Welcome back to Mac Claire! For my first special feature blog, we're going to be talking all about WALLPAPER! This subject isn't one I had anticipated covering on Mac Claire, but I was inspired by a recent find in my parents' home and how wallpaper connects history, art, and personal expression.
My family's home has been lived in by three generations over the years and there have been many changes to its' appearance, both inside and out. While my parents were renovating their laundry area, they found unique wallpaper behind wood paneling. The wallpaper featured the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and my mom remembered it from her childhood. The RCMP wallpaper gave an immensely personal touch to the home for my older generation of relatives who were French-Canadian and whose parents came to New England from there. The wallpaper was purchased from a local shop in the mid-1900s and was most likely hand stamped. I had to snap some pictures to remember the cool find and that was when I thought of the idea to write this article.
Wallpaper is estimated to have been around since B.C. times, where it originated in Chinese and Egyptian cultures. According to Multi Briefs, the first machine that was able to print wallpaper with color was invented in 1785 by French inventor Christophe-Philippe Oberkampf. With this invention, the possibilities for wallpaper grew ten-fold.
If you read my first Scenes from the Screen article, "Little Women at the Lyman", you may remember that the Lyman Estate is owned by Historic New England. Historic New England has done extensive work documenting historic wallpapers and a full collection can be found on their website. There are floral designs, fruit designs, full scenes, and much more. Some of my favorites include a 1910-1920 wallpaper sample with a playing cards and dice design, a 1945-1955 wallpaper sample with an assorted fruits design (which reminds me of the 1971 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory flavored wallpaper), and a 1907 scenic wallpaper of the Piscataqua region that was hand-painted by George Porter Fernald. Historic New England has released a line of products based on their wallpaper collection, including coasters that I purchased a couple of years ago.
What type of wallpaper you had said a lot about you: your taste, social class, etc. In the Victorian era, wallpaper and furniture with designs of faraway lands showed to the public that you were "cultured" and could afford to travel. Floral and bird designs showed elegance and appreciation of nature.
While the popularity of wallpaper has fluctuated over the years, currently it's on an upswing. In a modern culture that values visual aesthetics and a location's "Instagramability", bold wallpapers and wall murals are popular. Even if you can't install wallpaper or wall murals in your home due to apartment or condo rules, you can still express your taste digitally. Every smart phone, tablet, laptop, and other electronic device needs a background wallpaper!
Looking for bold, unique wallpapers and wall murals that express your personality, likes, and/or backstory in 2020? Some of the best brands are A New Wall (whimsical, playful designs), Katie Kime Wallpapers (bright designs featuring food, locations, and animals), Harlequin Wallpapers (pastel-toned, kid-friendly designs), Graduate Collection Wallpapers (unique gallery wall prints featuring animals and steampunk designs), and Mini Moderns Wallpaper (zany object prints and vintage designs). We know that styles change quickly, though, so if you want to embrace the bold wallpaper trend now but change it in a few years, there are many stick and peel/removable wallpaper options. One great option is Tempaper.
I hope you found this special feature interesting and informational! It's fun to dive into history, especially when it crosses over with art. Maybe you've also learned of some great new brands and companies for your future wallpaper purchasing! Next Thursday I'll be posting a Greetings From... blog and it's a pretty good one if I do say so myself. As usual, the Mac Weekly Highlight will be up on Monday. I hope you'll come back to read each one!
'Til we meet again!
~Claire
Historic New England Wallpaper Collection: https://www.historicnewengland.org/collections-search
A New Wall: https://anewall.com
Kate Kime Wallpapers: https://www.katiekime.com/collections/wallpaper
Wallpaper Direct (where Harlequin Wallpapers & Graduate Collection Wallpapers can be found): https://www.wallpaperdirect.com/us
Mini Moderns Wallpaper: https://www.minimoderns.com/category/wallpaper
Tempaper: https://tempaper.com/
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