Matt has been constructing this blue and gray tiled bathroom in his 1959 home — all from scratch — oh my — it’s fabulous! Now, it’s time to choose wallpaper. He’s found a contender but sends in this question: Does his wallpaper choice have an authentic midcentury look? I opine.
Matt writes:
I’ve been recreating a blue / gray bathroom since early last year, and I’m finally at the point where we choose wallpaper. We found a pattern we really like that has a blue / gray scheme that’s similar to our tile and fixtures with a yellow accent.
You would have to see the colors (I have a couple of pictures) but I’m wondering how authentic this might be? I don’t see very many blue bathrooms, let alone blue with a hint of yellow anything mixed in there. For what it’s worth If we go with this I’m thinking white towels so it would be just a pop of color.
Our goal is something that looks like it’s been there since the house was built in 1959. It’s basically down to wallpaper, building the hamper, someone changing our salvaged green bathtub to blue, and small details so we’re getting really close to the end!
The bathroom is changing quickly though, for example if our two year old cooperates the countertop may be tiled by the end of the weekend. Likewise the tub I’m hoping can be enameled in blue soon.The tile and plumbing supply fixtures are new. Cabinets, lighting and other fixtures are salvaged. We’ve used a lot of the resources available here for tile and fixtures, by the way. We’re definitely glad all of it was available.
Choosing wallpaper that looks authentic to the midcentury era
“The look” of vintage wallpaper vs. much of today’s wallpaper
I am not expert on the technical language, but here goes:
- Old paper was printed using actual rollers — actual ink laid down, layer after layer until the desired design was achieved.
- The paper stock also was — pretty paper-y — they can be tricky to install for that reason — they may tear or otherwise be brittle or fragile.
- From a design perspective, old wallpapers also often had metallic inks…
- They often had striations in their background…
- More typically than not, I’d say, they had relatively small patterns… and, I’ll say:
- Few bright (blue) whites / mostly yellowed pinked off-whites.
So… If you want a paper that looks truly authentic to the time — if you want time-capsule look — look for vintage or a paper that’s still printed with real inks using rollers or similar technology.
- 7 places to buy vintage wallpaper
- Bradbury & Bradbury Art Wallpaper still does old-fashioned printing with inks and has retro designs
- See all my wallpaper stories / research here
- Tip: Get samples of true-vintage or layered-ink and you compare them with digital, and you will see the difference
Lynne says
Oh! Wait! That trim work is GREY! Not black! My awful computer made it look black, and the FLOOR grey. I take back my comment about the black accessories!! So sorry.
Lynne says
I’d just put a nice light-ish grey-blue satin or semi gloss paint on the walls for now and keep looking for wallpaper.
You can dress up the walls with a picture or two with skinny black frames. Or any sort of wall art or decoration you like as long as it has some black in it.
I do want to point out (Pam you can edit this part out if you don’t like it) I have the Bradbury paper shown in my kitchen. It is PAPER. There is no protective finish whatsoever. Every splash of water, every stray spray from the mixer has to be seen and wiped off immediately. I wish had known about the paper sealers when we put it up 7 years ago. We used a sealer on the wallpaper in our recent bathroom remodel. Worked very well.
Pam Kueber says
Can you put a sealer on the paper after it’s up?
Lynne says
Pam, yeah, we probably could seal, now, after the fact. However, it would seal in the current ….uhhh…boo-boos. I’ve been really careful and there are very few of them, but at this point after so many years I’ll just replace the paper when its time. But, I know now that I don’t HAVE to get a vinyl wallpaper. This sealer( I got the “dead flat”) went on our NOT vinyl paper in the bathroom. It went on super easy, and you’d never know it was there.
The wallpaper folks recommended it, and they sure were right.
This is the paper I just put in my new master bath:
https://www.wallpaperdirect.com/us/products/bor-stapeter/retro/137142.
I used the pink version, but I see it comes in a snazzy glue grey as well.
Matt says
Thanks for the tip for the Bradbury wallpaper. We’re thinking about using one of their geometric patterns for the entry area and stairs (neither of which exist yet)! We do have some samples from them but not the one mentioned here. I designed the shower/tub area with water in mind but will definitely go for a sealer if we use one of their patterns.
Pam Kueber says
I am fairly sure Bradbury will give advice on sealers / specifications for rooms etc.
carolyn says
My 2 cents: I agree the pattern should be turned. Pam stated wallpaper is like jewelry, I don’t see why someone mightn’t have put something like this choice in a kids’boys bathroom. If you’re going for authentic, do some research. If you’re going for “in the style of”, put up what makes you happy. Hopefully your family and friends are on-board with the mid-Century or can appreciate it.
Josie says
If you don’t mind it’s pre-period, as in too old rather than too modern, I like Sanderson’s Swallows paper. https://www.wallpaperdirect.com/products/sanderson/swallows/77389
My grandmother’s 1960 blue bathroom had blue damask wallpaper. Which is kind of appealing to me, but very different effect than googie.
Gwen says
Vintage Wallpaper (IMO) will be either A) entirely too feminine (flower prints) or B) entirely too expensive for something fun or C) dingy colors which were “earthy” at that time and not bathroom humidity friendly.
I paid $80.00 for a roll of funky fish wallpaper that I used for wainscott in a hallway. I love it but I had to be very cautious hanging it and I was glad I wasn’t dealing with ceiling to floor sections. I would never have put this paper in a bathroom….it just would not have survived very well.
I am very happy with a cute 70’s era Flamingo print vinyl wallpaper that put up in the bathroom. The white background was important for a room with no window! I know because I tried a soft pale gray paint color first and quickly tired of the “dark”. I am glad I didn’t foot the bill for some vintage paper that would closely match a photo I have of the original paper (which was later replaced by Granny to a white background paper with tiny pink flowers. )
I have found with a lot of things in my 50’s, built by Grandpa house, that a mix of “new” stuff that has a retro feel gives an all important functionality and light (not to mention fun) to some drab aspects of that era.
I LOVE the wallpaper you picked out and I love the diamonds on the horizontal. Make your vintage house a reflection of *you*…..because THAT is authentic. 😉
Pam Kueber says
I have vintage wallpaper in my bathroom, and I love it. It survives the humidity fine — I ventilate. That said, a previously hung vintage paper only lasted about 10 years then started to ‘steam’ off. There must be some trick to this, because I have been in MANY time capsule houses with vintage wallpaper in the bathrooms where the wallpaper looks just fine… Personally, I adore the look and am willing to re-paper every 10 years if that’s what it takes. Note, I shop estate sales and so far have been able to find lotsa vintage wallpaper at rock bottom prices. So: This all depends on what you value…
Also, I’ve personally had no trouble hanging vintage papers.
carolyn says
Maybe folks didn’t take as many hot showers/baths as we do today. I remember Sat night baths for church. The only times we bathed often was after swimming in the river. Now it seems we’re always showering!
Matt says
This room is tough for me because it has no windows. Actually none of it even existed when we moved in, this is the 4th bathroom to be built in this space!
Luckily the bathroom is (will be…) very well ventilated. I’m using one of those NOS circular vent grilles that like the ones mentioned here recently with an in-line vent fan so nothing new is visible.
Unfortunately colonial revival was huge in our area in the 1950s-??? and estate sales always reflect it. The oldest wallpaper I’ve come across for sale was from the 1980s. MCM furniture? Forget it… I’ve had to trailer ours over from Texas.
Joseph Clark says
I think it is a good looking wall paper, and the colors are perfect for the room! Perhaps not authentic to the era, but true to the spirit and aesthetics of that age which appeals to so many of us contemporary folks.
The people who built and lived in these houses were making homes; and while informed by the times, filled them with things they enjoyed and loved. We should do no less. That’s authentic, to me!
Susan H. says
Matt, I agree with Joseph that you should fill your home with things that you enjoy and love! I’m usually a purist, and LOVE a time capsule, but I like your choice of the more modern wallpaper with the pop of yellow and white. It looks fresh. It could have been a later remodel. The Bradbury looks nice, too. I don’t love the third one. But what’s important is what you like.
te says
I love the wallpaper you picked out! It’s super fun! Reading the comments, I can see it might look a lot better hanging it horizontally rather than vertically. See how that looks to you. The one you picked is great: don’t second guess yourself. The other samples are old lady meh to me: too stiff, too magazine looking. Everyone has different tastes. Good luck!
te says
Plus your choice towels and accessories either white, blue, black, yellow can have more options with your chosen paper and change the look very easily (and that is always a plus)
Mikey Renn says
None seem right… all make bathroom look hard edged. I’s say, keep looking, but if you do stick with these, pick the one without any yellow in it, then add yellow in your accessories. This way, if you want a change in the future, any color would go nicely- an easy way to change the color scheme of your bathroom- through the accessories.
Mikey Renn says
P. S. If one with yellow is chosen, go with the 3rd bottom pic- it has a much mellower look than the first one and the soft, mustardy yellow matches the countertop.
Robin, WA says
The wallpaper that Matt picked does not look authentic 1950s to me. The design is too crisp looking and the white is too white. Also, I would hang it so that the long axis of the diamonds was vertical (rotate the paper 90 degrees).
Pam, you would know best but I’m not sure that googie designs like those in Matt’s wallpaper were all that popular or common in interior design in the 1950s or 1960s for that matter. These sort of designs have become emblematic of what we think of as the “atomic age” but I don’t think they were used much in a typical house of that time. I would guess that a 1950s home maker would have gone for a floral wallpaper instead. Or just painted the wall and accesorized with wall art.
Pam Kueber says
Hi Robin, I believe you are correct in your assessment of the popularity — or even commonality — of “googie” style patterns. That is: They were not common. They are a more modern re-imagining.
Indeed: A 1950s house would have smaller patterns, often florals or floral-derived, or my favorite, “novelty” patterns. Also, Early American motifs were popular.
Jay says
Don’t forget – bathroom appropriate – fish and shells; saw many bathrooms as a kid that were papered with fish.
Matt says
You’re right about rotating it 90 degrees… not sure what I was thinking to be honest.
It’s a cool pattern though, if nothing else due to the size of the shapes I’m very tempted to use it as an accent wall in one of the original bedrooms that our kids live in or maybe the office.
Nikki says
Hi Matt,
I think would be awesome in an office!
ineffablespace says
I would also look at Cole and Son which produces some Fornasetti papers and papers from their archives.
The Fornasetti papers are based on his design motifs from the 1950s and they produce both 1950s-60s patterns as well as updated versions of patterns from that time.
Pam Kueber says
Yes, a great recommendation. I think I have a bunch of photos of Cole & Son loaded into this blog that I’ve never gotten around to publishing!
Matt says
I’ll have to take a peek at them this afternoon, I’ve searched before a couple of times but that name is unfamiliar.
We actually have some Bradbury samples but not that pattern. I was thinking about the Frank Lloyd Wright Rhythm in 3D for the entry/stairs area next year…
Phyllis says
All three look good, I guess it depends on how how much natural light comes into the room. If there is no window I’d go with the bolder wallpapers. Natural light coming into the room to me means the paper could more subtle, such as the bottom choice. No natural light/no window would have me choosing one of the top two papers.