Wallpaper? It's making a comeback!

After we left the Octagon House we started a project in Fayetteville, and yes, it was wallpapering! Even funnier, we had to use the same wheat paste/sugar combo we used in the Octagon House as adhesive.  We laugh, because we really thought once we left the Octagon House we would be putting this recipe into a file, but wallpaper is making a comeback, especially historically replicated paper.  Today, because of the economy, more people are opting to stay in their homes, and redoing them, then purchasing a new one. That said, people are searching for authentic ways to bring back the glory of their aging homes.  Faux finishes, trompe l'oeil, and historically replicated paper are all helping to make homes, well, look older!

Historically replicated paper is beautiful! The patterns are amazing, but you need to be much more delicate in the hanging process then you would be in adhering vinyl papers. The paper we used in Fayetteville was ordered from British Columbia, and had a wonderful backing, which made hanging it, so much easier then other papers in this category. but at $150 dollars a roll, it should be!

We stripped the old paper, filled any holes, and/or dings, then applied a clear coat sealer.  The sealer is fantastic.  Its better then your general oil primer, because it fills in any small cracks or crevices, creating a solid smooth service for the paper to adhere to.
Once the wall was prepped, we created the paste, and started the hanging process.  The end result was brilliant, and the home owner was extremely pleased.

We also did a faux finish on her fireplace, to clean the brick up. Suet and Lyme deposits had formed over the years, and the homeowner missed the "clan brick" look.  The Lyme deposits continuously return (in small increments), so we left some "faux" Lyme deposits, so that when the actual Lyme returns, it will look as if it were supposed to be there.  We mixed several colors to come up with the brick and grout color, matching the original brick facing flawlessly.