Source: wsj.com
SHEEN INSTINCTS | Designer Katie Lydon used a Phillip Jeffries grasscloth with a metallic thread for this Manhattan bedroom.
DECORATIVE ELEMENTS that cycle into vogue periodically tend to have rather strong personalities. Think of chinoiserie furnishings or David Hicks-inspired op-art patterns. Grasscloth wallpaper—which crested in popularity in the midcentury-modern era, the crunchy-glam 1970s and again in the eco-minded early aughts—is no such creature. Woven from any number of grasses, the classic choice has a sedate presence and an understated texture that imbues a space with warmth and gravitas. “Grasscloth provides subtle impact and dimension,” said Jeff Andrews, a Los Angeles-based designer. “It’s a great backdrop for almost any interior, from traditional to modern and everything in between.”
Recently, though, the earthy-luxe material has shed its wallflower status and taken on a range of more gregarious personae. Grasscloth now comes embroidered with diamond-grids, studded with nail heads, dyed apple green and even stenciled with allover patterns like damask and zebra print.
New York designer Katie Lydon chose one of the less showy new incarnations—a finely woven hemp threaded with metallic filigree—to animate the master bedroom in a Manhattan client’s home. The wall covering creates a shimmery backdrop for a charcoal linen-velvet headboard, a painterly silk carpet, silver-leafed night stands and rosy fabrics. “The material is a great way to achieve a big block of color without being so monotone,” explained Ms. Lydon. “Walls painted that taupe-beige hue could seem dreary, but rendered in grasscloth they come alive.” That transformative power tempers rich tones, too. “The variegation inherent in grasscloth takes the edge off bold color,” said Ms. Lydon—leaving you no excuse not to go for hot pink or citron.
Eye-popping motifs like chevron and brocade are especially statement-making in small confines such as powder rooms, while neutral varieties remain ideal for interstitial spaces. “I like sheathing vestibules in grasscloth to create an interesting texture moment between rooms,” noted New York designer Nick Olsen.
Even at the more traditional end of the spectrum, grasscloth now has more to say than you may think. Depending on whether it’s woven from bamboo, acacia, raffia or hemp, it can speak roughly or silkily. And wallpaper purveyors are finding new ways to play with its texture, creating patchwork, herringbone or basket-weave effects.
For all its charms, grasscloth does come with caveats. Its porosity makes it unsuitable for wet zones like bathrooms and kitchens, for instance. Not everyone loves the way its unpredictable natural grain fails to line up from panel to panel (most noticeable in darker shades), though some of the bold new patterns mitigate that effect. And installation is best left to experts. Said Mr. Olsen, “Coarser papers like Madagascar cloth are difficult to wrap around moldings and tight spots like switch plates—installers often have to trim the edges and they can fray.”
The material offers a key advantage, though, once installed: “If you hang paintings over grasscloth, you can really hide the nail holes,” said Ms. Lydon. “It’s very forgiving.” But with brocades, paisleys and a rainbow of hues at your disposal, why not let the walls be a work of art in their own right?
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