Paper Chase: Wallpaper Through the Ages to Today


It’s rumored that Oscar Wilde said on his deathbed, “It’s the wallpaper or me. One of us has to go.” Historically, wallpaper has been the poor relation in the world of the decorative arts, as it sits in the background and is often fragile and difficult to work with. But today’s wallpaper can play a vital role in decorating, influencing the choice of all the other furnishing colors and styles in a room.

Are you torn about wallpaper? Learn more about the history of wallpaper, and it may change your mind about using it today.








Early-15th-century wallpaper was created as a cheaper alternative to the paneling and tapestries used to warm and adorn European palaces.

Designed by Flemish artisans, this era’s wallpaper was hand printed with carved wood blocks. During the 1500s more ornate designs mimicking fabric patterns — such as brocade (as in this photo) and damask — covered the walls and lined the armoires and chests of the gentry.


The earliest documented form of wallpaper in England dates from around 1509: a woodcut Italian-inspired pomegranate design printed on a proclamation by Henry VIII.








Chinoiserie wallpaper in the 17th century has its origins in the Chinese silk wall coverings designed for nobility during the Ming dynasty. This style became popular with European designers during the 1600s, who used rice paper panels to depict landscapes with delicate flowers and birds.

The simple furniture lines in this room complement the delicate nature of the chinoiserie wallpaper. If you love chinoiserie wall coverings, companies such as de Gournay and Griffin & Wong are worth a look.








Flocked wallpaper in the 17th century showed French designs; it reached its pinnacle of popularity around 1745.

Flock is the wool refuse left after fleece has been processed. For this type of wall covering creation historically, paper or canvas was given a background color, then the design was printed or stenciled using an adhesive. Before the adhesive dried, the flock was applied, giving the design a velvet pile. The wallpaper was not attached directly to the wall; it was glued to linen, and the linen was fixed to the wall.











Wallpaper in the 18th century was all about color and pattern. During this era artists translated pictorial depictions from tapestry design onto papers.

Wallpaper became so common in England during this time that a tax was applied in 1712 on any paper that was painted, printed or stained to serve as hangings.


The French were the most adventurous in their designs, mainly because they had the help of a new machine, invented in 1785, that was used to print the paper. During this time 34 feet became the standard size for a roll of wallpaper, as decreed by King Louis XVI.


Scenic, large-scale papers were very popular in France. Hand printed using several wood blocks, these papers are extremely expensive.



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Paper Chase: Wallpaper Through the Ages to Today

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