HOMEFRONT:'Mid-Century Modern' is all the retro rage , writes Zita Spring
A FEW YEARS AGO, wallpaper started creeping back into interiors, having been cast aside for far too long. At first we hesitantly wallpapered a chimneybreast here or there, but before long we were seeking bigger thrills, and "feature walls" became where it was at. Today, if you want to make a statement with wallpaper, covering anything less than all four walls is considered old hat. Wallpaper has come full circle and is once again being used for what it was originally intended - capturing a mood, setting a tone, and injecting a room with some real pizzazz.
One of the problems that brings many of us ordinary folk out in a cold sweat when it comes to wallpapering a whole room is not knowing how to begin selecting the perfect wallpaper. What if it doesn't suit the space once it's up or what if it looks outdated in a year's time? Best to just forget about the whole risky idea altogether, right? Wrong. Dressing a room can be a bit like dressing yourself. Just as taking into consideration your own shape helps in selecting the perfect attire, bearing in mind the unique character of your house can help in choosing timeless wallpaper. If you draw on your home's history to choose wallpaper, the paper will echo the personality of your house and always look just right. Depending on the era when your home was built, the chances are it will have a few architectural foibles that suggest its age, or if you're lucky it might even have some original features such as floors and fireplaces. Play up to these elements rather than ignore them.
I'm not about to suggest hanging old-fashioned wallpaper and living in a time warp or anything like that, though. Why should you when there are so many fabulous modern wallpapers with subtle retro influences that will complement your home's integrity perfectly, while still being utterly contemporary?
First let's look at Art Deco, the design movement which informed the direction modern interiors would take for the rest of the 20th century and beyond. It was prevalent throughout the 1930s in architecture, interior design, fashion and beyond. The style had a strong emphasis on opulence and modernism, and the dramatic patterns of the time have been making a welcome comeback of late. In fact, patterns of all kinds are big news these days now that interior design trends are turning away from bare minimalism.
Cole & Son is widely regarded as the boss of contemporary wallpaper and while its wares may be on the pricey side, they're timelessly stylish and worth the splurge. Cole & Son's newest wallpaper range "Vintage Glamour" has its finger firmly on the modern design pulse while embracing the Art Deco style, so will complement the character of a 1930s house while remaining thoroughly modern. Cole & Son wallpapers are available throughout Ireland. See www.cole-and-son.com or tel: 00-44-208-4428844 for stockists.
Polka dots and small floral patterns were the order of the day in the post-war interiors of the 1940s. For a contemporary nod to this era, Jane Churchill's charming "Dots" and "Olinda" wallpapers from her latest wallpaper collection are just gorgeous. Jane Churchill wallpapers are also available in Ireland. See www.janechurchill.com or tel: 00-44-207-3186000 for stockists.
In the 1950s, architecture and interiors were influenced by the "Mid-Century Modern" design style, which is still popular among design hipsters today. Mid-century modernism is all about simplicity and natural shapes, and well-known mid-century names such as Charles & Ray Eames, Arne Jacobsen and Verner Panton were multi-disciplinary designers who not only created some of the innovative furniture and architecture of the time, but the simple, organic patterns. Missprint is a funky new UK company whose hand-printed wallpapers clearly have a 1950s influence, but are also quirky and contemporary and come in fresh, modern colourways. Buy online from www.missprint.co.uk.
Florence Broadhurst's wallpaper designs date back to the 1960s but it's easy to see that she was eras ahead of her time. These wallpapers were reintroduced in recent years and are still as cutting edge as ever. Check Florence Broadhurst's wallpapers out at Lost Weekend, Trimmers Lane, Wexford (053-9180090).
What could be more fitting for an Irish home built in the 1970s than to be kitted out in a wallpaper designed by Irish fashion mogul Orla Kiely, the secret of whose success is her unique ability to team playful, 1970s-style patterns with contemporary design. Go for her "Blossom" wallpaper and be the envy of fashionistas everywhere. Buy online from www.orlakiely.com.
Erika Wakerly has got the look for you if your house was built in the 1980s. The current 1980s revival is focused on edgy graphics and metallic finishes, such as those used in Erika's award-winning wallpaper range. Available from Interior Living, 11 MacCurtain Street, Cork, tel: 021-4505819; Lost Weekend (details as above); and Avalon Home, Mullingar Business Park, Co Westmeath, tel: 044-9330600.
See Zita Spring's blog at www.homebug.net