Wall Flower

I have always wanted to use wallpaper in a room but being a renter, it never felt like a practical option. Then I discovered, as I mentioned in this recent post, that there are several lines of temporary papers on the market. I chose the Shewin-William's line called Easy Change, they seemed to have the best selection and this blog post made me confident about removing it when the time comes.

I wanted to create one strong accent wall behind the heard board. I chose a paper with a white background so it would flow more naturally with the surrounding white walls. I am very happy with the final result, for just a small investment my bedroom has a dramatic new look. 

To install it, I hired a professional paper hanger, Greg Gabor who I found via Craig's List. This was not a DIY I felt comfortable with and his rate of $20 a roll seemed very reasonable. The only tough part was convincing him it would hold. In his experience pre-pasted papers needed extra glue to stay put, he was amazed after wetting the paper at how well it worked on its own. 

I enlisted my sister-in-law to help me make curtains, we used this beautiful fabric by Joel Dewberry. I then covered a Target lamp with a contrasting fabric by Amy Butler. I debated adding the painting over the headboard and now I really like it. It breaks up the paper a bit and adds a touch of unexpected color. Signed and dated 1960 on the back, it was a $40 flea market find.

On the right side I keep it simple with my moonbeam clock, vintage lamp and books and these pretty vintage Madonna portraits from Italy I picked up at an estate sale for $1. 

I also used some of the easy change paper to jazz up this basic iKea cabinet for my kitchen. I needed some additional storage and this piece was just the right fit, though sorely lacking in character. Above it I added a vintage metal shelf and love how it has all come together. I replaced an ugly door to the water heater with a panel curtain also from ikea. Now, I just need to add a little molding to finish it off.

all photos & content © Lara Rossignol

House Tour

My friend Pam lives in a sweet little bungalow within rolling distance of me. She has filled her space with wonderful touches and great vintage finds. Like these crafty pom pom stems fashioned from yarn then fixed to real branches.

I love how she seamlessly mixes old and new through out her home. She found this great Danish couch on Craig's List, it pops against a fantastic wallpaper she found online. The floral designs above and below on the right are from Osborne & Little. 

 While the drool worthy pink polka dot paper is from Danish company Ferm Living. She is a dedicated yard sale hunter and attributes most of her vintage finds to these.

Regarding her attraction to mid-century design Pam says, "I think it's the care for design, it's not just about function. I like that certain pieces are iconic and classic and can be just as fetching in the 60's as they are in 2010." Which may be why her 60's inspired Room & Board couch fits so well with all her actual vintage finds.

She inherited this vintage german record player from a friend who bought it at a "trailer park" estate sale. (Sign me up!) I also love the whimsey of the owl decals she found on etsy.

Because she has enclosed porches on both the back and front window light is at premium. She chose sheerish curtain panels from iKea that still allow in plenty of light. She also collects flower pots and vases, both old and new.

She just recently completed the addition of a sleeping porch to the back of her house with a full size bed swing.

With a dining area on one side it makes a wonderful space for entertaining. The renovation stretched from two to six weeks but was well worth the effort. 

Always on the lookout for great stuff, here are some of her most recent favorite finds to shop, bake and dine. Pam, a freelance TV producer & writer, shares this retreat with her one eyed rescue pug, Gorilla and her camera shy yellow lab, Sid. 

all photos & content © Lara Rossignol

Wallpaper ❤

James Spader for Fame Magazine

One day, when I own my own house, I will dress many of the rooms with amazingwallpaper. In English films, where the walls are often adorned with scrumptious patterns, I will become distracted from the story. Preferring to stare at the walls rather than the actors. I discovered the storeSecond Hand Rose, when I lived in NYC. Their basement was packed with rolls of vintage papers you could buy for about $50 a roll. It was one of these I used, to paper the wall of a studio using double stick tape, to create the backdrop above. 

Washington Post Magazine

For this shoot, I hired a backdrop artist who copied this design from some wallpaper I had seen in a decorating magazine. It turned out so well, it would have been hard to tell the difference. To make it an affordable expense for my client the artist retained ownership of the backdrop and was able to rent it out to other clients. I later saw it in aBloomingdale's catalog. 

I found this location, a beautiful old house in my neighborhood, when I went to an estate sale there. Every room had different paper on the walls. I later drove by it again, hoping to get permission to shoot there from the realtor. Instead, I saw the new owner who was removing some stuff. He agreed to let me shoot there, he practically insisted!

 

  Below is a variation of theSpader paper, in another color, I used for this ad shot forMarshall Field's. I love the contrast of the paisley shirt pattern with the floral of the vintage paper.

You can look for deals on wallpaper oneBay or at your local design center. Many top designers likeOrla Kiely also have several to choose from. To create a backdrop, you can try gluing it to a piece of foam core so it is mobile. For more ideas, check out the bookWallpaper Projects by Derek Fagerstrom and Lauren Smith.

all photos & content © Lara Rossignol