WALLPAPER MEMORIES…

My love for smart-looking surroundings was born in the homes of my childhood. I still remember with perfect clarity the “great” room in my grandparents’ home – mocha walls and carpeting broken up by a French limestone fireplace, chocolate and bright white chintz sofas and dashes of citron accessories. So to my parents’ home with its forest green walls and trim, “mousey-colored” beige carpeting and geometric-patterned grey linen draperies with squiggles of bright yellow, dark green and red!

There came a day, however, when my Mother decided to re-decorate. At first, I was disappointed and a bit skeptical. The dramatic backgrounds were replaced by a sea of…BEIGE. Beige walls, beige trim, beige linen draperies. Even the wonderful dark green boucle textured sofa became a work of beige figured texture.

Then, one day, my Mother’s favorite painter appeared with huge boxes filled with… WALLPAPER. The foyer was transformed with a celadon and gold –leafed large scale damask patterned paper. The real piece de resistance came when one wall of the dining room featured a wandering Oriental-styled branch with coral-colored blossoms against a horizontal beige and white strie.

I am reminded of one of my favorite classic wallpapers of today from Clarence House …

Flowering Quince

All this personal history serves to prove a point. THE TRENDS OF TODAY OFTEN HAVE ROOTS IN THE PAST BUT ARE TWEAKED WITH REFRESHING AND CREATIVE TOUCHES.

Take a peek at these examples!

I giggled out loud when I saw this paper in my favorite on-line magazine, LONNY! It takes the “head in the sand” adage to the max and also highlights a wonderful one wall application marrying two spaces. See all the different colorways at www.wallpapercollective.com

When visiting my daughter in London a couple summers ago, I had the opportunity of staying at the Haymarket Hotel … one of the boutique hotels owned by Kit and Tim Kemp ( Firmdale Hotels). Besides the absolute luxuries of meticulously done bed linens and wonderful soaps and such, I reveled in the inventive mix of furnishings, fabrics and wallpapers. Many of their hotels highlight the best of Osborne & Little goods, and Kit Kemp has a gift for blending to create a warm, quirky feel. www.firmdale.com

I leave my favorite for last..Lori Weitzner. Her designs are a treasure trove of creativity. Look at these papers and start to imagine the endless possibilities. Too many times, I think we pause before using wallpaper..thinking of it as something so permanent. I say..think of it as art and use of print and texture and take the plunge!

Magnetism..a natural linen with magnetic backing.