Monday, January 28, 2008

Addicted To Wallpaper




I've been addicted to wallpaper for a long time. For those of you who don't know, I live in the house I grew up in, and all the downstairs rooms are wallpapered. One of my favorite memories of my mother is when we would go to the paint store together and pore over the wallpaper books. We shared a love of the "bird" patterns as we called them (tree of life, I think they're called) and anything with flowers. I thought I would show you some of the wallpaper in our Little Red House, so here goes:







Our tiny den. This room is wainscotted -- pine paneling below and wallpaper above. The room is about 12' X 15'. The wallpaper makes it seem warm and enveloping. This picture shows some of my "flower" collection -- pressed flowers and flower prints found in thrift stores.






The bathroom. There's that "tree of life" pattern. This was my mom's favorite paper. I remember it cost $25. a roll back in the 70's; quite an expense for my frugal parents. Again, wallpaper above, wainscotting below.







Our bedroom. Laura Ashley trellis pattern that my husband and I picked out over 25 years ago. Still love it.






Our kitchen. I chose this Waverly paper back when we had stained plywood cabinets and green-rimmed Portmerion plates. We still have the plates, but the cabinets are gone, thank God. I'm actually considering stripping this paper and painting in a color close to my cabinets. Look here for some pictures of the cabinets. What do you think?








The dining room. My father hung this when I was a little girl. I still love a red dining room.











The library ceiling. My mother worked for a wealthy woman whose house was decorated by Sister Parrish, which is where she saw the idea of papering the ceiling. This is a Laura Ashley pattern which picks up the reds of the nearby dining room.



The paper in the first photo is another Waverly pattern -- hung in our hallway. I realize that wallpaper is making a comeback, but the patterns are a new and modern take on traditional ones. But I just love these old patterns -- I'm definitely not a modern girl. :) And yes, I guess you could say I'm addicted to wallpaper.

37 comments:

  1. You and your Mom did a great job picking out papers. I remember a trip with my Mom when I was 15 (1972) so that I could pick out paper for my bedroom. Whatever i wanted....how cool....I picked a large floral like your first picture.....but in shades of orange! Remember it was the 70's. She didn't complain and I didn't tire of it.....although when they sold the homestead, i'm sure that was the first room to get a makeover! LOL ((hugs)) Rosie

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  2. So beautiful with all those varied papers throughout your house, Mary! And I love papered ceiling. Thanks for the tour! Happy week ((HUGS))

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  3. You are going to love this - I grew up in a house my grandmother built - when my parents sold the house my mother asked me what I wanted from the house- I asked for the dining room wall paper my grandmother had put in - it was handpainted birds absolutely beautiful. I didn't get it.

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  4. I love wallpaper. And your selections are absolutely beautiful. A picture always looks a little better when hanging on a papered wall. But alas, I can't afford wallpaper like I would prefer. As for the kitchen - in my humble and uneducated opinion - I would pick an accent color for the walls. But I have no doubt that whatever you choose - it will look marvelous.

    Love,
    Julie

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  5. How nice the papers are still what you treasure today...the ceiling is a nice idea! Have a great day!
    :0)
    Tara

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  6. I love all of your wallpaper, Mary. My mom and I used to do a lot of papering, too. She loved it and especially loved the color yellow and flowers. I remember on RMS that everyone said to get rid of wallpaper and borders...I LOVE borders and have them in 4 of my rooms...they will stay until I am tired of them. The wonderful thing about your wallpaper is how well it has stayed looking pretty all these years. You and your mom did a fabulous job of picking out the patterns.
    hugs, bj

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  7. LOVE all of it!!!...my Mom papered our kitchen with a small red print wallpaper...in the 70's!!!..when my hubby & I bought the home 8 years ago...I couldn't wait to take it down & put my 'stamp' on the house...now...I'm thinking of re-doing it!!!...your home is beautiful & sooo inspiring for me...love your tole trays, too!!!...thanks!!!..Lacy

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  8. Your wallpaper is gorgeous, and I love all the reds and greens and warm colors. Those are my favorite cozy colors and I think they look as up to date today as they did when they were put up! I love wallpaper too and have some in my bath and back entry. Over the 26 years we have lived here I have put it up and taken it down when we remodeled and added on and rooms changed purpose. Your home is so pretty, it's always a treat to see bits of it!

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  9. Thanks for the wonderful tour, Mary. I would love a red dining room. Your house is so warm and cozy. Beautiful papers.
    As for the kitchen, I vote for an accent color, maybe a green from the wallpaper? I'm sure whatever you decide, it will look great.
    Happy Monday, Janie

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  10. That is so awsome how so many years ago this was done and now they are still such popular colors. I have always loved paper..when others say it is gone out of style and start to take it all down I just ignore them. I love the Red room.

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  11. Gorgeous wallpaper! So inviting and beautiful in each room. My father was a minister so we moved a few times during my growing-up years. When I was in Jr. High School we moved into a tiny parsonage that had a bathroom about big enough to turn around in. My mom painted the walls and wallpapered the ceiling with paper that was violets and ivy. She papered the ceiling to cover up the mess of cracks that had been very poorly 'fixed' through the years. It became the focal point of the room. Everyone loved it! Thanks for sharing your wonderful home with us. ~Adrienne~

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  12. I love wallpaper too. So many think it's a past decor trend but I think it makes a room so much warmer and more welcoming than a cold, plain, painted wall can. Art also looks better on a wallpapered wall IMO. Thanks for sharing your walls.

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  13. I love wallpaper but I don't have an inch of it in this home. Why? Because in our last home I had to strip the paper in the kitchen which had become tired and worn looking. It was the most horrendous task I've ever undertaken. I still have nightmares about stripping wallpaper. I wanted a nice striped paper in my hallway and found a way to paint the stripes! I know, I need to get over this.

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  14. could your house get any cuter? It makes me want to sip cocoa with a book or knit something!
    Thanks for sharing!

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  15. Hi Mary.
    I love wallpaper too and am glad to hear it's coming back in style again. Whatb wa s the name of the book that you htought my house reminded you of? I wanted to see about getting it and couldn't remember where you left the comment. Thanks.
    Rhondi

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  16. I like the different wallpapers, they are very pretty. Your home is very warm and cozy.

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  17. You have such a beautiful family home Mary. I love that it's full of a lifetime of memories. When I was a little girl, one of my Uncle's was a wallpaper salesman, my mother chose some of the most gorgeous paper for our home too. I remember loving the dining room for the next 25years! lol
    Amanda (aka Cottage Contessa)

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  18. I just adore that cabbage rose in the first photo. Your home is so lovely and so much history ,,, just charming
    Linda

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  19. When I first moved in I stripped every room of vintage 60-70's "flower power" wallpaper. I have since replaced it with stripes, toile, checks and english florals. Can't beat wallpaper for cozy! It's wonderful that the choices you and your Mom made are things you still love today. I will be forever looking for the
    "reproduction" of by Grandparent's
    bedroom wallpaper (black background with roses with muted greenery and a creamy
    candlewick type diagonal grid. I just loved that paper and even snitched a piece from one of the closets when the house was being sold! I too love a red dining room...it show's off our transferware so nicely! Thanks for sharing, you've got some beauties!

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  20. Wonderful wallpaper tour through ouer
    house.I love it all.
    I wish you a nice week,
    Regina

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  21. Wow - how sweet! I am not very familiar with your blog, but I take it this was once your parent's house? How wonderful and loving.

    Thanks for your sweet comment and now I'm going to enjoy catching up with you and house and your blog.

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  22. Hi Mary,
    I can't tell you how much joy your blog "wallpaper" girl at a local store in my teens! I have been thinking about putting up a paper in the bedroom (a red toile print) and I think you have just helped me to make up my mind. Your papers are so pretty. I love that they have so much meaning behind them also. Thanks again for sharing. Hugs~Rosemary

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  23. ~oops~meant to say how much joy your blog brings to me!~thanks, Rosemary

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  24. Hi Mary,
    Beautiful wallpaper. My favorite is the "tree of life" with the birds. We had some similar to that in our house when we moved in and it was too worn to keep so we got rid of it. Love it though! I do like wallpaper, and it looks wonderful in your house.
    Hugs,
    Donna

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  25. the flower accents are adorable.

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  27. I too am addicted to wallpaper. I love all the ones in your house. Thanks for the wallpaper tour of your home! Such fun!!!

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  28. Isn't it surprising that wallpaper is not as popular as it was just a few short years ago? I adore it because it looks wonderful and it stands up better than paint, which is perfectly obvious by the example that Little Red House has set. Simply lovely selections...thank you for sharing them. (Ever wallpapered a ceiling? Ackkkk! What a nightmare!)

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  29. Your walls are beautiful! Thanks for the tour.

    Fran

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  30. Oh Mary! I love all your wallpaper! Your Mother had excellent taste and you take after her. Those patterns are timeless and so are all your treasures on top of it ~ People strive for this look today! I like your wallpaper in the kitchen but if you are ready for a change I am sure whatever you do will be timeless, elegant & homey! ~ Laurie From RMS

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  31. Belated Birthday Wishes!
    Your new trays are beautiful.

    I can really identify about the "age thing". I just turned 56 and can't believe that I'm looking old(er), when I feel the same, if not better on the inside.

    You have a nice collection of wallpaper throughout your home. Oh, how lucky you are that your mother had such good taste!

    ~elaine~

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  32. Mary I love the wallpaper! It really does lend charm to a room...I have stark white walls in a new house and I so miss wallpaper and wainscoting..and the lil architectual details in the window frames....
    Blessings,
    Robin

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  33. Thanks for the tour -- and sharing your lovely memories too! In your kitchen -- yes -- I would switch the walls to match your gorgeous cabinets! So many wonderful ones out there -- but I do love the Tree of Life ones too!

    Jan at Rosemary Cottage

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  34. Your wallpaper is beautiful but so much more than just wall covering. Thank you for the tour and sharing the stories and memories of each room. I don't think I could make a long term committment to wallpaper. I tend to paint a room a different color every 4 years.

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  35. Love the "tree of life" pattern! So beautiful!!

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Thank you so much for taking the time to read and comment. I love to hear what you have to say!