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FrontRangeLiving.com -> Home Design -> Historic Wallpapers
 WHEN ROOMS CAME WRAPPED: Historic Wallpapers
By Niki Hayden
With the surge of sleek modern houses after World War II and the current
trend toward neutral colors in contemporary American homes, wallpaper has
declined in popularity—with one exception. Reprisals of historic or period
wallpaper enjoy an upswing in sales. "We are the one area that is doing
well in wallpaper now," says Dan Cooper, director of Burrows & Co., a
firm in Massachusetts that specializes in replicating wallpaper, carpets and
lace curtains. "Our guy who does our printing says we are the only company
he works for that is expanding. We are mostly direct and have little presence in
retail showrooms. Our wallpapers are Victorian from about 1880 and Arts and
Crafts to about 1920," he adds.
For those who have purchased new old homes, the urge to reprise the past leads
to a few specialty companies. Sometimes owners crave authenticity, although more
likely they’re after a contemporary look that hints at old times. Soon they
discover that their historic aesthetic runs counter to the sea of neutrals that define
new homes. Historic styles scream color—rich reds, deep blues, brilliant
yellows. "Color," Dan says, "that’s what our customers
want." Color keeps company with pattern, line and texture. Wallpaper is
only one element of a historic home that encourages sinking into the antique environment of tiles, window laces, friezes, patterned rugs, textured textiles
and ornamented lighting fixtures.
A BOLD ERA IN LOVE WITH PATTERN AND COLOR
 "In those days, people did not have the visual stimulation we have
now," says Argine Carter, who with her husband and son reproduces historic
wallpapers. Home was where color and pattern could run riot. Vivid hues, swirled
lines and kaleidoscope designs now are replaced by the busy images of
television, computers and film. In contrast, Victorians festooned interiors for
a visual feast, a buffet of delights from velvets to polished wood, satins to
jeweled glassware. Extravagance was typical, even in the most conservative of
families.
For example, the wallpaper in President and Mrs. Lincoln’s bedroom was bold
and dramatic. At the same time, wallpaper provided a practical purpose, too.
"Metallic wallpapers were popular," Argine says, because the low level
of flickering candlelight or gas lamps shimmered on the reflected metallic
glints.
"Wallpaper also served as insulation in many homes," she adds,
often placed over layers of newspaper underneath. "Although it was mostly
the middle class that had wallpaper, I have seen photographs of wallpaper in a
sod house on the Great Plains," Argine says. A generation later, heating
and electricity would make inroads into many homes so that wallpaper no longer
had to reflect light,
although never dimming its popularity.
 For those who love the old designs, authenticity may not be as important as
finding a charm to call their own. For museums, authenticity is paramount. The
Carters most often are sent a small scrap of wallpaper, something that may have
come from the wall behind a doorjamb. One hundred years ago, wallpaper often was
adhered to the walls under the door molding. Even today, conservators can
sometimes find a sliver of the original document. Arjine takes the job from
there and duplicates the design, although her firm uses newer paints and
techniques. And in some cases, the paper may not be very old; it may be reprised
from the 1950s.
 Burrows & Co., too, reproduces the designs of old wallpaper. But they
also duplicate carpets and lace curtains. To manufacture those products, Dan
heads to England and commissions original designs on old looms. "It’s a
tight market for carpets," Dan says, and appeals to museums and specialty
customers like the White House. It’s quite the opposite with lace curtains,
which have beguiled a new generation of homeowners who flock to the look of
white, lacy, airy window coverings. Whether it’s the look of shabby chic or
French country, "this is a much broader market," Dan says.
ARTS AND CRAFTS BRINGS DESIGN DOWN TO EARTH
 At the end of the 19th century, a new design movement emerged from
Great Britain that has become as lasting as the earlier Colonial and Victorian
styles. Where Victorians added pattern upon pattern, color upon color, the Arts
and Crafts movement showcased simple wooden furniture that was well built and
sturdy. The hand of the carpenter was prized, whether it provided built-in
bookcases, ironwork for lamps or stained glass windows. You’ll find these
impulses in American bungalows. The wallpapers of the era reflect changed tastes, too.
By the end of the Victorian Age, ornamentation appalled those who searched
for simpler design. "There was a giant rococo rival and by the 1890s, even I
bow out," says Bruce Bradbury, although his Bradbury & Bradbury Art
Wallpaper studio prints a wide variety of both Victorian and Arts and Crafts
wallpaper. "What design needed was a fresh look," he says. "The
Victorian ideal was that home was a palace. It was the statement of your
material place in society. The Arts and Crafts turned that around. The focus was
on simplicity and liveability. The house was a home and not a showplace. And the
movement reflected nature—that was a big part of the Arts and Crafts movement.
There’s one unusual aspect about their wallpaper. They had wide borders,
friezes that went above the high wainscoting. That’s unique to the
period."
 While the Victorians may have loved paisley swirls and flourishes, the
wallpaper at the turn of the 20th century was more likely to embrace
a subdued pattern with a frieze of stylized plants in greens and gold with a
hint of blue or rose. Art Nouveau was making inroads and the delicate
floral lines recreated an enchanting natural world, a graceful style that
remains popular.
America embraced the bungalow with enthusiasm. Although the style originated
in Great Britain, the variations on its theme, from Spanish to Japanese, allowed
each bungalow to be individualized, yet affordable. The cozy interior remains a
strong draw. And the number of bungalows that sprouted among Victorian mansions
and squalid worker cottages indicates that the American middle class had
triumphed.
"When you look back and see that people had electric lights and
refrigerators—all the basics were in place. It would be harder to go back to
an original Victorian and return to the coal furnace," Bruce says.
Bungalows lined street after street in nearly every American city. For many of
today’s American middle class, it remains a triumph.
A STEP BACK IN TIME INVITES COMFORT
 "A lot of people used to believe that when the turn of the 20th
century came, there was a movement against wallpaper. While the popularity wasn’t
equal to the 19th century, the swing against wallpaper didn’t
happen until after World War II. Design trends always go in broad cycles,"
Bruce says, "If you were looking for something cleaner, less florid, the
Arts and Crafts movement was the perfect answer."
"We do a lot of work for high tech people," Bruce adds, whose
company is based in California. "When they done with their work, they want
to step back in time. The style is as beautiful to us today as it was back then
and retains an aesthetic punch."
 Bruce’s company has produced wallpapers for 25 years, and in that time, the
interest in the colors and styles of the Arts and Crafts period has grown
steadily. Now he has teamed with Lowe’s home stores to produce paints that
companion with his wallpapers. And while the epicenter of bungalow appreciation
may lie in California, American bungalows are found throughout the country. Most
have come of the age when they require some tender loving care. Homeowners are
surveying exactly how they want to bring their new old house back to life but
keep it in the style to which it was accustomed.
"When a period is revived, like the Victorian or Arts and Crafts period,
it’s nothing to be ashamed of to go back and look for the best--to separate
the wheat from the chaff, " Bruce says. "That’s the nature of
revival. When you open a door and step into a room that is visual, there’s
something that excites and comforts. The good stuff is still beautiful. To be
able to recreate that gives you the same thrill." For those who love either
Victorian or the Arts and Crafts period, there are more resources today to
choose from than ever before. And you’ll be in good company as thousands of
homeowners embrace their new old homes with the same fervor and affection that
you may have discovered, too.
Historic Homes Open to the Public:
The Boettcher Mansion in Golden is an exemplary example of arts and crafts
period wallpaper. Look up our story on Boettcher
for details and for Victorian wallpaper examples, check our story on the Byers-Evans
House in Denver.
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 Resources:
J.R. Burrows & Company, P.O. Box 522, Rockland, Mass., 02370;
800-347-1795; www.burrows.com.
Carter and Company, Mt. Diablo Handprints, 451 Ryder Street, Vallejo,
California, 94590; 707-554-2682; www.carterandco.com
Bradbury & Bradbury, P.O. Box 155, Benicia, California, 94510;
707-746-1900; www.bradbury.com
National Guild of Paperhangers, an organization devoted to professionals: www.thepaperhangers.com
Wallcovering Association, professional group that offers advice and tips on
choosing a contractor, cleaning wallpaper and more: www.wallcoverings.org
Photos from top to bottom: First three, wallpaper from J. R. Burrows,
fourth is carpeting by J. R. Burrows, fifth through eighth are friezes from
Bradbury & Bradbury, lace curtain is from J. R. Burrows.
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