28.7.10

{room inspiration: vintage wallpaper}




wallpaper, house beautiful. . . a complete and longstanding love-affair with floral wallpaper, especially hand-painted or vintage {or both}, and the more elaborate, the better -- and so, was absolutely filled with delight upon discovering this bedroom {thanks, felicity!} in a tiny {tiny} apartment in the east village, with walls enveloped in an incredibly stunning hand-painted 18th-century wallpaper . . .

{an excerpt:}


I want to know more about that wallpaper. It gives the room an ancient, exalted feeling.
It's 18th-century Chinese. I stumbled across it at an auction, this pile of dilapidated pieces that nobody else wanted. I had to have it. I found three large scenes, placed them around the room, and pieced in the gaps and torn bits. The idea was to create a jewel-box effect in the bedroom, with pattern to distract your senses from the tight quarters. I papered the wall in the spirit of a collage, trying to make the most of a beautiful old thing. . .

-- designer david kaihoi, house beautiful



************

{p.s.} the little trundle bed cleverly tucks away in the morning


{also lovely:} hand-painted wall murals

{images: photography by ngoc minh ngo for a small one-bedroom apartment made big by barbara king for house beautiful}

20 comments:

tash said...

Oh my goodness.... Are you kidding me? I can't take it! From the divine wallpaper to the hideaway trundle! I'll be dreaming sweetly tonight!

xo tash

http://www.thechirpyladybird.blogspot.com

this free bird said...

The word wallpaper used to conjure up such wicked images in my mind: mostly of my poor mom trying to peel it off the walls. oy

But in the past few years I have seen some remarkable wallpapers that have begun to change my mind. This one here is antiqued and beautiful.

xoxo,
Carrie

Lillian Chang said...

That wallpaper is incredible!! I've never seen anything quite like it - it has such an old-world feel!! Love it! :)

stylebyrachael said...

I love wallpaper. I love it in other people's home so I don't have to deal with the before or after part of it :)

mkendall said...

oh wow. That wallpaper is fantastic! I love the color and all of the detail in it. amazing.

hi-d said...

That wallpaper is simply gorgeous!

Michaela @ The Gardener's Eden said...

Delightfully Asian-inspired flora and fauna. The dusty, weathered rose hues are enchanting...

Brasspaperclip said...

OMG! SO gorgeous!! I want that for my bedroom. xoxo Cindi

Priscila Peters said...

Very interesting work. There's nothing like it. That wall paper is an art!

FXOX said...

Hey beautiful, it's lovely - and you really didn't have to mention me:-).

I now have been surfing the web for Chinese wallpaper!! Tho' where Id actually put it is another matter:-) hugs & love to you and yours

FXOXO

knitlit kate said...

forget the wallpaper (gorgeous as it is)...my dog wants to know where he can get one of those trundle beds! (that would be for ME to sleep on, natch.)

Abs said...

The beautiful rose, birds, and gardeny bliss--this makes me want to cry a little.

Sarah Klassen said...

Absolutely stunning! This wallpaper is what dreams are made of... absolutely enchanting. I love the rich feel of lines of it, and the worn character. What a lovely feature,

xoxo

Marcus Design said...

I LOVED this article in the current House Beautiful, I find myself going back to it all the time. Can you believe how gorgeous it is in such a small space?! This worn vintage paper is amazing.
Nancy

beauty comma said...

i love this. it doesn't matter that the wallpaper is torn - it actually makes it look even more poetic. it's like you can see the love with which the wallpaper has been meticulously pieced together...

Paloma {La Dolce Vita} said...

That is one gorgeous room!

{this is glamorous} said...

felicity – hello lovely! and of course had to mention you – thanks again for always sending along the best things – have been on the wallpaper search as well and if only could stumble on something as magnificent as this! xoxo

knitlit kate – too funny!

abs – it’s true – very nearly had the same affect on me :)

beauty comma – so beautifully put!

xoxo

November Grey said...

Gorgeous, gorgeous, GORGEOUS!

xx

http://novembergrey.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

These photographs are taken by me, and I would appreciate it very much if you could credit me. Thanks.

Ngoc Minh Ngo

hautetherapy.com said...

Genius! Sounds like it was tedious work, but wow, what great results!

http://hautetherapy.com

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