Tiny Fetish, Nothing Serious

By Kate Riley July 13, 2009

I have a thing for wallpaper lately.  I’ve just finished my first project using a wallpaper effect on my staircase (reveal tomorrow !).  My next project is installing grass cloth wallpaper in my office.  

Whenever I utter the word “wallpaper” most people sneer.  Perhaps it’s because the word brings back memories of really BAD wallpaper.  You’ve all seen it.  We’ve all chuckled at it.  And if you’ve had to remove it, you detest the word “wallpaper”.  In some homes, it’s a forbidden word.  Many designers are now calling it a wall treatment or wall covering.  Aaahhh, now doesn’t that just sound better?

So in anticipation of tomorrow’s reveal, I’ll share some of my favorite wall coverings.

ritz in blue by york  Ritz in Blue by York Wallcoverings

domino blue and white bedroom Syrie Wallpaper by Hinson and Company

grasscloth by thibaut Grasscloth wallpaper by Thibaut Designs

domino blue wallpaper Wallpaper and fabric from Osborne & Little

domino brown geometric wallpaper

Julian Wallpaper from Thibaut Designs

york green bedroom Donatello Turtle by York Wallcoverings

thibaut design neutral wallpaper

Chelsea by Thibaut Designs

domino bronze wallpaper Henson Wallpaper in Metallic by Thibaut Designs

ashford house by york Ashford House by York Wallcoverings

 orissa by thibautOrisa Wallpaper by Thibaut Designs

botanical graphic Wistaria by Kuboaa

domino botanical wallpaper Available at Seabrook Wallpaper

These last three images may give you a clue about HOW I used wallpaper in my entry:  

wallpaper headboard

wallpaper doors

wallpaper panel ralph lauren home

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s reveal. 

What are your thoughts on the paper?  Do you fear the wallpaper?  Love it?  Hate it?

36 comments

  1. I know I lived in an old house and we had wallpaper everywhere and I love love loved it, but that was many moons ago.

    I'm no longer in that home and haven't entertained the thought of using it lately (thought it was passe), but some of the examples you posted are mighty tempting to me.

    Might have to give it another thought! :-)

    LindaSonia

  2. I love wallpaper on other people's houses but I am a big chicken to do it myself! I think I would have to start slow, like the bead board wallpaper and then work my way up to the fun patterns. But these inspiration rooms are definitely getting the wheels turning! -Kelsee

  3. Woah mama, wall paper ain't what it used to be!! I've had to remove some pretty righteously awful wall paper in my life so I'm a little shy of it right now. However, with those beautiful examples you have shown, I might need to rethink my stance on it.

  4. I fear what putting up wallpaper would do to my marriage. I had a very wise Chemistry teacher in High School, and she said "Girls, never put up wallpaper or learn to drive with your husband." Imagine that in an English accent and you'll get the idea.
    But I'm looking forward to seeing what you've done, because there are some beautiful designs around now and I could probably get away with using it as an accent or art, without too much marital fall-out.

  5. You're inspirational photos are gorgeous.

    But knowing how hard it is to put up and take down, I won't be glueing it to my walls anytime soon. Im just too lazy to commit myself to that kind of project years down the road :)

  6. Fearless when it comes to anything beautiful and willing to go through agony to get it…

  7. i have a deep fear of wallpaper. i lived in a house where i nearly destroyed the walls taking down ugly country blue wallpaper all over the kitchen. i can't see myself ever putting wallpaper on my walls.

  8. I have a very lovely wallpaper, covering, treatment, whatever in my DR that I love and picked out when we built. It is very similar to some of those you showed in your teaser pics. I have a gold tone on tone paisley in the tray ceiling in our bedroom – love it! And, I have a bold and beautiful upholstery/fabric in my foyer that I love – wouldn't change any of it. In fact, I based my entire house colors (except our room and my girl's room) around the foyer colors!! Bought the entire bolt from the fabric store – had no idea how much I would need – just knew I had to have it!

    Sorry to run on so – can't wait to see what you've done although I think I have a pretty good idea!

    Happy Monday –

  9. Those are some beautiful patterns! I like the idea of wallpaper, but…yes…I've had to remove it one too many times and that's definitely a deterent. I also have this habit of changing my rooms about once a year (yeah…it's a little compulsive) so it's probably too much of a commitment for me. But I do LOVE it.

  10. i love the look of the first two; thats considered like victorian or something? i wont put on wallpaper but i am planning on stenciling that on. one of these days when i have time i will do that to my dining room. but just the bottom half since there is molding that splits the walls up.

  11. Everything you have shown us here is stunning! I'm not sure I was a fan until now…
    Thanks for the inspiration. ;)

  12. I used to hate wallpaper. After you remove 5 layers at a time…one for each decade, it gets to suck. Wallpaper was a bad word to me. Now, I can't believe the fact I'm actually contemplating putting some in my own home. What has the world come to. I love your choices though…right on!

  13. I had a personal beef with wallpaper because I had to tear down all the old dreadful kind in this house when we moved in. Then I ran into a problem that created a new love.
    The wallpaper damaged the walls in one bathroom so bad I decided just to re-cover it. I was scared but chose a gorgeous toile and now LOVE it! I think it's my favorite room in the house.
    BTW… LOVE the wallpaper doors in your photos! I feel a project coming on……:)

  14. Oh, I could totally go for those papers! Although I am scared to commit, since I too have taken down lots of the stuff. I can't wait to see what you've done. I've done the wallpapered panel doors like in that pic in my last house.

  15. Now those are "wall treatments" a girl could get excited about! Like Rhoda said, wall paper seems like such a commitment. I've never worked with it before…I'm always afraid I'll mess stuff like that up. I can't wait to see your secret project!! :)

  16. I can't handle bad wallpaper, or stupid wallpaper borders. I LOVE grasscloth. The texture is so wonderful!

  17. I cant wait until the reveal! Wallpaper is one of those things that I fear. I worry I will tire of it and it is such a bear to remove. Been there…Done that…Too many times!!!

  18. I love the designs, but I always dread the actual work of rolling it on to the wall, ya know? That and the fact that I've never owned a house anyway, so I can't do wallpaper. But I have to admit, you've got me tempted with some of those aqua and green designs. I love the treatment on those doors too!

  19. I used to use wallpaper quite a bit, but haven't in several years (different houses). It seems like it was out of fashion for a while and is coming back in. The new patterns are pretty, but I don't think I'll be using any soon.

  20. Pretty wallpaper photos. I love the look, just hate the removal part. One day they will invent one that is beautiful yet easy to remove when you want to change it. You would think that industry would make that a priorty…yes? lol

    Can't wait for the reveal!

    Tina

  21. funny that you did a post on wallpaper on the same day that I did! I love some of the new wallpapers out there-they are actually modern now! I also posted steps on how to estimate how much wallpaper you need for your space if you're interested!

  22. I love wallpaper!!! I did have a moment when I hated it…when I moved into our house and had to scrape it away…it was old wall paper..such a hassle

  23. I have removed wallpaper, so therefore I hate it. However, the recent wallpapers are much nicer looking. I really like touched of it, such as the doors and head board you posted.

  24. Holy cow, those are gorgeous! I'm terrified of wallpaper actually ON the walls, but I love to use it in smaller projects.

  25. I am loving the wall papered doors! I love all of these papers actually. It's nice to see wall paper making a comeback!

  26. I love the wall papered look! The doors and the headboard are a great idea. I lived in a home once that had the most odd wall paper ever. Imagine heads… yes, just heads in the closet. Bicycles in the bedroom and old newspaper print in the kitchen.

  27. I love wallpaper but it seems to be on the outs the last few years. The only room I have papered is my powder room and I have loved it but it is almost 8 years old now so I am trying to decide if I want to re-paper or paint. Thanks for these photos.

  28. Hello I came via Rhoda…

    I used to love wallpaper, I had it all remeoved a few years ago and we painted all rooms EXCEPT the bathrooms. I just love wallpaper in a bathroom :)

    Nice to meet you,
    Kathy :)

  29. Like everyone else, I have a small phobia of wallpaper due to too many hours spent removing it.

    However, I think Tori Spelling made wallpaper chic and fab again on her show!!!!

  30. I have scrolled all the way back into March on your site. LOVE IT. Thanks.
    Pam

  31. Hi there,
    I found your blog the other day through someone else's. I saw the stairs first. Great job! Today I started scrolling through the rest of it. It's wonderful. I come from the eighties where we wallpapered and stenciled everything. Now my husband and I seem to re-sell our houses too soon. No matter how beautiful the wallpaper, it would probably not be the buyers taste. I hate that… because I love,love,love all of the new styles out there, and want to use it so bad in our home. You posted some totally amazing ones here!
    Kelly

  32. My husband and I are fixing up an old house, and a few of the rooms are wallpapered, circa the 1950s. The wallpaper is so old, it is back in style! And what's even crazier, the wallpaper in the bathroom is the green, yellow, and blue print with the blue butterflies that you posted above! It's so funny how styles come back around like that.

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