Homes & Estates

106 | Homes & Estates

Classic LuxuryWallpaper

Chinoiserie dates back to the European aristoc-

racy of the 17th century, and its popularity today re-

mains every bit about royal heritage, bespoke elegance

and timeless appeal. The hand-painted wallpaper from

de Gournay is revered as the industry standard, show-

cased in some of the finest homes on earth, and is

soaring in popularity even outside of more expected

venues.

“The broad subject matter of the wallpapers and

the diverse techniques we use in their creation mean

they inhabit both historic and contemporary environ-

ments with ease — often pairing elements from both

styles to great effect,” says Harald Donoghue, spokes-

person for de Gournay. “For example, a traditional,

18th-century chinoiserie motif might be painted onto a

background of tarnished silver leaf, custom colored to

resemble rose gold.

“Every single panel of our wallpaper is painted

entirely by hand, which means we regularly work to

specific briefs outside of current interior trends, each

one beautiful and diverting in its own way,” he contin-

ues. “However, more recently, the metallic effects we

can apply to our existing chinoiserie and Japanese,

Korean and scenic motifs never fail to capture clients’

imaginations.”

ContemporaryVinylWallpaper

Between the subdued yet rich color palette, the

plush materials of velvet and marble and gold accents,

and the Serge Mouille light fixtures, it’s hard to know

where to settle your eye first at 51fifteen Cuisine and

Cocktails in Saks Fifth Avenue … until it lands on the

enormous graphic flower that seems to be coming to

life right on the wall. The design, and everything else in

the talked-about Houston restaurant, was the work of

“It Girl” Nina Magon, owner of Contour Interior Design,

and it showcases how contemporary wallpaper can

transform a space.

“We used a large-scaleWall&decò super graphic

vinyl wallpaper to echo the blossom ceiling lighting

theme in the entry of the restaurant,” says Magon.

“This dramatic wallpaper created the illusion of a three-

dimensional pattern that added depth and color to the

restaurant design. When used in the proper manner,

wallpaper can really change the personality and design

of any space. Not only does it provide an eye-catching,

large-scale pattern that creates impact, but it actually

makes the rest of the room easier to design.”

The eclectic Rateau design from de Gournay dazzles

on bullion gilded paper with crackled glaze antiquing.

Wall&decò also

includes wallpaper

applications for

outdoors and a patent-

pending waterproof

product for damp

spaces.

PHOTO COURTESY CONTOUR INTERIOR DESIGN