New Japanese inspired wallpapers from Farrow & Ball are out this month.  These wallpapers are a perfect match between English block printing and simple Japanese fabric designs. The Japanese designs are stylized nature, giving them a modern look. The options from Farrow & Ball resemble a bamboo forest, a flock of birds, stylized waves and hexagon cartouches with flower motifs.

Original Japanese fabrics were simple block prints. Today’s Farrow & Ball wallpapers are also block printed which gives you a wonderful texture you can feel when touched.  Even though the patterns are very old, they feel very contemporary because they are two-dimensional with two, maybe three, colors. This type of wallpaper make walls act like walls, allowing you to showcase your furnishings or art.

Scenic wallpapers, popular for centuries, continue to grace the walls of dining rooms, hallways, master bedrooms and other rooms. Chinoiserie-inspired patterns are very popular today. Here’s a slide show of beautiful wallpaper examples in a variety of rooms.

Above is a Chinese mural I installed in a traditional dining room. We are moving back to 19th century-like wallpaper because it is less expensive to make uncoated papers. Laser cut acrylic blocks make block printing possible. Also, American manufacturers are struggling to keep inventory. Our European friends seem not to have the same inventory problem and their papers are cheaper to produce. How does this impact you? When you select a wallpaper, always ask: does the paper need to be trimmed? Is it water sensitive? Where is it made? This information will help you decide who you want to install the wallpaper.