Wall Flowers

And not a demure damsel in the bunch! We’ve gathered our pick of floral wallpapers, so fresh and artistic, they’re positively frame-worthy

A bold floral wallpaper on a dark background featuring many varieties of flowers illustrated in the Dutch Masters style

Fullerton by Osborne & Little, osborneandlittle.com

A flower-inspired playlist gave rise to eight collages featuring our favorite floral wallpaper patterns. Plus find wallpaper insights from some of our go-to interior designers and a brief history of this decorative element.

“I love bright, almost-geometric modern florals for children’s spaces and kitchens; darker and more classically inspired motifs for gentlemen’s rooms; and eye-catching, big patterns for contemporary spaces.” — Designer Elaine Griffin

“La Vie en Rose” – Edith Piaf

5 patterns of floral wallpapers featuring large blooms and predominantly bright pink and green colorways with white, gray and black backgrounds

Floral wallpaper patterns, clockwise from top left: Portier in Clover by Designers Guild, designersguild.com • Arbre De Vie by Clarence House, clarencehouse.com • Janta Bazaar in Flax by Thibaut, thibautdesign.com • Caitlin in Citrus by Kravet, kravet.com • Allium by Cole & Son, cole-and-son.com

“Please Don’t Eat the Daisies” – Doris Day

7 patterns of floral wallpapers with neutral colorsways

Left to right: Rhodedendrum Script and Watercolor Roses by York Wallcoverings, yorkwallcoverings.com • Anaar Tree and Grandiflora by Sanderson through Sanderson Design Group, sandersondesigngroup.com • Dogwood in Celadon by Annie Selke, annieselke.com • Belhaven by Thibaut, thibautdesign.com • Marguerite by Osborne & Little, osborneandlittle.com

“We use all wallpaper regularly! It’s one of our favorite ways to add drama, color, and scale to a room.” — Courtney Coleman & Bill Brockschmidt of Brockschmidt & Coleman

“Build Me Up Buttercup” – The Foundations

six patterns of floral wallpapers in colorways of soft yellow, pale blue, and silver with touches of purple

Clockwise from top left: Spotted Orchid by Anna French through Thibaut, thibautdesign.com • Delft Flower by Designers Guild, designersguild.com • Leaf Trellis by Colefax and Fowler through Cowtan & Tout, cowtan.com • Rhodora by Osborne & Little, osborneandlittle.com • Bouquet by Anna French through Thibaut • Cowparsley by Sanderson through Sanderson Design Group, sandersondesigngroup.com

“Blue Gardenia” – Dinah Washington

six patterns of floral wallpapers with vibrant purple and blue colorways

Clockwise from top left: Tuileries by Anna French through Thibaut, thibautdesign.com • Roseto in Celadon by Designers Guild, designersguild.com • Flora & Fauna in Gray by Scalamandré, scalamandre.com • W3353-1011 by Kravet, kravet.com • Thistle by Cole & Son, cole-and-son.com • Lilacs by Sanderson through Sanderson Design Group, sandersondesigngroup.com • Lisa in Light Blue by Scalamandré

“I might use wallpaper to create architecture with a trellis and floral motif, elongate the visual aesthetic with a climbing vine, or give me an all-over-but-the-shouting background on which to build layers.” — Designer James Farmer

“Flowers on the Wall” – Statler Brothers

floral wallpapers in bright colors, with green being the common thread in all

Left to right: Honshu by Thibaut, thibautdesign.com • Exotic Butterfly in Spring by Schumacher, fschumacher.com • Surimono in Moss by Designers Guild, designersguild.com • Sole by Clarence House, clarencehouse.com • Espalier in Prairie by Pierre Frey, pierrefrey.com • Sunlit Palm in Green by Schumacher • Isabelle Garden in Chartreuse by Kravet, kravet.com

“Let It Grow” – Eric Clapton

floral wallpapers with flowers illustrated in modern, graphic, or abstract styles, with muted reds and pinks being the common thread in all

Clockwise from top left: Marianne in Fuchsia by Designers Guild, designersguild.com • Togei in Rouge by Pierre Frey, pierrefrey.com • Spontaneity by York Wallcoverings, yorkwallcoverings.com • Valldemossa by Matthew Williamson for Osborne & Little, osborneandlittle.com • Blossom in Multi by Annie Selke, annieselke.com

“Wildflowers” – Tom Petty

floral wallpapers with bold graphic prints, with green being the common thread in all

Clockwise from top left: Rene in Green and Beige from the Paramount collection by Thibaut, thibautdesign.com • Lotte in Black (far right) by Scalamandré, scalamandre.com • Frutto Proibito in Seafoam and Lemon by Lee Jofa through Kravet, kravet.com • Blommen in Leaf by Schumacher, fschumacher.com • Piper Multicolor Floral by A-Street Prints, astreetprints.com

“Gloria Vanderbilt’s romantic bedroom with a classic Rose Cumming wallpaper is as fresh and beautiful today as it was in the early ’80s.” — Designer Matthew Patrick Smyth

“Garden Party” – Ricky Nelson

Clockwise from top left: Bowood by Colefax and Fowler through Cowtan & Tout, cowtan.com • Defosse Trellis by Scalamandre, scalamandre.com • Orla Pink Floral by A-Street Prints, astreetprints.com • Angel Ferns by Sanderson through Sanderson Design Group, sandersondesigngroup.com • Wisteria by Cole & Son, cole-and-son.com • Ombre in Pink by Pierre Frey, pierrefrey.com

WALLPAPER THROUGH THE CENTURIES

Dating back to 105 B.C. wallpaper has roots in China and made its way over to Europe in the 15th century. It gained popularity in the 16th century, when it was used primarily in small spaces. Later improvements in technology made it less costly, and by the 19th century, it could be found in every type of room, in grand and modest homes alike.

Floral wallpaper patterns flourished in the rococo and Victorian eras of the 18th and 19th centuries. Its popularity waned somewhat during the 1960s and ’70s, when geometric, abstract prints were the rage (except for florals with a Pop Art reference). In 1980s excess, realistic florals, from Chinois patterns to blowsy bouquets, were used liberally, nowhere to greater effect than the English country house look, with its floral bedding, drapery, and wallcoverings. In more recent years, the trend toward neutral interiors eschewed floral papers in favor of textured papers such as grass cloth.

Thankfully (for us at Flower), maximalism is thriving again with exuberant pattern mixing and unexpected palettes. Old patterns plucked from the archives look new in fresh colorways and scales. Wallpaper continues to help us create new realities inside our homes—to transform, hide defects, add excitement, and, in the case of florals, bring the garden inside year-round.

Produced and styled by Amanda Smith Fowler | Photography by David Hillegas

This story appears inFlowermagazine’sJan/Feb 2021issue.Subscribeto the magazine or sign up for our freee-newsletter.

Flower magazine cover for January Febrary 2021

FLOWER FAVORITES

Grandmother’s Garden Flowers that Deserve a Comeback

Memories of grandmothers’ and great-grandmothers’ flower beds and borders inspired us to revisit classic garden flowers and how they’ve improved over the decades.

Companion Flowers to Plant with Vegetables

John Coykendall, master gardener for Blackberry Farm, shares which flowers to plant with vegetables, including what pollinators they attract and the pests they help repel.

Gentleman Gardener Marshall Watson

On the grounds of his East Hampton country home, Marshall Watson curates garden “rooms” as authentic and elegant as his world-class interiors.

Exploring Italy’s Alban Hills

When planning a visit to the Garden of Ninfa, you’ll find other gems along the way. Marion Fox shares a few of her favorites.

The Potter’s Wheelhouse

In this excerpt from her new book, LIFE WITH FLOWERS, ceramicist Frances Palmer reveals how spending time in her garden, whether tending the plants or simply being still in the moment, re-energizes her artistic spirit.

TRENDING NOW

Party Planning Tips from the Pros

32 extraordinary tastemakers and entertaining pros share their expert party planning tips for gatherings of any size.

Nancy Lancaster: Haute and Humble

As as tastemaker and owner of decorating firm Colefax & Fowler, Nancy Lancaster carried her English country house style into her gardens, making the ordinary into something extraordinary.