(Pierre Frey) (Nina Campbell) (Osborne & Little)
I have mixed feelings about this craze. Wallpaper gives depth, dimension, and character to a space not possible with paint. And, as an affordable art form, it allows people to express their individual style. However, I still remember the wallpaper patterns and borders that camouflaged homes during the 1980s. I also have flashbacks to endless hours spent scraping and steaming layers of wallpaper off walls. These memories often make me want to retreat from finding the perfect pattern to plain paint.
Despite my love-hate relationship, designers claim that the wallpaper movement will linger into the next decade. Millennials are especially flocking to the floral, geometric, abstract, natural texture, 3D, and paintable wallpapers to spruce up their spaces. Sites like Spoonflower lure customers with options to design their own unique wallpaper. Other companies, like Quadrille and Sister Parish, offer both fabrics and wallcoverings, and still others, like York, glamorize wallpaper by partnering with designers such as Joanna Gaines, Candice Olson, and Ronald Reading.
(Scalamandre) (Quadrille) (Morris & Co.)
If you’re like me and are planning to experiment with this exciting design trend, you can find a large selection of colors, textures, and prints available at your local home improvement store. For an even larger selection, I’ve put together a list of my favorite wallpaper manufacturers. If you’re still having mixed feelings, you can rest easy knowing that new wallpapers boast improved adhesive formulas for easy installation and removal.
The concept of “wallpaper” has been around since about 200 BC when the Chinese glued rice paper to their walls, so we predict that it will continue to go in and out of style. We encourage you to get in on fun while it’s ‘in’ again! So, why not experiment with a small project? I recommend choosing a color, pattern, and texture that complements your current space, lighting, and décor. Apply your wallpaper to a small area or an accent wall to make sure you’re going to love the new look.
Have you recently wallpapered an area of your home? If so, I’d love for you to share your latest wallpaper project. I’ll be sure to share mine, too!
Browse my favorite wallpaper manufacturers:
Brewster Home Fashions (These papers are manufactured in Randolph, Massachusetts, and are available at The Home Depot.)
Cole & Son Ltd. (The Foundation (marble, concrete, crackle, and stone wallpapers) and Geometric Collections are among our favorites.)
Galbraith & Paul< (Beautiful wallpapers and fabrics hand-blocked in Philadelphia. Custom orders are available.)
Morris & Co. (These wallpapers recreate designs of William Morris, founder of The Arts & Crafts Movement, as well as new designs.)
Phillip Jeffries Ltd. (A wonderful selection of textured and woven wallpapers including grasscloth, paper, and granite.)
Scalamandre (Fabrics, wallpapers, and trimmings from this American company can be found throughout the U.S., including The White House, The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and Colonial Williamsburg.)
Sister Parish Design (Sister Parish was an American interior designer, and she helped Jackie Kennedy decorate The White House. These papers epitomize American Country Style and are made in America.)
Quadrille (Quadrille, China Seas, Alan Campbell, Home Couture, and Cloth & Paper are part of this company. They have lots of big and bright designs.)
Thibault (This company is the oldest designer wallpaper firm in the United States. I especially like the Vinyl and Grasscloth & Naturals Collections.)
York Wallcoverings (This company, located in York, PA, is the oldest and largest wallpaper company in the United States. York partners with interior designers and offers digital printing services.)
(Thibault)
