If you like wallpaper, have I got a book for you! “Wallpaper is back at the forefront of interior fashion but its story is one of fluctuating fortunes. Ten years ago, 80 years ago, 140 years ago, papered walls were beyond passe: today, as in the eighteenth century, they are the last word in decorative chic. All fashions are cyclical, of course, but wallpaper’s continual resurgence can be put down to two things; technological innovations and-more importantly-our innate desire to decorate the walls that surround us.” So writes Charlotte Abrahams in the introduction to her new book, Wallpaper: The Ultimate Guide. Ms. Abrahams is a British freelance style writer specializing in design and interiors. She is frequently asked to select trend-setting products for international trade fairs.
I have written 2 previous posts on the history of wallpaper, Never Say Never and What Do You Know About Contemporary American Wallpaper, so I’m not going to rehash all the details included in those, but you may recall that wallpaper was first produced on small squares of waste paper called dominos. Once they were joined together into 34 1/2 foot rolls (still the standard roll length) in the 17th century, wallpaper became a reasonable economic substitute for tapestries and wall hangings. Designs mimicked wood paneling and tapestries used in homes of the wealthy and enabled the merchant class to get the same look at a fraction of the cost. Demand for wallpaper rose so that in 1712, Queen Anne named it a luxury and levied a tax on it. However, exports were exempt from the tax, which helps explain how quickly British papers spread internationally. I’ve heard it said that Benjamin Franklin became enamored of wallpaper while in Europe and brought it home to Mrs. Franklin but we did not manufacture wallpaper in America until 1765. By the 19th century, it became obvious that the only way the industry was to survive was via mass production. Finally, mechanization lowered the cost and made it available to all.
Now, I’ve just got to tell you about Abrahams’ book!
Following the introduction, she proceeds to name names and places and tell all: types of designs, (Architectural Illusions, Fabulous Florals, and Pasted Pictures), where best to use each and leading designers of each type. She includes 50 9″ x 11″ contemporary pictorial wallpaper samples. The book concludes with such practicalities as essential equipment, measuring, repeats, hanging and illustrations of how to address corners, stairways, doorways, and even outlets and switch plates. Of course, I have to say that if using Casart, you don’t have to get in a panic about these issues because you can easily reposition it if not placed exactly correct on the first try.
Ms. Abrahams concludes the introduction to her book by saying, “Five centuries after it first appeared, wallpaper has become both a respected art form and an accepted way of updating a room on the cheap.” Spoken like the Brit that she is!
– Lorre Lei
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