Close your eyes and try to remember that shiny floral wallpaper that was in your grandmother’s kitchen. On weekend mornings when you ate pancakes, your eyes would wander around the walls and the depth of the textures would become even more pronounced.
Well. That look is back, but with some modern sensibility. According to several local interior designers retro wallpaper with patterns, large or small, and even faux finish prints are experiencing a revival.
Some of the prints actually have become a centerpiece in the room. More designers are choosing humorous or even whimsical patterns. Think 50’s and 60’s with the geometrics and flowers. But not the soft, frilly grandmotherly prints. We are talking about graphic, bold patterns that are sometimes even textured, flocked or glittered.
“As for the vintage patterns, it’s all clean lines. Even the large patterns have clean lines to them,” said Pam McClain, owner of McClain Design. “All those prints and, oh, the wonderful colors I’m seeing. There’s a lot more turquoise that I have not seen in a long time and even oranges for fun splashes.”
We at DH Custom Homes are excited about this trend. The wild, vintage patterns are a perfect complement to our tailored approach to home building. We have found a few sites that show off variety as well as design ideas.
But, before you go festooning your walls with geomes and exotic birds, we researched a few tips.
- Bring authenticity to an era-specific home. A vintage pattern looks natural and brings out the genuine beauty of an older home. But don’t limit yourself. Vintage prints add depth to a new home as well.
- Be cautious in your commitment to patterns. Remember this is a design trend, so converting your two-story great room from a modern look to a 60’s floral print, may be a bit too much for you. Instead, try in a smaller space. A lower-level powder room is a great place to make a trendy statement. Or choose to accent one wall of a guest room or master bedroom.
- Pay attention to the scale of the pattern. You don’t want it to overwhelm or get lost in the space, especially if you have a room with a very high, two-story ceiling or a small room with a low ceiling.
- Don’t be afraid to make the wallpaper the focal point or mix contrasting prints. Pick out a limited number of key colors and repeat them in plain fabrics, painted furniture or other prints.
- Have fun. Vintage wallpaper has a natural high energy and lightness. You want to approach your design in much the same way.
For those not quite ready to cover their walls, another great accent area is to apply it to the back of a hutch or cabinet with glass doors or even inside drawers! You can even frame a piece and hang it on the wall to create an original piece of statement artwork.
If you want more, check out our 2014 Trends of All Kinds album on our Pinterest page.
You can also find more design know-how at by following these below links to Two Little Fleas, House to Home and Vancouver Sun.
