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Wallpaper Goes Big For Wow Walls

Wallpaper Goes Big with Maxi Motifs & Large Scale Patterns for Trending Home Style

William Morris made wallpaper fashionable in the 19th century with his nature motifs taken from British wildlife. Since the mid-1800s, wallpaper has fallen in and out of style. Today, patterned walls are back in a big way with maxi-motifs often inspired by Morris’ progress patterns from the Victorian period.

Salgari wallpaper design from Skinwall
Salgari wallpaper design from Skinwall

William Morris’ patterns endure today through a variety of licensees manufacturing homeware, bedding and wallpaper and are often emulated by other designers. Victoria & Albert Museum in London holds a large archive of William Morris designs available for license in different product categories.

Gardening set featuring a William Morris botanical print from Victoria & Albert Museum available for sale in the gift shop
Gardening set featuring a William Morris botanical print from Victoria & Albert Museum available for sale in the gift shop

The museum recently licensed a series of William Morris patterns to Moda Fabrics to create a line of quilting fabrics.

Taking cues from William Morris’ oeuvre, wallpaper houses around the world reinterpret his radical naturalism born of the British the Arts and Crafts movement to create contemporary wallpaper and textiles. Italian wallpaper house Skinwall is fusing the concepts of pattern and mural to create massive wallscapes in sweeping scenes for feature walls or entire rooms.   Here’s a look at some of their latest designs in the Palingenesi collection wallpapers by artists/designers Fabio Iemmi, Michelangelo Bonfiglioli and Gloria Zanotti.

Exotic Gardens:

The garden goes indoors with exotic settings evoking wild forests, jungles, lush foliage and exotic birds. 

Peace wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Peace wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Tropicalia wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Tropicalia wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Welcome to the Jungle wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Welcome to the Jungle wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Salgari wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Salgari wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall

 

Maxi Motifs:

Large stylized florals and foliage update a traditional motif with a pop art edge. 

Pure White wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Pure White wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Blue Valentine Pure wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Blue Valentine Pure wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Deco wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Deco wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Blossom wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Blossom wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
The Magic of Colors wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
The Magic of Colors wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall

 

Dreamscapes:

Wallscapes that infuse an ethereal, fantastical ambiance to a living space stir emotions. These dreamlike designs feature various muses to create striking, theatrical atmospheres.

Persephone wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Persephone wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Precious wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Precious wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Bubble wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Bubble wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall

 

Chinoiserie Amplified:

Large Asian inspired motifs create a contemporary take on Chinoiserie style in the home in bold colors. 

Maya wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Maya wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Moon wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Moon wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Korean Drama wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Korean Drama wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall

 

Harmony wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Harmony wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Indie wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall
Indie wallpaper design from the Palingenes Collection, Skinwall

For more design ideas, subscribe to my youtube channel for regular episodes of The Design Tourist for what’s new and next in design.

 

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Karen LeBlanc

Karen LeBlanc is a travel host and writer with a popular travel show, The Design Tourist, and a companion lifestyle blog. As a widely published travel journalist and content creator, Karen is a member of the North American Travel Journalists Association. She also serves as the Design and Travel editor of the national lifestyle magazine, LaPalme. Karen believes that every destination has a story to tell through its local art, architecture, culture, and craft. This immersive creative exploration begins with authentic accommodations where the narrative of place unfolds through art, accessories, accouterments, furnishings, fixtures, and food. 

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