Create an Indoor View With Scenic Wallcoverings
If your home is lacking a view, or you have a wall in need of some added interest, this could be the option for you
Karen Egly-Thompson
27 February 2017
Houzz Contributor
If a basic paint job or run-of-the-mill wallpaper is too static for you and your home, consider a scenic wallcovering to add a unique narrative. Here’s how a two-dimensional indoor view can change your perspective dramatically.
Why Install a Scenic Wallcovering?
Like a pictorial book, a scenic wallcovering has something to say. Whether it’s a favourite image of your family, a local map or a historic theme, a scenic wallcovering is expressive and memorable.
Like a pictorial book, a scenic wallcovering has something to say. Whether it’s a favourite image of your family, a local map or a historic theme, a scenic wallcovering is expressive and memorable.
Creates a sense of spaciousness
Besides adding a layer of interest to your walls, scenic wallcoverings look more spacious by making a flat, two-dimensional wall surface look like it goes on forever.
This graphic illustration uses a one-point perspective to thrust your eye to the far back of the landscape, making you feel like you’re part of the view.
Besides adding a layer of interest to your walls, scenic wallcoverings look more spacious by making a flat, two-dimensional wall surface look like it goes on forever.
This graphic illustration uses a one-point perspective to thrust your eye to the far back of the landscape, making you feel like you’re part of the view.
This ethereal vintage scenic wallpaper creates the illusion of distance by playing with the size and intensity of the imagery. The up-close motifs are larger, brighter and more detailed, while those farther away diminish in size, intensity and clarity.
Connects to the outdoors
Windowless spaces, such as basements, can benefit from scenic wallcoverings by creating a sense of a physical connection to the outdoors. Even though the scene is fake, the effect brings to mind peacefulness and a semblance of health. Without the mural, this basement workout room might feel sterile and bleak.
Wall murals: do you dare to be different?
Windowless spaces, such as basements, can benefit from scenic wallcoverings by creating a sense of a physical connection to the outdoors. Even though the scene is fake, the effect brings to mind peacefulness and a semblance of health. Without the mural, this basement workout room might feel sterile and bleak.
Wall murals: do you dare to be different?
Scenic Wallpaper Options
There are two basic types of scenic wallcoverings – hand-painted wallpaper and digitally made wallcoverings. The materials, manufacturing processes and costs vary greatly. Here’s the low-down on each.
1. Hand-painted scenic wallpaper
Through a painstakingly rigorous process, hand-painted scenic wallpaper is made from thousands of carved hand blocks, each dipped in hand-mixed paint and often teamed with tonal backgrounds that are hand-painted with a brush. Each order is custom, is based on traditional techniques and tools, and is a work of art.
There are two basic types of scenic wallcoverings – hand-painted wallpaper and digitally made wallcoverings. The materials, manufacturing processes and costs vary greatly. Here’s the low-down on each.
1. Hand-painted scenic wallpaper
Through a painstakingly rigorous process, hand-painted scenic wallpaper is made from thousands of carved hand blocks, each dipped in hand-mixed paint and often teamed with tonal backgrounds that are hand-painted with a brush. Each order is custom, is based on traditional techniques and tools, and is a work of art.
Designer Susanne Lichten Csongor of SLC Interiors finished this South Carolina, USA, dining room with a handsome hand-painted wallpaper by Gracie, featuring 18th-century merchant scenes. Csongor’s wallpaper is a custom design sized to fit the room. “Gracie produces sketches of the wallcovering design and layout, taking into consideration door and window openings,” she says. “Each panel is labelled and coordinates with the layout of the design.”
Some might wonder why you wouldn’t just hire a painter to paint a wall mural instead of going the hand-painted-wallpaper route. Csongor says wallpaper adds a skin on the walls and looks more finished than painting directly on the wall.
Browse more accent walls
Some might wonder why you wouldn’t just hire a painter to paint a wall mural instead of going the hand-painted-wallpaper route. Csongor says wallpaper adds a skin on the walls and looks more finished than painting directly on the wall.
Browse more accent walls
Not all hand-painted wallpaper imagery has a traditional or historic theme. Chinese- and Japanese-inspired designs tend to be simpler and feature lighter natural motifs on a solid background. These often tend to work better in more contemporary interiors, like this living room with de Gournay’s Willow design on silver gilded paper.
Cost and lead time: There’s no doubt that hand-painted wallpaper is expensive and cost-prohibitive for most projects. However, if you have the budget, it’s considered one of the most elegant decorative finishes available. Csongor says her installation cost roughly US$55,000 – about US$40,000 for the hand-painted wallpaper and US$15,000 for the installation. Manufacturing time took between 12 and 16 weeks.
2. Digital murals
Digitally created scenic wallcoverings are everything that hand-painted isn’t – inexpensive and fast. They can be made on different materials, including paper wallpaper, canvas and vinyl, including the peel-and-stick variety.
Unlike hand-painted scenic wallpapers that wrap around multiple walls in an entire room, digitally created murals are typically installed on a single feature wall, as with the Beatrix Potter example shown here.
However, unlike hand-painted wallpaper, these aren’t made or meant to be enduring, treasured decor finishes. Digitally printed scenic wallcoverings will likely last just a few years. You’re more likely to tire of it and switch it out with something else.
Digitally created scenic wallcoverings are everything that hand-painted isn’t – inexpensive and fast. They can be made on different materials, including paper wallpaper, canvas and vinyl, including the peel-and-stick variety.
Unlike hand-painted scenic wallpapers that wrap around multiple walls in an entire room, digitally created murals are typically installed on a single feature wall, as with the Beatrix Potter example shown here.
However, unlike hand-painted wallpaper, these aren’t made or meant to be enduring, treasured decor finishes. Digitally printed scenic wallcoverings will likely last just a few years. You’re more likely to tire of it and switch it out with something else.
Digitally made murals are surprisingly flexible in terms of size. Some manufacturers offer a handful of pre-made sizes, and some offer custom sizes.
With the dock mural seen here, made by Australian company Rebel Walls, the buyer can customise not only the dimensions but also the design, by rotating or flipping the image or choosing a special effect, like a sepia tone.
With the dock mural seen here, made by Australian company Rebel Walls, the buyer can customise not only the dimensions but also the design, by rotating or flipping the image or choosing a special effect, like a sepia tone.
Cost and lead time: Most digitally produced wallcoverings take a few days to manufacture. Including shipping time, they usually arrive in a week or two.
Digitally printed scenic wallcoverings are fairly inexpensive, averaging a couple of hundred dollars. You get a lot of bang for your buck. Designed by Catalina Estrada for Bloompapers, this Little Red Riding Hood mural costs around AU$571 for the recommended size, 372 centimetres wide and 270 centimetres high.
Digitally printed scenic wallcoverings are fairly inexpensive, averaging a couple of hundred dollars. You get a lot of bang for your buck. Designed by Catalina Estrada for Bloompapers, this Little Red Riding Hood mural costs around AU$571 for the recommended size, 372 centimetres wide and 270 centimetres high.
Scenic Wallcovering Considerations
Viewing distance
Scenic wallcoverings need to be viewed from a fair distance away, otherwise it’s like sitting in the first row at the movie theatre. You can’t see everything, and it kind of makes you dizzy.
Installed in a hallway, this map example is framed by the adjacent doorway and can be appreciated from a different room altogether.
Browse more interesting hallways
Viewing distance
Scenic wallcoverings need to be viewed from a fair distance away, otherwise it’s like sitting in the first row at the movie theatre. You can’t see everything, and it kind of makes you dizzy.
Installed in a hallway, this map example is framed by the adjacent doorway and can be appreciated from a different room altogether.
Browse more interesting hallways
Architectural obstructions
Typically, you want to install a scenic wallcovering on a wall that has minimal obstructions, such as windows, air-conditioners and light switches.
This installation worked out because each figure has been purposely placed between the windows, amplifying the humorous narrative.
Typically, you want to install a scenic wallcovering on a wall that has minimal obstructions, such as windows, air-conditioners and light switches.
This installation worked out because each figure has been purposely placed between the windows, amplifying the humorous narrative.
In this mid-century modern living area, designer Maureen Stevens strategically focused de Gournay’s Le Bresil design below a ribbon of high windows on a large, open wall.
One room only
More isn’t always better. If you’re a fan of scenic wallcoverings, Csongor suggests keeping it “contained to one room with the largest expanse of open walls, and it will look amazing.”
Tell us
What’s your favourite kind of wallcovering? Do you have any scenic wallpapers or murals at home? Tell us all about them in the Comments below.
More
See more whimsical wallpaper
More isn’t always better. If you’re a fan of scenic wallcoverings, Csongor suggests keeping it “contained to one room with the largest expanse of open walls, and it will look amazing.”
Tell us
What’s your favourite kind of wallcovering? Do you have any scenic wallpapers or murals at home? Tell us all about them in the Comments below.
More
See more whimsical wallpaper
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@westphal95 Not at all. You look at things one way, I look at it as another. Exchanging thoughts and ideas are the way we learn and grow. I don't know everything fer sure. And I do agree with you, much of what I see in Houzz is the higher end, though occasionally they do show lower end. However, I look at all of it for ideas, not for OMG that is expensive. For example: I look at the above pictures 1, 7 and 8 and started thinking, I wonder if I can do something like that, perhaps more storybook - birds & fairies; gnomes & dragons amoungst a woodland setting in my entry area that I'm planning for my new cottage. Then I think - OMG - $70K? you got to be kidding! No, I don't think that way. The information and photos gave me an idea for my cottage project. So, instead of thinking - WOW that's sooo totally above my bracket, I am thinking, I know a high school student who has a talent for art - particularly skulls, dragons, and creations for games. He'll be going to art college soon. I showed him the Houzz article and I'm idea and he got all excited and said he would love to paint the wall in the entry area. Of course, I'll pay him. He'll still be in college when I'm ready to build, so it should be fun and well within what I can afford.
I am grateful to people who can afford the art, the sculptures, the wood crafting, the high end things we see on Houzz and in other places. Imagine a world without those beautiful works of art and things. Yes, although I cannot afford such a life, without that life I wouldn't be able to get ideas, to be creative in my own peon way. And as a side note; it's people with the money who help keep the economy rolling by putting other people to work such as Gracie, the artist who hand paints wallpaper. She makes on one job, more than what I make in a year. Am I jealous? Not in your life. She keeps something beautiful and museum quality very much alive.
You may think it's extravagant in terms of cost, but then there are people who live in a much lower scale than you or I do who probably think about all the money we wastes paying hundreds/thousands of dollars on sports and entertainment. It's all relative.
These show how personal the choice of image is... hard to imagine even two people would agree on and like the same one, let alone a whole house of people.
Thanks for a lovely article! We're a Swedish company, but we sell in Australia through Scandinavian Wallpaper & Decor :)