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V&A Decorative Papers III – NEW for 2025
1838 Wallcoverings announces the launch of its third collection with the V&A (Victoria and Albert Museum, London). This latest range V&A Decorative Papers III, is an elegant and decorative collection of nine wallpaper patterns including two striking murals that reimagines original, archival designs through the craft of wallpaper printing, adding an additional and unique layer of artistry.
Working closely with the museum’s licensing team to select items from the V&A’s archives, the collection features a range of influences that date as far back as the 1700s, each with its own intriguing narrative to tell. Inspired by rich, decorative carpets, silk, cotton and chintz fabrics, hand painted original wallpapers from China, and a silk kimono, each of these original references has been carefully and sympathetically adapted by 1838 Wallcoverings to create new wallpaper designs in enduring contemporary colourways, which are relevant for the interiors of today.
1838 Wallcoverings’ Managing Director James Watson says of the collection:
‘The vast archive held by the V&A continues to be a brilliant source of rich inspiration for patterns, details and colours, which we feel very privileged to use, and we are delighted to bring this third instalment of designs together as a cohesive collection. As a family brand with over four generations of wallpaper printing in our history, we feel a natural affinity with these archive designs as many 1838 wallpapers are printed today on irreplaceable surface print machines that are over 100 years old. With only a handful of these machines left in the world, we are very lucky to have four at our Lancashire factory. The surface print technique creates a beautiful hand-painted effect that allows for a very natural interpretation of these designs.’
In this exquisite third collaboration with the world-renowned museum, 1838 reimagines a selection of artworks from the V&A to elegantly connect the past and the present. Decorative Papers III celebrates the creative brilliance of the original designs while blending the traditional wallpaper printing skills of 1838, passed down through the generations, and innovative, contemporary techniques. The result is an enduring collection of luxuriously crafted wallcoverings with patterns that feel authentic and restorative and continue to speak to us today.
Select samples from one of the V&A Decorative Papers collections and introduce the timeless beauty of these nostalgic patterns into your next interior project.
