Vintage Wallpaper As Art

Do you ever buy a piece of clothing and then all of a sudden it's like the only piece in your closet you just wear it to death...well I have a habit of doing just that. I also do it with my work I come up with an idea and then it seems to be the only thing I know how to do ...until the next brainstorm...almost 20 years ago from painting deeply carved and ornate syroco, I went to painting silverplate with all the lovely reposse work, to finding furniture that had details and carvings or appliques to highlight, to ornate victorian frames with roses and scrolls. which led me to making collages...

which leads me to vintage wallpaper...one of my favorite decorating tools. I used it on many of my collages as the backdrop the starting point because it was like art in itself.

The wallpaper I am talking about is from the 1920's the 1930's or 40's. It looks handpainted it's not prepasted not vinyl and most often brittle but all you need is a sharp fingernail and some paste....couldn't be more simple!

wallpapers listed in my etsy store

A few yards left of this too

and this deco one in pink

If you don't paint flowers you can cheat using wallpaper...
or border paper

deco border great for hatboxes

or cut out the design and decopauge a single flower or bouquet

 

I handpainted the gold frame around the girl for a Trompe I'oeil effect

 

or you can cover a door or a cabinet big or small

 

 

or the back of a cabinet or shelf

 

 

rustyrosepetals on etsy 

or the side of a wardrobe

or a small section of a piece of furniture to highlight it

 

 

 

tops of furniture

original paint drysink with 1930s wallpaper to match Listed on etsy

table tops

 

you will need alot to do a screen

 

 

or just a little to use it as art in a picture frame
(great to display a piece of jewelry if frame has no glass) ...

or a broken mirror can be a useful and pretty again

 

or on and old window...

 

 

 

of course you can use vintage wallpaper as intended
on a wall too
or a backsplash in a kitchen or bath....
but thats another blog!