Wallpaper has made a strong resurgence in decor trends in the last few years, after having had a spell of being an unpopular treatment for modern homes. As wallpaper moves in and out of "what's hot" in the home, it is interesting to think of the idea that wallcoverings began with precious metals incorporated, and were only afforded by the wealthy. It is interesting to see how we've decorated our walls over time...
Wallpapers From the 19th Century to Today
Yasmin Ali, at The Architects' Journal, has put together a slideshow of some of the examples of wallpaper across the centuries that can now be found at the Whitworth Art Gallery. The gallery at The University of Manchester has put together an exhibition, Putting on the Glitz, which explores the desire to aspire to such visible wealth and luxury that people began incorporating precious metals into their wallcoverings.
The Whitworth has selected amazing examples of wallcoverings dating back to the 18th century, and incorporating decorated leather, foils and metallic finishes, and jeweled patterns. Along with contemporary examples and new designs, this exhibition takes an interesting look at this home decor. If you can't make it to Manchester, take a look at some images on the Whitworth Gallery site and the article in the Architects' Journal.
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A reader sent me a picture of her Grandmother's spare room which was decorated in the 1960s and hasn't been touched since. The wallpaper is suddenly current all over again: http://stylenorth.ca/blog/2009/08/what-goes-around/
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Personally, I've always loved wallpaper, especially the bamboo paper that my parents have in the dining room. I think with the right home, wallpaper can accentuate the home's finer details (like intricate woodwork). But I'm not sure about the newer homes (like the ones from the past 20 years), I think with the average person, it'd end up looking dated or out-of-place.
But those two examples above are absolutely stunning. If I could, I would buy a home based on that first wallpaper :)
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