Other Wallpaper Options

Small Home Gazette, Spring 2021

Other Wallpaper Options

by Tim Counts

Bradbury & Bradbury wallpaper patterns

Authentic 1920s reproduction wallpapers from Bradbury & Bradbury.

When I purchased my bungalow, none of its original light fixtures remained. So I did what many new bungalow owners do—I got Mission style fixtures. But over the next few years, I did what many bungalow owners do next—switched some of the Mission fixtures for other styles.

It was not that I did not like the angular Mission fixtures, it is just that too much of a good thing is…well, too much. I ended up exchanging many of the Mission fixtures for Colonial Revival style lighting which, incidentally, was the most popular style during the bungalow era, including in bungalows.

This applies to wallpaper as well. Arts & Crafts wallpaper patterns have plenty of drama—strong geometric patterns and bold decorative elements. They work especially well for presentational spaces, such as entries and living and dining rooms. But it is also nice to be surrounded by something a bit more relaxed.

The good news is that a variety of non-Arts & Crafts wallpaper patterns were quite popular during the bungalow era. And like light fixtures, they were likely more common than the strong Arts & Crafts papers.

There is one other thing I like about wallpapers: They are emphatically out of style right now. Therefore, my contrarian streak makes me want to thumb my nose at the HGTV trendsetters by papering a room or two in my bungalow.

Left: Early 1920 wallpaper printed on newsprint. White and gray leaves with tiny green sprigs on a dusty rose-mauve background. From Secondhand Rose.
Right: Varnished wallpaper with creamy background, vertical bands of flowers, and scenes of country life. A 1920s design from Secondhand Rose.

Below are links to some wallpaper patterns that are not recognizably Arts & Crafts in style but are definitely representative of what homeowners were using during the early 20th century.

Companies that make reproduction wallpapers:

Companies that sell limited quantities of vintage wallpaper: