I think I’m becoming a wallpaper convert – and that’s saying something.
Growing up, wallpaper was a bad word in my family. Other banned terms included wall-to-wall carpet, popcorn ceilings and Sears siding, in case you were wondering.
Maybe my old house-loving parents were traumatized by childhoods spent in ranch houses with (among the country kitchens and avocado green drapes) groovy oversized flowers on the walls. Or maybe they just weren’t into the 1980s fake Victorian designs currently papering the inside of Grandma’s house. Either way, by the time I came around it was paint and wainscoting or the highway. And with neutral, spackled walls becoming (rather sadly) all the rage in modern homes, we weren’t alone – my friends didn’t have wallpaper, either.
Long story short, I recently stumbled upon the beauty that is Bradbury and Bradbury and had a change of heart. And I’ve been drooling over their website ever since.
Bradbury and Bradbury/Lands End Frieze
B & B makes historically-inspired art wallpapers, not old lady wallpapers. Think wood-blockish friezes of misty cypress trees, cool geometric art deco patterns, William Morris-inspired Victorian designs and whimsical art nouveau scenes, like this dove and lion. Also note their cool blog.
Almost makes me want to break out the wallpaper glue.
Bradbury and Bradbury/Lion and Dove
Bradbury and Bradbury/Mahogany Volute
Bradbury and Bradbury/Lilies
I Heart Old Houses 
L ove the B&B wall paper too. Are you going to use it in your home?
I’d love to use one of the frieze patterns one day, but for now I’m just dreaming 🙂
How about framing some of your favorite wall paper from B&B, for now. I did see it done on HGTV.They framed very large panels in black gallery frames and used them in the dining room. I t actually worked well as the homeowner was afraid of the commitment of wallpaper over the entire room. The panels were wonderful, in expensive works of art that still suggested the feel of the period wallpaper.
Thanks for the cool idea! Can’t believe I didn’t think of it before, since I actually have a sample of the Birchwood frieze somewhere. I’m digging through my files for it this afternoon.
Thanks for the very kind mention on your blog! We’re glad you don’t think of our papers as “old lady” papers, but you know those old ladies had taste!
We’ll be releasing a Persian set of papers later this year that are spectacular, so save some room on your wall!
Our best to you, old house lover!