Elena recently submitted a comment that made me remember I wanted to post about these: Wallpaper murals — 9′ wide for walls up to 10′ tall — made by Thibaut. Can you believe it, but this one above, Memory Lane, was on the wall behind President Lyndon B. Johnson when he addressed the nation on TV for two hours from his Texas ranch house. Hey: That means it was in Lady Bird Johnson’s house — our 4th “First Lady” Retro Renovation connection — can you name the other three so far? Today, we still catch occasional glimpses of wallpaper murals in time capsule houses. They are SO OF THE ERA. You can still get four different designs, in a number of colorways, from Thibaut today. Looks like the retail price is just under $900.
UPDATE: These are no longer available. I’ll keep this 2011 story up for historical reference, though.
- Sigh: Remember when the discontinued stock went up for sale for just $50 per set in 2014?
Ooooh, these are soooo pretty. I think I am partial to Memory Lane, like LBJ and Lady Bird. Thibaut says that particular era design is their best-selling wallpaper mural of all time.
I recently visited the showroom of a company in the San Fernando Valley in So. Cal. that has a wonderful collection of vintage wallpaper (trade only), and if you have the $$$, also makes custom wallpapers…. The gal I spoke with said that they are getting many orders for red flocked paper these days – perfect for a 50’s dining room. I am looking, though, for “rose red” — more a bluish red. I may go with a gold pagoda pattern embossed on grass paper made by Schumacher, though the red flocked stuff is tempting for our 1956 California ranch dinging room. Any suggestions Pam – I am in the exploratory phase? P.S. Anyone seen any great vintage looking wall paper murals? My grandmother always had them in her living/ dining room and the nostalgia factor has me searching. And Pam, you have no idea how you’ve inspired us to purchase a very neglected Carmichael, CA home and embark on bringing it back to its glory. Many thanks, Elena & Brian
Yay, Elena and Brian, I’m so happy to hear about your new/old adopted Carmichael house. But don’t curse me in your weaker moments, okay? And, yes: Red-flocked wallpaper! I ‘fess up: I tore it out of the foyer of my first house ever, a 1938 mid-century modest in Grosse Point Farms, Mich., which I bought when I was 25. What the heck did I know? Tragique.
11 wallpaper mural designs just 11 years ago
Thibaut’s wallpaper murals are silk-screened by hand — sounds beautiful — I bet they are just like grandma’s. I found a new release online from 11 years ago, which indicates that their collection then included a total of 11 designs. The news release alluded to:
…beautiful wisteria flowers, Roman columns, garden images reminiscent of impressionistic paintings, elegant Chinoiserie, and wonderful examples of trompe l’oeil…
Sounds like those were nice, too. I would love to see the Chinoiserie, sigh. Thibaut: Retro = hot, bring ’em back! Thibaut also notes:
Decorating with murals can help add a view to a windowless room, visually enlarge a small space, or simply add elegant, artistic touches to any interior. The murals can be used as a single image, continue on to a second wall, or go clear around a room.
Gavin Hastings says
BTW-
These come with a supply of solid background wallpaper, so that the mural floats across the walls seamlessly in the room. You can buy extras.
Brini says
There’s a Birge mural up on eBay right now. http://cgi.ebay.com/RARE-Vintage-Birge-Wallpaper-Wall-Mural-9-ft-x-12-ft-/150573565591?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item230ee24697
The seller had several up, including one similar to Memory Lane above. This is the last one. Remember the photo mural wallpaper from the 70’s?
pam kueber says
Argh, I wish I had known. Thanks, Brini, nice to see you here today, dear! We must get together soon!
Brini says
I think there’s a 70’s photo mural up right now too.
Definitely. We’ve been chatting too long. Any NY trips planned?
pam kueber says
I need to soon. Have you been to the MOMA kitchens exhibit?
Brini says
No, but I really want to. Plans to go?
pam kueber says
soon…. i’ll try and figure it out
Shelley says
Oh…what great memories this brings back! My grandparents had a mural on the wall of their 1950s custom home in rural Kansas. It was more of a true to life photograph of a woodland scene and a brook. I’ve often thought about it and sure would love to be able to find that again!
Tami says
Friendly’s!! I KNEW I’d seen these before – the one in Waterbury had them.
Gavin Hastings says
Yup.
Friendly’s single-handedly killed mural wallpaper in the Northeast!
Lynne says
I can only imagine trying to hang one of these murals and match the pattern. Talk about needing a level line! One wrong move and the whole thing would be a slanted mess! I guess you would hope for the straightest walls and ceiling ever constructed!
Elaine says
I loved those! House shopping in the 70s, we looked at a ranch house that had one of those on the dining room wall. They were playing classical music on their tape deck. I still wish we could have gotten that house! Our new MCM house in Florida has beautiful real walnut paneling throughout, so I guess I couldn’t make a mural work in there. It would be awesome to lighten things up in there a bit, though.
Carri Carlson says
My grandparents built a mid century ranch in 1955. Besides the coolest full turquoise tile bathroom ever, they had a mural in the den. Both my grandparents were huge outdoors people so the had a mural of a lake with two men in a boat fishing – one sitting and baiting his hook and the other standing in the boat with his line in the water. It was close-up with full woods in the background. I thought it was so cool when I was little, like it was really my Bapa in the boat. No wonder I love mid century so much. All wonderful memories!
Gavin Hastings says
Every so often you can still find a giant-sized book of these in old wallpaper stores.
As with flocked wallpaper, they died from their own success. They were a natural for Dentist and Doctor Waiting Rooms, coffee shops and even Friendly’s had them: albeit built into a faux picture window, complete with scalloped edges.
Don’t you remember the “Bare Brown Trees with Orange Sky” on a white backround from the early 70’s. That was mural wallpaper’s last gasp.
Trouble says
These are awesome, and if I could incorporate one into my 1954 scheme, I would. I loved seeing them as a boy in the mid-’70s in homes of my parent’s friends. My first time out on my own, I rented a MC Modest ranch, of course, and it was a one owner house. It had a mural about the couch of an Italian countryside.
Looking at it helped me relax.
Gavin Hastings says
The “Southern Mansions” mural is hanging in the dining room at St Thomas Rectory in Adams, Mass. Three actually- Each full scene is made to connect to the next and with these murals you can do the entire room.
They look especially nice riding a chair rail. Suburban Zuber.
Katzenbach also made mural panels for Colonal Williamsbug in the 60’s. “Ducks” and “Geese”. Very pretty, and can be seen on the dining room walls of Ellen Burstyn’s D.C. home in “The Exorcist”.
Every once in a while they come up on Ebay.
Growing up; we had the “Streets of Paris” mural on 2 walls in our kitchen and I thought were livin’ the life!
pam kueber says
Where have you been, Gavin?
Gavin Hastings says
I have been very busy cleaning; (some siblings might say plundering), all the good stuff from my parents house a few blocks away..
When I was done with their Miele Vacuum Cleaner- I just put it in my car.
A dirty job-but some greedy person with good taste has to do it.
pam kueber says
hahahah, my favorite quote of the week and it’s only tuesday: “A dirty job — but some greedy person with good taste has to do it.” 🙂