Chinoiserie Wallpapers

Wallpaper in general isn't an inexpensive design element. No matter which way you choose to go, the double roll of a quality paper can run you $400+/per for things like all over prints, grasscloth, stripes, etc.. The world of decorative papers is vast, but today I want to talk about Chinoiserie papers, usually sold by the panel, typically hand-painted on smaller sheets of tea paper, and then glued together in a patch work of sorts to create the final piece.

Gracie Studios, de Gournay, and Paul Montgomery Studio are the most common names you'll find attached to these beautiful hand-painted papers - and you've seen them EVERYWHERE! They've been on the cover of just about every shelter magazine:

There are thousands of images on pinterest:

If you remember the Bravo series: Million Dollar Decorators, you'll remember that Mary McDonald redesigned her house over the last few episodes of the series. She used a custom designed Gracie paper in her bedroom:

Hundreds of decor and design blogs blog about designer's who use the papers, but there are a select few bloggers like Joni Webb (Cote de Texas), who have them in their private homes:

This is a custom designed paper, similar and custom designs are available to the trade only through Jardins en Fleur. Jardins en Fleur specializes in hand-painted silk chinoiserie screens, with a trade price of $2000+. This paper was custom designed for Joni on matte paper, not the silk tea paper blocks. You can see more of this beautiful room, and read her story here. You can buy retail direct through the retail site for Jardins, Simon Paul Scott.

Brooke Giannetti (Velvet and Linen) used Gracie panels for the folding doors she and architect husband Steve designed to cover their television at Patina Farm:

Their lovely Ojai, California home was featured in Veranda shortly after the construction was completed in 2014, and a book was written by the couple on the planning, construction and decoration of the house: Patina Farm.

Probably the most notable designer/blogger using Chinoiserie papers right now is Mark D. Sikes (Mark D. Sikes: Chic People, Glamorous People, Stylish Things). Mark started his career in merchandising, but he quickly became one to watch in the world of interior design after House Beautiful had a cover feature on his home in West Hollywood, California. The internet couldn't share enough of the photos of his house, including his dining room papered in Gracie Studio's paper: 

A short two-years later, Mark and his home had a cover feature in Veranda Magazine. This time the dining room had a new look, free of Gracie, but Mark didn't abandon his love for the hand-painted papers. Framed panels were used in the living room: 

And the master bedroom received a grand update, with floor to ceiling paper on every wall: 

This year, Rizzoli published Mark's first book; one of what I assume will be many. I wrote a review on the book here. The book showcases Mark's house, and several client projects. Nearly every one of them had a Gracie paper somewhere: 

You can see more of his projects, and the beautiful papers that he uses in his book, here: 

Mark debuted his furniture line with Henredon at High Point this year. Beautiful furniture with a laid-back Californian sophistication, a signature of Mark's. Of course, what signature Mark Sikes space would be complete without Chinoiserie wallpaper? 

As inspiring as all of these papers are, they are also incredibly expensive. No one really talks about the cost of the papers, and the trade costs of these lovely gems are kept pretty tight lipped. It is truly a case of: "If you have to ask how much it is, you can't afford it." Papering an entire room in the hand-painted paper can set you back the cost of a decent mid-sized sedan. The paper is sold in panels, and depending on your pattern and the panel length, the panels can cost you from $550 to $1,350+. A typical panel width is 3'. Let's assume you have a square room, 15x15. You'd need 20 panels to paper the room, with waste for windows and doors.  I'll save you the time it takes to grab your calculator and tell you that you're gonna pay $11,000 - $28,000+ for the paper, and another $5,000+ for someone to come in and professionally hang it. 

Obviously there are much less expensive alternatives. What drives the cost of these Gracie and de Gournay papers is obviously the demand, and the artistry. They're hand-painted. You're not just buying wallpaper, you're buying art. 

You could frame the panels, which allows you to (1) save money, (2) move the art with you when you go or when you tire of it, (3) better fit a room without wasted paper. With framing, you still have to purchase your panels, and pay to have them dry mounted and framed. But you're looking at cutting your cost by 1/2. That certainly seems more manageable doesn't it? 

There are online sources for pairs of framed panels, including Simon Paul Scott, who owns Jardin en Fleur. The pair range in price from $1,995 to $2,850 and come ready to hang. But what do you do if you love the look, and you can't afford the pre-framed panels let alone an entire room of high-end hand-painted paper? 

There are options! If you take the hand-painted element out of it, you can save bucket loads of money with digital Chinoiserie wallpapers printed on sheet paper or vinyl. The trade site, Designer Wallcoverings offers some versions for about $200/panel. 

But one of the least expensive, and most beautiful digital prints comes from MuralSources. 

$289 for the full scene, 4' wide, 5'4" tall. $399 for the larger version, 6' wide, 8' tall. 

I love this one. To me it looks so much like Mark's current Gracie panels in his living room. This one is $249/panel. Each scene on the panel is 3' wide, and 8' tall. Check out all of their Chinoiserie wallpaper here. 

I teased those of you who follow my instagram with a photo of a Chinoiserie paper panel and a gilded bamboo frame at the frame shop a few weeks ago:

What seems like an eternity ago, I came across this paper and had hoped to use it in a project at CDLV. I hired someone to hang the paper and they did a TERRIBLE job! It was so disappointing to watch that beautiful paper have to be thrown in the trash because of poor workmanship on the part of the installer, and the paper has been discontinued. Thankfully, during my move, I found two panels of the 7 that were untouched! 

Here's where you're gonna hate me. I always hate this part, and I get so disappointed when this happens ... BUT! 

The paper is a design of York Wall, a wallpaper source that I really love working with. They have thousands of papers, and always make things incredibly easy for purchase, and returns. They are quick to send samples of papers you may be interested in, and I feel like they do a good job of presenting their papers accurately on their website. 

This paper is part of a 7-panel mural, which finished measures 10.5' long, and 6'tall, and you're not going to believe the price. 

You can see from the full mural, there were some lovely bits of this paper that were completely lost thanks to someone who just didn't know what they were doing! I'm forever sad that I couldn't salvage it, and that York no longer carries the mural. However, you'll see the pagoda and branches in the right side of the mural to be the same as the shot I posted on instagram. How much is it? I know you're wondering, right!? Well, before we get into that let me remind you that the Gracie paper is $550 - $1350+ per panel. Their panels are 3' wide (typically). These panels are 1.5' wide, and you're purchasing the entire garden scene for just $215.99. Yes, the whole thing! $215.99. 

See, I told you - you hate me, don't you? 

Honestly, I'm sorry that they discontinued the paper - not only for you, but for me. If they still had it I would buy more for myself! I took the two panels that I was able to find from my 7 to the frame shop, and the price to frame both in the gilded bamboo frame was just under $225. Wanna see how they turned out?

This room proves VERY difficult to photograph, mostly because it's pretty small. But here, you can see the one panel in the upper right portion of the photo, with the gilded bamboo frame. Isn't it pretty?

The two framed panels flank the windows, and I really love the simplicity of the bamboo frame. They're also a great size, so they could pretty easily move from room to room, apartment to apartment.  If you love the look, but don't want to part with the money, dig a little deeper into the links above and see if there might be something you love just as much as the fancy designer paper, for a whole lot less! 

I'll be back later in the week with more book reviews, AND I'll be adding some antique blue and white pieces to the "SHOP" Tab located in the header - so check that out! 

Framed Chinoiserie Panels

Before the perfect house popped up on the radar and ruined my train of thought, I was talking about changes I was making to the décor in our master bedroom. Remember? I think we left off with the idea of using this beautiful York wallpaper mural as a sort of Gracie imposter, framed in panels on either side of the canopy.

I don't know about you - but when I come up with these ideas, I typically look for inspiration photos. So, that's what I did. Not surprisingly, there were dozens upon dozens of examples, likely because wallpapering a room in hand painted chinoiserie wallpaper will cost you a small fortune. Panels are a much less costly, but equally beautiful solution if you have the desire without the dollars.

Design by John Loecke, Inc.

 

What I loved about this room, beyond the sheer controlled chaos of that gallery wall, was how the small scene from that vintage wallpaper stands out, even against all of the other patterns in the room. 

 

Design by Betsy Burnham

 

Betsy Burnham probably spent the equivalent of enough paper to do this entire hallway on the framing for these two panels, but you can see how much impact they have in this space. I often wonder how people navigate their urge for art when they've spent so much on paper. Do you bite the bullet and hang atop the paper? Do you give in and let the paper do all the talking? With framed panels you don't have to worry about that. They become your art, instead of the backdrop.





Design by Bonesteel Trout Hall 

 

A similar situation to how I'll end up showing my framed panels. I love how simply they're framed. 

Design by Suzanne Rheinstein

And again, you can't show framed panels without showing Suzanne Rheinstein's living room. Here again, simply framed, they're perfect. I have wondered what this room would look like if papered entirely in the deGournay paper, and I honestly don't think it'd have the same appeal.


Design by Martha Mulholland

 

This antique grisaille panel is framed beautifully here, floating against a white backdrop behind the glass and antique gilded frame. Again, framing is not only a cost effective option - but one that will allow you to use that small fragment or limited quantity paper.  

Design by Martha Mulholland

Typically, the paper is sold in panels 18 - 22" wide. While you could apply the panels to a board to widen the vignette, it'd be as simple to do what Martha Mulholland did in this bedroom, framing each panel and hanging side by side.


Design by Kelee Katillac



Design by Maison Luxe

 

This deGournay wallpaper is beautiful, and very expensive. I've seen it done on entire walls, and it's quite lovely. But here, in a pale dining room, simply framed, flanking glass french doors - I think it shows best. 

 

 



Design by Tracery Interiors

More grisaille paper. I like too how framing paper, even if it's not an expensive hand painted paper like this one, gives you an opportunity to have art the precise size you're looking for. You can not only choose your overall height, but the width as well.



Design by Miles Redd

In this show house, Miles Redd used several framed Gracie panels, throughout the room, and had no problem hanging art, mirrors, and sconces over it. One of my favorite scenes from this room is this one:

Design by Miles Redd

The abstract art against the wallpaper just seems to work, doesn't it? Mark D. Sikes didn't hang atop his new bedroom paper from Gracie, but rather leaned a piece of abstract art against it:

Design by Mark D. Sikes 

There's something about that pairing ... almost like Chinoiserie and Suzani, like we talked about before, that just seems to work.



Design by Mary McDonald

Mary used framed panels on either side of the bed in this bedroom, a staging effort for the multi-million dollar renovation her one-time boyfriend, John Bersci oversaw. Perhaps that is why she chose not to paper the entire room? It occurred to me that this would be a great opportunity for those of you who may not be in your own home, or even your "forever" home. If you're going to invest in wallpaper before you invest in your house framing might be the way to go. You can at least take it with you!


Design by Mary McDonald

If you chose not to frame it, you could always have a screen made, like this one, which Mary did for a show house. I think this is another great idea, and could easily be done with wallpaper or even fabric panels.



Design by Brooke & Steve Giannetti - Velvet & Linen

 

When Brooke, who writes Velvet & Linen, needed to cover the recess for their family room television, she chose this Gracie paper and had it installed on three panels. 

 

Design by Mark D. Sikes

 

And here again, Mark framed paper from Gracie for this Legends window at Hollyhock, themed from his interpretation of the book "Orient Express". I loved this space ... but you know I'm crazy for blue and white. Speaking of perfect pairings, check out that les touches fabric from Brunschwig & Fils against the chinoiserie paper!

 

Design by Mark D. Sikes

 

The fabric isn't crazy expensive (not when you really think about how expensive some designer fabrics have become) at $145/yard retail. But, since we're talking about options ...

 



Charlotte Moss for Fabricut

 

I had to draw your attention to this fabric that Charlotte Moss designed for Fabricut. Some of the line is still carried at Calico Corners, this fabric named "Fanny" isn't available in every color on their website. The two they have (ivy and sycamore) are on sale for $21/yard. You can still find other colors online though, for less than $30/yard at fabric superstores like this one.







Suzani and Chinoiserie ...

Who would have ever thought that a suzani, the beautiful embroidered textiles typically made by Central Asian brides as part of their dowry, would become so beautifully wedded to Chinoiserie pieces, the 17th century European movement inspired by Chinese artistic influence.

As many of you already know, I've been working on my bedroom now for a couple of months, and the piece de resistance is a huge antique Samarkand suzani that I had been waiting to arrive after ordering in Mid-June. Guess what was on my doorstep yesterday?

Yep, all wrapped up tight and secure it was everything I had hoped it be. I couldn't wait to get it upstairs and on the bed. I know you are probably thinking, yay, pictures of CDLV? Right? No! I'm not even nearly done with that room - but will be soon, and I promise I'll share them. Until then, you can virtually make decisions with me so we can get to the final product more quickly, sound good? Great!

Now, back to my original thought: Suzani and Chinoiserie. On either side of the bed I have a void. A friend, long-time blog reader, and very talented artist and I have been discussing options for custom work for the room, but I've not made decisions on where this work will go, or exactly what it will be. While I searched for inspiration I couldn't help but notice the natural connection Suzanis had with Chinoiserie elements when they're placed in the same space.

Michael S. Smith

 

Like this NYC bedroom decorated by Michael S. Smith. A beautiful Samarkand suzani draped over the foot of the bed plays perfectly against the large Chinoiserie screen used behind the bed. While the marriage of Suzani and Chinoiserie may have existed before Mr. Smith created this space here, he certainly ushered the use of both to the forefront of the decorating mind.

 



Miles Redd

 

In this dining room designed by Miles Redd, beautiful Chinoiserie wallpaper wraps the walls, Chinese porcelain and stone Foo Dogs pair up with this Samarkand suzani used as a tablecloth.

 

Mary McDonald

 

In this living room designed by Mary McDonald, she pairs Samarkand suzanis with Chinoserie jars and pottery, and framed Chinosierie papers.

 

Sid Bergamin

 

In this island home, Sid Bergamin did the same thing - pairing the blue and white Chinoiserie we all love with the bold pattern of a suzani draped over white upholstery.

 





Joni Webb

 

Blogger Extraordinaire, Joni Webb of the famed Cote de Texas uses a Bukhara suzani at the foot of her bed in a bedroom wrapped in hand painted Chinoiserie wallpaper by Simon P. Scott, owner of the the to-the-trade décor company, Jardins en Fleur. I love this room. I wish she had more paper to send to me.

 

Alex Papachristidis

 

In this New York apartment, Alex Papachristidis used suzanis as upholstery fabrics, pairing them up with this Bamboo Chinoiserie coffee table, and other Chinoiserie accessories.

 

Simply put - I need some Chinoiserie infusion in that room, and I couldn't think of any better way than with a big dose of it on either side of the bed, flanking the new tester canopy. As much as I love the papers of Gracie and de Gournay, they are way out of my budget. Even less costly wallpapers from Griffin & Wong are a lot more than I want to spend on panels for framing.

 

I went back to my friends at York Wallcoverings, and sure enough, they had a pre-printed Chinoiserie pattern that I think might fit the bill!

 

Asian Garden Mural - York Wall

 

The mural comes in two sizes, a small option (linked above) at 6' total height, and a large option at 9' total height. Because I'll only need it for framed panels on either side of the bed, the 6' height is sufficient, and the more than 10' of width is perfect for picking out complimentary scenes.

 

I used York Wallcoverings for a screen I created for the Christmas Barn I did for the Lewiston Tour of Homes this past Christmas. Their paper was easy to use, and of beautiful quality! Best part, it's affordable! We all want the look of high end designer rooms, right? But unless you've got deep pockets, affording some of the luxurious finishes, like hand-painted wallpaper might be out of reach. That's where York comes to the rescue with this gorgeous mural.

 

Imagine this framed, in large scale. Might it look like this:

 



Suzanne Rheinstein

 

 I think it just might work ... stay tuned!