More recently, however, wallpaper has receded somewhat, with many preferring to use it to highlight a ‘feature’ wall or in tiny rooms. The latter we love (a tiny downstairs loo is instantly pepped up by some sweet paper on the walls); the former less so – after all, if you are going to decorate, we say be unapologetic in your approach to the prints and patterns we love.
In the UK, a handful of excellent designers continue to stoke the embers of the last century’s most ubiquitous decorative flourish with beautifully produced papers, from florals to chinoiserie to the geometric. Here we round up a few of our favourites.
Robert Kime
Decoratively speaking, the late, great Robert Kime could, in our books, do no wrong. Unswerving in his devotion to the chic allied with the lived-in and the comfortable – nothing is ever too ‘done’ – this unerring touch inevitably extended to his collection of very lovely wallpapers. We especially love the Voysey Trellis, an Arts and Crafts design that reflects Charles Voysey's architectural influence. Discover more here.
de Gournay
Wallpaper by de Gournay is more than just pleasantly decorative; it is a work of art. As they say, ‘Whether creating a Chinoiserie room, a 19th-century French Scenic, an Art Nouveau or Art Deco interior, a gold-leaf ceiling or a complete Chinese Export dinner service, each person who plays a part in bringing this dream to life is trained by and works full-time for de Gournay. Our artists and artisans are experts in the types of clay mixtures, methods of glaze application and temperatures of firing for any piece of porcelain or, indeed, the correct choice of base paper, decorative detail, paints and colours for hand-painted wallpapers of all periods.’ Everything is hand-painted and thus anything is possible. We love Namban, which riffs on the artwork of Imperial Japan. Discover more here.
Interior design: Oitoemponto
Photography: Jerome Galland
Anna Glover
If you consider wallpaper a nostalgic relic of bygone age, then Anna Glover’s sharp and contemporary designs are sure to put that misapprehension bang to rights. Founded in 2015, Anna’s eponymous brand has since scooped up a host of awards, from a British Elle Decoration award to House Beautiful Editor’s award, as well as launching a collaboration with H&M. Everything is designed and hand-painted in Anna’s London studio, where the onus is on the vivid and the painterly. We like Brio, which comes in two distinctive colourways or can be customised to suit your scheme. Discover more here.
Polly Fern
Illustrator Polly Fern creates all manner of absolutely charming things that we covet, from lampshades to ceramics. We really love her wallpaper, which is loose and enchanting, riffing on Bloomsbury style, that expressive sensibility allied with a deep romance. Her Romantic Vase Wallpaper – digitally printed in Lancashire on a non-woven paper – is our very favourite. Discover more here.
Zoffany
If you are going to cover your walls with something, what could be more transporting or inspiring than a landscape of a lush Indian garden, as so lavishly depicted on Melissa White for Zoffany’s Peacock Garden design? If, however, this doesn’t capture your imagination or fit your space, then you can spend happy hours exploring the collections of seven quintessentially British luxury interior brands under one decorative umbrella: Archive, Clarke & Clarke, Harlequin, Morris & Co., Sanderson, Scion, Zoffany, Anstey Wallpaper Company and Standfast & Barracks all reside under the Sanderson Design Group’s virtual roof. Discover more here.
Thibaut
If you’re after a something altogether simpler yet still arresting, Thibaut’s Agave Stripe in coral is a pared-back block-printed design that is nonetheless wholly arresting. Established in 1886, American brand Thibaut specialises in wallpaper and fabric, covering historic reproductions and traditional, classic patterns to tropical patterns. Discover more here.
Flora Soames
One of House and Garden’s Top 100, Flora Soames has been an interiors consultant since she established her eponymous company in 2009. Known for her ‘modern yet eclectic approach’, she typically works for private clients, but launched her first fabric and wallpaper collection in 2019. We adore her Gilded Rope Ruby Wallpaper, which strikes the balance between simple and sumptuous with aplomb. Discover more here.
Anthropologie
Don’t overlook the high street when it comes to choosing wallpaper. Who could fail to love this painterly Sanderson Robins Wood Wallpaper, which would look knock-out in a small bedroom or bathroom. Discover more here.
Kate Forman
For sheer romance, Kate Forman wallpapers are hard to beat – the blousy billowing fat roses as featured on the Delilah design climbing the walls are enough to cheer the hardiest of souls. Discover more here.
By Nancy Alsop
November 2023
