Wallpaper

I've got the urge to decorate, although it's a little early for spring!

I've looked longingly on Coulda's blog at her fabric and wallpaper choices. Only one room in our home, our bedroom, is wallpapered.

Every other room has a matt surface of paint.

But I'm ready for a change in the dining room, currently painted a dark green, (a colour which the camera doesn't reproduce faithfully.) We came home from seeing the film, "Testament of Youth' this week, me thinking how much I liked that period of clothing, early 1900's, and Himself saying how nice the wallpaper was!

I know exactly what I would like, I can picture it exactly! 

The word 'would' is meaningful here because I have been searching on-line and realise that what I had in mind would cost an arm and a leg. On short stays at the Endsleigh Hotel and  Bovey Castle I had drooled over their Chinese wallpapers; birds and flowers and fabulous colours. Having now seen the process of hand-painting without a mention of price - choose your background colour, tell us what you would like, send measurements..... I know that such papers are out of the question.

             But there's nothing wrong in dreaming.

 Ooh, can I have a really singing yellow, please? 

Falling back down to earth, the fact is that we live in an old cottage with rustic features such as tongue and groove doors so I'll console myself with the thought that hand-painted wallpaper might be rather out of place. (But I'm still going to hunt and see if I can find something affordable.)

Of course the Bloomsbury bunch would have set too and painted the wallpaper themselves. I've seen their efforts at Charleston. Talk about shabby-chic!

I visited Charleston some years ago in high summer and absolutely loved it, the interior decor reminded me very much of the home I grew up in. My father was a demon for painting surfaces; walls, ceilings, furniture, you name it!

He would have fitted in very well with Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell!

Vanessa Bell at Charleston in 1930.

Vanessa painted by Duncan Grant c. 1916.

Vanessa painting.

What a creative and inspiring place it was for them.

The garden when I visited was a delight.

If you haven't visited then it has to go on your 'MUST SEE' list.

Duncan Grant, 'Lessons in the Garden.'

Take a look at Miss Cellany to see the Charleston interiors used as the backdrop to a fashion shoot for Harper's Bazaar.