Coldwell Banker Homes & Estates Magazine - May 2017 | Page 49

The eclectic Rateau design from de Gournay dazzles
on bullion gilded paper with crackled glaze antiquing.
Classic Luxury Wallpaper
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.”
Contemporary Vinyl Wallpaper
Wall&decò also
includes wallpaper
applications for
outdoors and a patent-
pending waterproof
product for damp
spaces.
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-scale Wall&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.”
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