Winter has set in, and with it, bleh. There’s just something about the short days, the darkness — I need HAPPY to offset it. How about this: I recently pounced on a few rolls of 1970s (I believe) vintage wallpaper. One of those super whimsical designs showing various illustrated characters taking baths in their Victorian-revival bathrooms, all hinting naked, hence the “risque” in my headline. These make me so happy — and I want to send some happy your way too! Above: George with his cat. [Mystery for all times: Who was George?] I gave each character a name as I was scanning, so’s I could make sure I got them all.
Above: Lady with her cat. Dig the wallpaper… and the towel… and the 1920s style sink (that you can still get today). In the 1960s and 1970s, there was a revival in renovating Victorian houses, and often, they were done in a neo-Victorian-meets-hippy style like this.
Above: Lady with paisley rug.
The thing about this wallpaper is that the characters and interiors are sort of … 1960s Danish Modern meets Marimekko meets Gemma Toccogna. I’ve never seen a neo-Victorian novelty illustration bathroom wallpaper with characters and interiors like this. The mashup is just wonderful.
Above: Freckled lady, but then I looked closer and see it’s really Lady laying in the bathtub with shower running.
Red-headed lady. The paper is heavy vinyl… embossed with cross-hatch nubblies… and I didn’t color correct. Off-white/beige field, with black and burnt orange-colored ink. Burnt orange is my favorite color. And whimsy doodle characters on novelty wallpaper are my all-time favorite. So, this wallpaper is really floating my boat. Or, my Victorian footed bathtub, if you will.
The paper was made by Vicoa, Inc. of Eatontown, N.J. There are 2.5 rolls — enough, I think, to re-wallpaper my bathroom — for its third look — when it needs it again. Meanwhile, the rolls will go into my stockpile aka museum aka … hoard. Sigh.
Novelty one- or two-color wallpapers with risque, line-drawn bathing beauties seem to have been a thing in the 1970s. See this story about a number of other such wallpapers at Hannah’s (one design shown right).
Above: Mr. Reading A Book. There were six characters in all. Every time I look at them I decide on a different favorite, which is your favorite?
Stay warm and sunny, everyone!
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Christine W says
What fun wallpaper….it made me smile. It has so much character . Who needs a book in the washroom (if anyone reads a book in the washroom anymore) when you have this to gaze at while whiling the time away – lol. So much more interesting than all the repetitive gray painted bathrooms I see.
Retroski says
This wallpaper is great! I was wondering why there was a trend in Victorian whimsy bathroom wallpaper from the 70s!
I would totally put it up in the bathroom…but I’d hesitate in putting it in one used by little kiddos-not because it’s “risqué” but would create a festival in bathroom humor jokes about “no. 2” and “no. 1” and “Mama, he’s got NO CLOTHES on, ha ha ha!!!”
And it reminded me of what my friend’s then 5 yr old son said to her—“Mommy, you have circles!”
You’re welcome. 😀
PS. Now it’s the kids of the 60s-70s baby boomer Victorian revivalists redoing the retro homes! IE Gen Xrs and Millennials!
Will there be a 70s-80s revival 40-50 years from now??
Gwen Spreeman says
I doubt those GenX or “Ms” will renovate. They are likely to make Tiny Houses out of “This Old Box”, pallets or shipping containers lol!
Janet LaPointe says
What a fun article to wake up to! I like the first one – George with his bottle of wine and the kitty cat. My first house had a similar wallpaper but not as risqué. It was black and white and PINK to match the pink and black tile. We tore it off when we redid the entire bathroom and I wish I had a picture of that old wallpaper, which was circa 1959.
Linda says
What a great find, Pam! So much of 70s design was all about quirky FUN!
According to a vintage Better Homes & Gardens decorating book that I have from the 70s, that sort of Hippie-meets-Victorian vibe was part of what was called The Natural Look, what we now call Boho.
So many old Victorian areas are still in existence today as a result of hippies moving into them back in the day. They kept the towns going, often as art communities, and kept many old houses from being torn down.
Looking forward to seeing your redecorated bathroom. Thanks for sharing and for the inspiration. You’re brilliant!
Tarquin says
“The Natural Look?” I’ve never heard of that used as a decorating term. It seems like they copied the name from the current hair and make-up trend at the time, which was The Natural Look. I think they really just meant The Hippie Look. I think the term “Boho” wasn’t born until the 90’s. Not sure. I would love to learn more about The Natural, Hippie, and Boho look. I wonder if there are differences. Either way, I am always going to say “The Natural Look” from now on. I love it. Thanks for the info, Linda.
Jeff says
This is co cool! The house I grew up in had a bathroom with novelty wallpaper from ’72 or ’75 that I haven’t been able to find any details about.
Do you know of any resources, maybe scanned sample books?
It was green, yellow, and black (so ’70s!!) with sayings and little drawings:
“Who taught birds to fly?”
“Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative.”
“You’d better not compromise yourself . . . you’re all you’ve got.”
“To grow is to change, and to change is to have grown much.”
“Ne me suivez pas… je suis perdu.”
Any clues would be most appreciated!!
Tarquin says
Jeff, I would love to see photos of this. Your bathroom was so thought-provoking that you never forgot the sayings. If ever I find this, I will split it with you, because I want it too.
Lisa Manzer says
That’s our basement bathroom wallpaper! I drag everyone who visits downstairs to see it…not everyone gets as excited about as I do though! I’m trying to figure out how to keep it when we update the bathroom as the bottom half has some damage and many of the bathing woman have had some additional details added overtime.
Pam Kueber says
Well, let me know when you get around to the fixing the worn elements of the bathroom, I might be in a mood to part with it by then… Not right now, though, I’ve already eyeballed that it will look sweet with my rose beige tile.
I’d love to see a photo of your bathroom if you want to send !
Tarquin says
Hahaha – “many of the bathing women have had some additional details added overtime.” – It sounds like Lisa’s wallpaper trumps the original. Lol.
Carolyn says
Pam, you crack me up – “freckled lady” but we’ll give some slack since there is so much to take in. I can see this in a master bath. Or would it be mistress bath…?
In the powder room, we had those funny posters filled with people doing stuff (city scape, beach scene), sort of a Where’s Waldo.
I read in the bathroom but I’m kinda compulsive – as a young mother, where else could you read semi-uninterrupted but in the tub?
You’d only have to put up one strip in the convenience.
Tarquin says
My favorite part of this wallpaper isn’t the people, it’s the paisley print towels. Mr. Reading A Book even gets “his” very own towel.
Pam Kueber says
Yes, the combined geometrics are inspired! If you can call paisley a geometric? Well then, just the combined shapes, sizes, patterns — all of it!
Karin Jeffrey says
This is definitely a charming wallpaper pattern. It seems that the eccentricity of the Victorian era combined with the 70s boho vibe was a winning combination. Great post, thank you!
SebastianPDX says
I found an amazing pattern in my friend’s San Francisco virtually untouched apartment. It has all the fixtures from the teens and in the “water closet” the bathroom was also Victorian risqué 1970s. I called it “Bel ami” after the novel by Flaubert. I will send pics.
SebastianPDX says
(Hint: it was a gentleman among scantily clad belle époque courtesans. Hahahaha!)
Kathy says
I can see framing each character for a fun display you could perhaps use now. I remember quite a few cartoons sort of like that, except perhaps somewhat less primative, and have a number of cookbooks with similar, but less risque, illustrations. I’m a real sucker for the graphic design of that period.
And I would say that 70-80s design revival has been around for a while now, while it is still relatively affordable. First the young 20-somethings go for it, perhaps because it reminds them a bit of Grandma’s house, and because it is so out of date that it is cheap and affordable and “hip” again. Then the decorators catch on and make their own versions as the original becomes scarce and expensive, and 10-15 years later it becomes mainstream.
The true designer quality designer stuff never quite goes completely out, and then becomes widely expensive and is the first to be revived. Especially if that style becomes an icon of the period,.