Of the moment
The great wallpaper revival is gathering pace and, as Farrow & Ball’s Charlotte Cosby explains, is seeing print used in homes in ever more inventive ways
FEATURE Roddy Clarke
Wallpaper elevates a room entirely,’ says Charlotte Cosby, Farrow & Ball’s creative director. ‘It brings in pattern and allows you to indulge in something quite maximalist or, on the other hand, more tonal. It certainly adds depth, especially in a space that is otherwise quite bare.’
It’s fair to say that wallpaper is having another resurgence. After using agraphic black and white print from Porter Teleo to cover a small dining room ceiling, designer Barette Widell of the US studio Widell + Boschetti said: ‘The scale and unexpected shapes [ you can add with] wallpaper make a space feel much more grand than it did.’ Meanwhile, the designer Enass Mahmoud is using it in even the smallest of homes. ‘My advice for anyone with an apartment or small space is to pick a sumptuous wallpaper, perhaps a seagrass in a vibrant shade like green,’ she says. ‘It’ll add a softness you can’t get from anything else.’
In her own home, Charlotte has also taken wallpaper to the ceiling and says it has been a great way to create an ambience like that of a boutique hotel bedroom. Adding wallpaper in playful ways such as this is the new alternative to feature walls. ‘Even using it above panelling makes it feel less daunting,’ she continues. ‘I’ve also seen someone wallpaper a f loor under a coat of resin, so the opportunities are endless –you just have to think outside the box!’
W hen pairing wallpaper with panelling, or if the aim is to create an overall cohesive look, opt to paint the woodwork in a matching hue from the print itself. ‘If you want to create texture, choose smaller patterns,’ she advises. ‘A nd, in small spaces, often selecting larger configurations can help to make the area feel bigger than it is.’
IN SMALL SPACES, OFTEN SELECTING LARGE PATTERNED WALLPAPER CAN HELP TO MAKE THE AREA FEEL BIGGER THAN IT IS
If it’s actually the installation part that is putting you off, Charlotte has a piece of advice there, too. ‘Just remember,’ she says. ‘Never start papering from the corner and
