What Makes Floral Wallpaper Look Vintage?

Wall and wallpaper design trends shift over the years, favoring solid colors at some times and printed patterns at others. One often seen style is a floral. Large and bright flowers, small and muted botanical prints, and everything in between can be found in homes, restaurants, hotels, and more. Whether you find the look romantic and beautiful or reminiscent of a grandmother's living room, floral wallpaper is undeniably popular to this day. It can serve as a bright, colorful accent or a subtle touch of elegance or whimsy in a room, truly bringing a space together. When choosing a wallpaper, you can try to learn how to choose the right wallpaper for your space and use the information to choose a floral design, but you may find yourself thinking that the design looks more dated than you anticipated once it is up on the wall.

Floral wallpaper has been a home decor staple since around the 16th century, but with all of the different iterations and innovations since then, it seems strange that floral wallpaper so often gives off a vintage feeling. From color choice and pattern size to styling decisions made around the wallpaper, such as furnishings and trim and wall decor, there are quite a few reasons that a floral wallpaper may feel dated rather than fresh and bold. By understanding how these elements influence the effect of your wallpaper, you can adjust your choices to either embrace the retro look or alter it to make your space feel more modern.

When looking at floral wallpaper, two of the first features you will notice are the colors and print. These two factors also influence how dated or modern the wallpaper seems to be. Muted, soft colors like pastels or sepia tones can make a wallpaper seem more vintage. A faded look can make the wallpaper seem old, especially because when wallpapers first came into being, they were often created using dyes that were prone to fading in sunlight. Varnish was also often used to protect wallpaper, though this was often over 100 years ago. Even today, wallpaper is often prone to fading from exposure to sunlight. So, when you see old images of wallpaper, it likely has desaturated colors and may appear to have a yellow tint from old varnish. Modern wallpapers with yellow tints and muted colors can look like they are simply old and faded versions of a brighter wallpaper.

The print of a wallpaper may also contribute to the vintage feeling. Over the decades, smaller and larger prints went in and out of fashion, as well as different details like featuring birds, symmetrical patterns, and specific flowers. For example, in the 1990s, damask designs were popular, while in the 1980s, large prints, especially chintz patterns, were making their rounds. In the 1940s, simple florals were more fashionable. A wallpaper with both the color scheme and pattern of a particular time period, especially if the colors look muted, will feel very vintage, especially if the surrounding furnishings and decor are also an older style.

Combining your floral wallpaper with vintage furniture, especially matching sets, and outdated fixtures or hardware will emphasize the vintage style of the wallpaper, making the room feel cohesive and more accurate to a vintage aesthetic. For more of a historic, cozy look, use vintage furniture and decor. To reduce the vintage vibe of a floral wallpaper, you can mix in some modern design features and learn about a designer-approved tip to modernize tired florals around your home. Furniture with clean, bright colors can brighten up a room and ensure that the room looks fresh. From carpeting and bedding to surfaces and wall art, prioritizing minimalist styles can help your wallpaper pop without looking too vintage.

Additionally, if you are choosing new wallpaper and want a floral, you can use different patterns and colors to achieve or avoid a vintage aesthetic. Whether you choose something that uses a historically accurate combination to clearly evoke a certain period or choose a more modern floral with muted, faded colors, your wallpaper can look historic and enduring. For inspiration, check out the ultimate guide to vintage decor. Alternatively, you can strategically use saturated colors and crisp designs to avoid an old feeling. While you should take proper care of your wallpaper no matter what style you are striving for, keeping your wallpaper in prime condition by dusting, maintaining its cleanliness, protecting it from fading, and repairing any tears or blemishes will help it feel new and fresh rather than dated.