The Return of Wallpaper Borders
There has been a return to 80's style decorating in recent years, which has been embraced by a whole new generation who have fallen in love with the traditional English style country house interior. We've seen the reappearance of frilled skirts around chairs and sofas, pattern on pattern maximalism and now wall paper borders are being used again within interiors.
Green & Pink border Rockett St George
I for one am a big fan of wallpaper borders. They are the perfect entry level to using pattern and colour in your home, if a fully wallpapered room is a bridge too far. They can also add a quick flourish to an already decorated room without changing anything else. By using a border against a plain painted wall, it gives interest and highlights architectural features beautifully and can also become the accent colour to pull a room together.
Edith Border in yellow below - Studio Atkinson
Scallop border in red Ottoline
Traditionally borders were used to hide the copper tacks used to hang panels of wallpaper which were used sparingly, due to it's expense. More recently in the 20th century, those of us that remember the 80's might recall that they were generally used to hide the join between two different styles of wallpapers, much like a dado rail or were often used higher up on the wall to act like a picture rail.
Creative surface pattern designers, such as Common Room, are upgrading the status of borders & using them around the entire room, rather than just one area, to highlight architectural features within rooms such as around doors and above skirting boards.
Ivy Chaplet border Common Room
I'll most definitely be introducing some wallpaper borders within a few schemes I have planned for this year. What are your thoughts on them? Are you in or have you no desire to return back the 80's?