Wallpaper as an Art of Distraction

I was recently highlighted as someone that likes to wallpaper when I helped some friends get started on a project and it was filmed. Hilarity ensued.

I may have given the wrong impression of myself. Worse, I may be asked to do wallpaper now for other people.

Just kidding. I LOVE wallpaper.

To me, it's textile for the walls - there are so many choices and feelings you can give with the right wallpaper and some of the old rules of wallpaper have been tossed out.

I grew up in the 70's and 80's when wallpaper was a real viiiibe. I believe that "vibe" as a descriptive term is rooted in the freaky freakiness of the 70's and 80's. People went BIG with wallpaper, my mom specifically. Our kitchen had a giant blue and brown flower print - this was not a big kitchen and quickly felt even smaller with the print. Back then bathrooms were wallpapered, despite it seeming like a bad idea (steam/water + wallpaper?!) but it was a decorating rage that lasted a while. Well, it's back. Better than ever (the product itself) and I fully admit to wallpapering bathrooms now, when I should know better. Whatever.

We have a traditional cape in Camden, ME. The ceilings are LOW (the traditional part). As with cape style homes, the second story is usually just over half of the house. The bedrooms are low and connected traditionally with a small hallway and a single bathroom. No en-suite in this kinda house. Capes were designed to be efficient with temperature and it works!

My best description of our upstairs: A sleep cave with a bathroom.

The squatty hallway I have (basically, a crawlspace to a bathroom) begged me to drench it in color and wallpaper. So you see, I set out to make it even squattier.

I listen to no one.

I found this paper company: https://nottene.net/shop-1

I went with the print "Gentle Trees" in super blue because it's whimsical and really connects the Scandi illustration style I love so much and have sprinkled in the house here and there. It's also moody and dark and sleepy.

So I went about painting; drenching the ceiling and trim in Benjamin Moore's "Blue Lapis".

And then the glorious "Gentle Trees" went up and I was in love and still am.

The art of distraction here is that this small hallway is now a viiiiibe. The wallpaper has distracted the eye away from what might be seen as a squatty, cramped space. It now feels like you're inside a beautifully illustrated children's book.

Wallpaper is my decorating MVP and it always feels like art to me.

BTW, I'm taking clients ;)