As you see, it is composed of Saturday Evening Post covers from the turn of the century to about 1945.
While I understand that not everyone would love and adore this, I do. And more importantly for this blog ... somebody MADE this paper and many more that were unique, well-done, and great fun. I found several other papers in the book that contained this one that I wanted to use. "If only I had a room to put this in!" became my mantra.
Those days have passed, little Decorating Buddies. Gone. Buh-bye. Au revoir. Ta, ta.
My search this time yielded an amazing number of papers that I wouldn't have used if they had been handing them out free on the street corner.
For my design ethic, wallpaper is used to give a more ornamental presentation in a room than just plain paint. So I have little to no interest in paper that replicates a painted wall. Or a textured painted wall. Or even silk on a wall. If I want paper, I want drama! Design! Something I can't do with a can of paint! Considering the cost, I have to LOVE it.
To be fair, I did find some papers that I loved. Sadly, they were in the $200 a roll grouping and the idea of wasting a quarter inch would turn me into a driveling fool. And here's the next bit of the horror show. You can't actually SEE most of these in person. Oh, the internet sites will sell you a sample. It's about the size of your computer screen (or smaller if you used something larger than a laptop) and that makes it pretty much useless. There are only a couple of stores in my area that even carry in-house wallpaper for sale. That too was a big change. Yes, there are books to look through, but I found that the styles of the papers were almost mind-numingly repetitive. You are going to hear this very same complaint when I talk about choosing a floor for my Florida room. Individuality seems to be a thing of the past. All the little baa-lambs are following along nicely to death-by-bordom.
I did find papers though. For my dining room, I found an in-house paper and while I love the end result, this was one of the most difficult papers to work with I have ever used. Honestly, if I'd not wallpapered before, I would probably have committed hari-kari. But I am happy with the end result. Someone just said, "It's very 'Southern'." Correct. I agree.
As you can see, I cut out extra birds to group over the kitchen door. After all, it's just paper and you can play with it!
At the same store I found another in-house paper which worked out well for one of my baths. It was by the same manufacturer, but worked a bit better than this paper did. It still was a PIA and I will really try to avoid working with York papers in the future. They had some nice designs, but just did not hang well.
Leaving behind the former paper which was perfect for a Bollywood disco, I selected a soft paper to compliment the original 1949 tile.
The bath is not completed yet, but I was pleased with the paper. Pleased also that I found the chrome sink leg that had been removed and was able to replace it!
The next paper I chose was pure luck all the way around! There is a small half-bath off the front bedroom and it has it's original blue tile which I wanted to compliment. Previously my Step-Mom had used a striped paper which made the room look much too tall and skinny for my taste.
I'm afraid that the upside-down light fixture over the medicine cabinet didn't help matters any.
I had thought that I would use a paper I found on line the theme of which was faux movie posters. The theme appealed because of my acting background, and the colors worked very well with the tile. But something just didn't quite 'click' for me. So I kept looking. At my cousin Faye's suggestion I tried a store in Greensboro called Smart'n Up ( I think that was the name). Turned out that they were closing and everything in stock was 50% off. Hot diggity dog! I went through those papers like a poodle looking for a chicken bone. And, in the back room where discontinued stock was kept .... I found it! One look just told me this was THE paper. I got all the rolls I needed for $10! It was the best paper I used because it worked like a dream! If only the dining room paper had been this easy to install.
The new light fixture is waiting to be added, but this room came together really well.
Only the hallway remains to be papered. I am now removing the original paper that my Mother had chosen. When I removed my step-Mother's choice, I discovered that it had been put over the original paper. I wish I could have saved it, but the years, and having been over-papered had done too much damage.
I am so sorry to see this go, but I'll keep a bit just to remember.
I've not ordered the new hall paper yet as this has been another difficult decision. However, I think I will go with this paper found on-line. ... Unless I get very lucky again.
Stay Tuned!!
