V&A Decorative Papers Collection – New January 2023

New for spring 2023, 1838 Wallcoverings are delighted to present their inaugural collaboration, created with the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

Introducing the ‘V&A Decorative Papers Collection’, a rich and varied collection of nine wallpaper patterns in over 30 colourways, encapsulating design excellence and craftsmanship, inspired by the V&A’s vast archives. 

This enchanting collection of reimagined designs illustrates the decorative charm and continued relevance of the past for the home interiors of today. Printed at the 1838 Wallcoverings family factory in Lancashire, these luxury wallpapers showcase our expert craftsmanship and skilfully blend old and new; from heritage wallpaper printing techniques like surface printing for a beautiful hand-painted effect, to the dramatic scale of the latest digitally printed looks. 

Read more about 1838’s collaboration with the V&A.

Traditionally Surface Printed Pattern – Macaw

This vibrant, tropical scene faithfully recreates a wallpaper design from the early 1900’s and has been surface printed to replicate the effect of the original woodblock printed piece. 

Surface printing is a heritage technique, pioneered in Lancashire in 1838, hence our brand name. As a family business, involved in wallpaper for over four generations, we print on machines that have producing wallpaper for over 100 years. There are now just a handful of surface print machines left in the world, four of which we are lucky enough to have at our Lancashire factory.

The inks are still mixed by hand and skilfully colour matched by eye. Poured into trays, one for each print roller, the inks are then transferred to the rollers by calico blankets to ensure a rich, thick ink coverage on the wallpaper. As the rollers rotate, wet ink falls onto wet ink, forming a sumptuous print mark with a beautiful, hand-painted effect. 

Innovative Digitally Printed Pattern – Kyoto Blossom Mural

One of the more complex designs in the collection, the striking yet harmonious scene of elegant cranes under plum blossoms and pines has been adapted from a hand-painted kimono to create a wall mural, reflecting the movement of these majestical birds with rippling water beneath and a soft, cloud-like texture to give more depth. 

An auspicious motif in Japan, the crane is considered to bring happiness, good luck and longevity.  Created initially as a conventional wallpaper repeat, it soon became apparent that some of the drama and beauty of the original design was lost at the standard wallpaper size. To retain the dramatic impact of the original it has been digitally printed as a large-scale mural that repeats across the wall for a truly show-stopping effect. 

Discover more wonderful designs in the V&A Decorative Papers Collection