“Just so you know upfront, I hate wallpaper!”

So it can go when meeting with a new client – discovering their likes and dislikes, finding common ground and exploring design possibilities.  Amusing myself, I often think – well, you just haven’t met the right wallpaper yet.  My next thought goes more toward, wow, what did wallpaper ever do to you?

You see, I really love wallpaper.

In most cases, these clients are really saying “keep it simple”.  They show me magazine pictures of beautiful rooms, often elegantly furnished, but layered with texture and subtle pattern.  They are not plain, but simply understated and often neutral in color.  This is where “background wallpapers” work.  Polite and quiet, giving richness and depth that plain sheetrock often cannot, they add interest without competing with art or architecture.

These are the types of wallpapers I prefer in my own home, so introducing these skeptics to a world of wallpaper is a treat.  Never say never!

In the early 1980′s, Ralph Lauren’s loft apartment was featured in Architectural Digest.  The space was elegant and simple, but his philosophy about his home is what really resonated with me.  After working with pattern and color all day (and the stress that comes with it), he said he preferred to come home to a quiet and calming environment.

After over 30 years of design experience, I still find this to be true for me as well.  Neutrals, textures and architectural patterns stand the test of time and I find that I never tire of them.  The world has become a more hectic place since Mr. Lauren made his observations and I feel more strongly than ever that I need quiet surroundings.  Waking daily to multiple emails, notifications and the onslaught twenty four hour news, I would just assume not have my wallpaper scream at me as I wander to the kitchen for coffee.  But that’s just me.