Chic + whimsical 1950s design tweed wallpaper from Cole & Son

Cole & Son’s line of tweed wallpaper comes from a 1950s document print — it’s an authentic vintage design — and we love it. It seems to read like a cartoonish grasscloth or linen — not a bad thing in our book, at all — because it makes for a delightful mix of sophisticated + whimsical all at the same time. There are 6 color ways ranging from soothing neutral to bold red, gold and blue.

From the description on the Cole & Son website:

Foundation Tweed

A stylish, vintage wallpaper design from the 1950’s. A colourful pattern that incorporates a tweed texture on a solid background, this design would suit a feature wall for maximum impact. Colour-ways include White, Brown, Black & White, Yellow & Orange, Blue and Red. Colours shown on-screen may vary from the original wallpaper, we therefore recommend ordering a sample to view the true colours. We recommend that you use Cole & Son Tub Paste.

This wallpaper pattern would be a great ‘starter wallpaper’ for those timid about putting too much pattern on their walls. From a distance, the tweed reads more like a texture — like grasscloth or matting — than a print. The fact that it’s not to literal a representation — it’s an illustration — a sort of chubby representation — makes it all the better. Wallpaper is its own medium — we like it best when it is not photographic. At the same time, this design is not so scream-y that you can’t layer it. Au contraire – what a fabulous backdrop for art and tchotchkes of all sorts. Pam says she LOVES this wallpaper!

The color ways offered would work well in a retro home. I’m especially fond of the yellow/orange and the vibrant red/pink combo, but the white is a calming neutral if your are searching for a more understated look.