From The Attic

National Trust Papers is a diverse collection of contemporary wallpapers based on original samples from the UK National Trust's venerable portfolio of properties.

Photos: Little Greene

The first cooperation project between Little Greene and the British National Trust was called "Green" and brought back 20 original colors from the houses and gardens of the National Trust in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The new project "National Trust Papers" deals with historical wallpaper patterns. The collection just presented includes 40 colors in seven designs and represents 200 years of timeless patterns from the early 18th to early 20th centuries. Each wallpaper was reproduced on the basis of originals from National Trust objects. These originals include wallpaper that still adorns the old walls, fragments that were kept in archive drawers, and even preserved wallpaper rolls that were found in the back of an attic. Below are two examples from the collection:

Hencroft

The extensive work of William Morris and his Arts & Crafts Movement is extensively documented in the portfolio of the National Trust, not least in his own home, the “Red House” in London. He was a visitor, "student" and, as it were, a 19th century influencer at Hencroft Works in Leek, where his friend Thomas Wardle taught and experimented with dyeing fabrics and wallpaper with natural inks. This design - an embroidered, repeating pattern with stylized cowslips - was discovered at Wardle's sewing school in Leek and effortlessly implemented as a wallpaper design in eight impressive colors.

Belton Scenic (Belton House) ca.1785

The much admired original of this wallpaper is in the Chinese bedroom at Belton House in Lincolnshire. While the wallpaper itself is much older, we know that the scene of a garden party with a combination of printed and hand-painted elements dates from 1785 and was only applied more than 50 years later in 1840. The original includes people, exotic birds, a special perspective and extraordinary details. The modern interpretation has been simplified to give more space to the spreading bamboo and the charming interaction between birds, butterflies and flowers. The horizontal pattern, produced in digital printing and available in three colors, is repeated on two standard rolls, over three meters wide.

Clare Brown, Head of Brand Licensing at the National Trust, said of the collection: “It is very nice to see how the places we serve inspire not only our visitors but also the contemporary interior design. Little Greene understands and respects the stories of the places behind the colors and patterns. Without hesitation, we worked with the company to reinterpret some of our wallpapers for a modern target group. These beautiful designs are a great addition to any home and help us keep the wallpapers in our care so future generations can enjoy them.”

Further information:

www.littlegreene.com

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