Just when I think I’ve seen all the fabulous wallpaper there is to see and starting to wonder if, perhaps, wallpaper is a little bit over and it’s really all about paint, something new comes along and I fall in love all over again. When I saw this chipped plasterwork in the new issue of Elle Deco I was completely smitten (you may have noticed a corresponding background change).
Now I’m sure I’m not the only one who wants to live in a Toast Catalogue (read this very funny blog post by Ellie Tennant ) but certainly when I moved into this house, which needed completely redoing, there was a moment when the woodchip wallpaper was being stripped from the walls. I say “was being” like l didn’t do it myself … well I didn’t do all of it/most of it. But I did do (some) of it.
Anyway, there was definitely a point when I wanted to leave the walls in all their semi-stripped and faded glory. And if it wasn’t for the fact that I couldn’t face an endless stream of visitors saying: “But when are you going to finish decorating.” I would have.
And then there’s that second point when the walls have been plastered and you think: “Ooh maybe I’ll just leave it in this fabulous pale pink colour …” And then you realise you’ll still get the same questions.
So, the realisation comes that you must decorate your walls. And as if there wasn’t enough paint choice out there, in comes the wallpaper too. Regular readers will know I’m a huge fan of trompe l’oeil papers. My son’s bedroom door was completely remade to show off the fabulous Young & Battaglia bookshelf wall paper to full advantage.
And just look at that wonderful Fornasetti above. That’s a mix of flying machines and balustrade. Or what about this designed by his son Barnaba?
Here it is again with monkeys instead of zebras.
And finally we end this post with a look at the fabulous papers by Deborah Bowness. She also did a books wallpaper but has just launched some wonderful new ranges at the recent London Design Festival.
I love this suitcase border but what about this shelf version too?
Or this tube station tiles version.