How Do I Choose the Best Reproduction Antique Wallpaper?

Choosing the best reproduction antique wallpaper depends on a number of different factors. First, a homeowner needs to decide how much he or she wants to spend on a wallpapering project, because true reproductions of historic patterns can be pricey. Another decision must be made concerning which historical period you want to choose. You should determine whether you want to remain true to the period when the house was built, such as the Victorian, Arts and Crafts, or Colonial era.

If you find a great reproduction that costs too much for your budget, you could opt to go with a wallpaper that looks similar, but is not completely historically accurate. If a true reproduction is desired, keep in mind that the taste displayed in some periods may not match yours or your family’s. The Victorian period, for example, frequently featured brighter tones that may not mix with your family’s personal style.

Some manufacturers like to make their reproduction antique wallpaper by using the same manufacturing methods that were used for the original design. This practice can increase both the authenticity and the cost of reproduction antique wallpaper, because earlier time periods depended on designs that were hand printed. Later manufacturing processes employed machines. The designs themselves are often recreated by consulting original documents, paintings and other resources from the time period.

If you desire a reproduction of the wallpaper that originally graced your house, and you have a sample, whether clinging to a wall or in a box of faded samples, some manufacturers can reproduce it for you. It is advisable to photograph the scrap that remains on the wall, and also to note the dimensions of the design. If it can be traced without damaging the original piece, that would also be helpful.

If you have some antique wallpaper you’d like to have reproduced, there are some things you should first determine about your sample. A modern reproduction company would find it helpful to know if the original design was handmade, or manufactured by machine. Also, it would be helpful to know if the pattern was made by block printing, or if it was hand painted or made another way. Information about the house would also help date the wallpaper, including the date it was built.