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Home / By the Decade / 1940s

10 pretty and affordable wallpapers for 40s or 50s bedrooms, dens and kitchens

Pam Kueber - Updated: February 5, 2019

Retro Renovation stopped publishing in 2021; these stories remain for historical information, as potential continued resources, and for archival purposes.

crop-raymond-waites-vintage-document-large-roses.jpg

I have been on the hunt for affordable, vintage style wallpaper – a major reader want. In my first expedition I found this selection of Raymond Waites wallpaper that I think would be good for 40s or early 50s bedrooms, family rooms, offices, dens and kitchens — and which cost just over $20 a roll.

The roses-on-stripes to me are very classic in a 40s or 50s girls’ bedroom – pretty in pink to be sure. The plaids and other designs all have a tea-towel feel that puts them in to the vintage design camp. These are each about $22/roll via americanblinds.com.

raymond-waites-plaid-beige.JPG
raymond-waites-plaid-brown.JPG
raymond-waites-plaid-green.JPG
raymond-waites-vintage-documents-plaid-red.JPG
raymond-waites-tea-towel-stripe.JPG
raymond-waites-yellow-check.JPG
raymond-waites-small-colonial.JPG
raymond-waites-vintage-documents-colonial-small-print.JPG
raymond-waites-vintage-document-large-roses.JPG
crop-raymond-waites-vintage-document-large-roses.jpg
raymond-waites-vintage-documents-small-rose.JPG

CATEGORIES:
1940s 1950s Wallpaper

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Reader Interactions

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6 comments

Comments

  1. Nikki Martinez says

    November 6, 2016 at 12:38 pm

    I want to order the red plaid wallpaper
    How can I do this
    Thanks Nikki

    • pam kueber says

      November 6, 2016 at 3:50 pm

      Nikki, you need to refer to the companies and links in the story; we do not sell things here.

  2. Pat says

    September 13, 2010 at 9:13 am

    I love wallpaper but only have one room wallpapered because I can’t find anything I like, except I love the roses paper and might have to splurge on that!

  3. Pat d says

    January 28, 2009 at 2:59 am

    Do you think the yellow check is 40’s? Would it work in a kitchen possibly?

    • Pam Kueber says

      January 28, 2009 at 3:07 pm

      Pat, yes, I thought the yellow check had a 40s look. And yes, I think it would work in a kitchen. Very perky, and the scale appears to be so small that it’s almost a tone-on-tone. Always best before you order to get a sample, though. I think that means a trip to your local wallpaper store that carries a large selection, as I do not think the online places send samples although I am not sure…

  4. Elvis says

    January 27, 2009 at 10:32 pm

    I’m not much of a wallpaper lover, but you’ve found some really great vintage-feeling examples, Pam.
    Nice work!

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