Fabric and Wallpaper: How Gutsy Are You Willing to Get?

Whether you go with soft textures or bold designs there have never been more options!

I'm not sure I have recovered yet. Here's why...

Years ago, I bought an antique English Tudor home that was built in the 40's. It was beautiful and featured all kinds of structural detail that I fell in love with, like a slate roof, brick and stone exterior combined with a traditional Tudor facade.

There were other architectural details I loved about this home, like it's multiple fireplaces, antique wood front door, leaded glass windows, a wine cellar, gorgeous gardens, and a custom lamp post at the end of the driveway from Old City Philadelphia.

Photo: Kerri-Lee Mayland

There was also garish wallpaper on the third floor.

So garish I didn't even take "before" photos. I just wanted to pretend it didn't exist until it was gone.

No biggie I thought!

I'll just score that right off and clean and paint the freshly bared walls.

Well... it didn't really happen like that and I'm still too traumatized to recount exactly how awful it was -- or how long it took-- to get that paper off.

Full disclosure: in one of the rooms, I just laid wainscoting over the sticky messy wallpaper muck; I just couldn't take anymore. It ended up looking good, but it scarred me forever.

That being said, now it's 2022 and wallpaper is back and bigger than ever and thankfully it's not your grandmother's wallpaper-- or the wallpaper in my English Tudor.

Thanks to wonderful inventions like peel and stick, and easier-to-remove permanent papers, clients are choosing to incorporate some paper into their spaces, and I am 100 percent here for it.

In one of my client's guest rooms, I chose a black and white dramatic mural. Here it is going up...

Right now, I'm working with a client who loves Southern design influences thanks to her Louisiana upbringing, and she is building a new home based on the style she knows and loves best.

It's going to be a beautiful custom new build. But don't be fooled by the neutrality of the white painted brick (which is GORGEOUS), this client loves bold and bright interiors, and we are happily obliging.

It's such a fun palette to work with and one we don't always get to do here in New England. So many of our clients like coastal, or neutrals, or more of a Studio McGeelook, so venturing out and playing with textures and textiles is FUN!

How daring am I talking?

Well, we are installing coral sea grass wallpaper above the white woodwork in her dining room. (Contrast much?! It's going to look sooo good!).

Not to mention, check out the fabric we are using for her dining room drapes. They will be interlined to give extra weight, and they will be functional-- so lots of sumptuous thick material. Finally, they will hang with a tiny bit of break where the fabric meets the floor for added elegance and a tiny but of drama.

We are pulling out that light shade of sage for her ceiling and added this transitional chandelier, and I literally can't wait to see it all of this come together.

Here's a sneak peek at how we are combining fabrics in her living room/den, complete with the new white (yes, white) sectional that will have custom accent pillows made for it. There are plenty more pieces to come but this is the first swipe at the room's "look."

The navy-blue fabric will be for chic roman shades, and the bright green fabric will cover these tufted chairs that she already has.

It's going to look incredible once it's all styled and accent pieces are added into the whole look. We are using a lot of her mother's art, but also including a new piece by REFRESH's Mia B. Eriksson, that will hang in the stairwell leading to the second floor.

Finally the first-floor bathroom.

This one is going to be a bit of a surprise when you open the door because it's going to BURST with-- wait for it-- YELLOW!

Keeping with our client's style and knowing she wanted to brighten the gray vanity, use wallpaper, and once again go bold, I came up with this combo... and she loves it!

Stay tuned friends, photos of the finished product will be coming soon.

We are finishing the den and moving into the kid's rooms next. The family will be moving into their new home just in time for Christmas, so I'll be sure to post a tour of the finished home, then.

LET'S DISCUSS

Ok, your turn!

Share your experiences with fabric, wallpaper and daring design. I want to hear about the hits and misses and remember we ALL have them.

This is a judgement free zone, and we all want to learn from each other so DISH!

I'll see you in the comments below ;)

xx Kerri-Lee