sometimes, when i'm feeling especially creatively challenged, i check out vintage wallpaper patterns for a little inspiration. my penchant for such things began many years ago, when we moved into an 1880s house. i was 12. like all good old houses, it had received a make-over in the 1950s. the room that became our tv room had been occupied by a 90 year old, the mother of one of the previous occupants. the high ceilinged room was heavy with embossed wallpaper, complete with furry motifs. it was wonderful to the touch.
[wallpaper via]
one night, mum sprang suddenly from the couch and ripped at the wallpaper where a corner had come loose. we stared, slightly stunned at this almost uncharacteristic behaviour. "well, don't just sit there watching. join me!" she declared. and we did. three children and their mother, gleefully peeling away, ripping at and exposing the walls. an hour or so later, we stood back and admired our efforts. now, that is a family bonding session, right there. [room is now painted 'salsa' - a little like marrakesh red - with hessian curtains].
[wallpaper via]
my love was reignited in my early 20s, with memories of my homes in launceston. these were the debaucherous days of uni + working in a music store. i moved seven times during those ten years. four of these houses were small timber cottages and one was 50s brick suburban loveliness. what each of these houses had in common was the 1950s inner decoration. i don't mean wallpaper on walls. i mean old vinyl floors + vintage/retro wallpaper lining drawers.
first, there was the cottage in mowbray. i slept in the sunroom, which was the equivalent of a lean-to to the front of the house. it had a serious slope to it and my private boundary was discerned by a makeshift curtain. i had to prop one side of my bed up with planks of timber to stop me rolling out of bed. there was an old retro wardrobe in the room and, to my delight, the musty drawers were lined with wallpaper samples. excited cravings.
[wallpaper via]
the second and third timber abodes weren't quite as spectacular. the kitchen in the first place had had a makeover in the mid 90s: so no old drawers to explore. however, the laundry and spare room [which was not lined with plasterboard, and revealed a tangle of webs and rat droppings in the naked timber framing] had snippets of grimy wallpaper samples. the laundry was also rich with paint splattered vinyl - a floral pattern composed of different shades of brown. the second place was similar. while the kitchen had been recently painted, it remained largely intact. open drawers presented dank mustiness and muted patterns. the cupboards in the ante-hall had shelves lined with old newspapers - this served as amusing reading. in similar fashion to the second house, the laundry floor was covered in a green/brown/fawn/cream vinyl. it was in this house that i adopted my stealth ninja cat, ninja. her blackness suited the vinyl floors.
the fourth and fifth houses were the best. over a three year period, it was me, ninja's dad and ninja: a very happy little family in two houses. we made each our home. the first of these was an early 20th century rail worker's cottage in the swamp. it was filled with collected and inherited retro furniture. add to this tea + coffee sets, vintage crystal, a 1950s television set and beautiful old tea towels from my late great aunt. we both had [and still have] a serious addiction to opportunity shops and markets. there is a line from a m. craft song that describes us: "we spent so long in secondhand stores, we forgot there was anything new." the laundry and bathroom [complete with claw foot bath] were rich in vinyl and wallpaper in the cupboards.
however, it was the last house i loved the most. it was brick and had the most amazing sailing boat motif above the mantle piece [i'm unsure whether we correctly translated the accompanying text]. this was a topic of discussion for anyone who was welcomed into our home. we had transfered our stuff. the baby pink laminate top of the chrome kitchen table and the hot pink vinyl on the chairs sat incredibly well with the orange walls of the kitchen. the cupboards were navy. and inside the doors, was delicious wallpaper. a different design for each one. it was in this kitchen that many memories were formed: dinner parties and other parties [the kitchen is a gathering place of such events]; unexpected guests; afternoon teas; counseling; heated discussions; essay marking; family breakfasts with ninja assuming the position the head of the table, her head just visible over the lip of the table.
[wallpapers via]
there are moments when i see vintage wallpaper and i find myself just smiling. perhaps it's the colours. perhaps the patterns. there is a warmth to them, that is not associated with childhood - we were deprived of such delights until the embossed wallpaper peeling experience. sadly, such beautiful things come at a price these days. what was old + fashionable to our grandparents, then terribly daggy to our parents, is once again embraced as chic.
the thing with walls is that they are in a constant state of flux. you can give them a make-over on a whim. a lovely cheap option. and if you are not happy in a week, you can change again: it's too easy to simply paint over a colour that is no longer appreciated. sample pots of paint are great for this. layers of wallpaper have now been replaced with layers of paint. however, in a largely chromophobic society, i do often wonder what the future holds for wall decoration.
[this wallpaper appeals to my inner typophile]
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