Hands up – who’s heard of International Wallpaper Week, which runs from 1 to 7 October 2018? It’s been set up across America, the UK, France, Australia and New Zealand and Holland as a way of spotlighting the versatility and flexibility of modern wall paper. If you haven’t really thought about wallpaper since you finally managed to steam the woodchip off the ceiling of your house when you were renovating, you’ll be impressed with the modern version – it’s less wallpaper, more wallart. We take a look at a few examples.
Make a statement
Go big and bold with wallpaper on wall only. This works best in larger rooms and those with plenty of natural light, as otherwise busy prints can seem a little over-powering. Keep the rest of the decor simple, and pick out one or two colours in the wallpaper to carry through the colour scheme.
Leopard’s Prowl wallpaper, Santorus
Printed on a unique pearl iridescent paper with a burnished finish, this paper will gleam with a pearly glow as it catches the light and would be perfect in a dining room. The design features leopards stalking through an ivory and sepia-toned jungle on a shimmering background. Manufactured in the UK by expert wallpaper printers with a history stretching back more than 100 years, this design combines the finest non woven paper and the most modern printing techniques. Produced on a 52cm wide 10m roll with a pattern repeat measuring 100cm. £205 per roll, available from Lime Lace.
11 Wallpaper Rabarber 1791 – 1792, Boråstapeter Scandinavian Designers
This bold, print wallpaper has a complicated product name but a stylised pattern featuring rich shades of purple and reds which would look good in a bedroom or sitting room. Inspired by Scandinavian designers from the geometric functional designs style of Arne Jacobsen to the decorative fairytale designs of Stig Lindberg, this collection features a range of designs and colourways. £59 per roll, available from Cloudberry Living.
‘Trompe l’oeil’ designs
‘Tromple l’oeil’ means ‘fooling the eye’, and modern wallpaper comes in all guises. You can put a ‘brick wall’ in your living room, or turn your downstairs loo into an Alpine ski lodge with the touch of a paste brush.
Grey wood panel wallpaper, Argent & Ink
Grey wood panel wallpaper, Argent & Ink
We can’t all live in a stately home – but this lovely ‘panelling’ might be more practical anyway, and won’t be susceptible to woodworm! Use it to create a cosy look in a traditional setting, or to add a twist to a contemporary interior. Roll width 52cm, length 10m and pattern repeat 64m. £99 a roll, available from Woodchip and Magnolia.
Diamond slate tiles, Arthouse
A textured vinyl wallpaper with a realistic all-over slate tile pattern and glitter effect, this design will add a twist to any kitchen or bathroom. It’s a photographic design, so looks very realistic, and the neutral grey colour will match pretty much anything. Roll width 53cm, length 10.05m and pattern repeat 53m. A great budget option, it costs £15.99 a roll from Wallpaper Direct.
Textured wallpaper
If your tastes run towards something more subtle, you can add texture to a plain space without drowning in colour.
Oberon design 3D white wallart wallpaper, VivaLagoon
This calls itself ‘wallart’ rather than ‘wallpaper’, and comes as a three-metre square that you just apply to the wall. It has a raised 3D effect to add texture, and costs £60 a section from VivaLagoon.
Tin tile white wallpaper, Woodchip & Magnolia
This tin tile wallpaper is based on high resolution pictures of salvaged antique metal tiles. Tin tiles were very popular in Victorian buildings in North America in the late 19th and early 20th century, and this wallpaper faithfully captures the distressing and ageing of the original. Roll width 52cm, length 10m and pattern repeat 53m. £75 a roll, available from Woodchip & Magnolia.
