I'm drawn to anaglypta wallpaper -- it's an embossed paper that's thicker and sturdier than regular wallpaper, is period-appropriate, and I think might look really lovely as a backsplash. I saw a picture of it used as such in a kitchen mag, and here's another example, though much dingier in color choice than I would like. This is the kind of pattern I'm drawn to (Derby):
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Although I think Maxwell might be even prettier (less squared-off):
It's paintable, so I might do it in the Benjamin Moore muted green I liked (with perhaps another shade of blue or green sponged lightly on the raised areas), with the muted blue painted cabinets below. All historic colors. Dark grey soapstone counters around the border of the room, dark grey (eventually) zinc counter on the island, fairly dark wood upper cabinets, medium wood antique floors.
Wallpaper (and probably any bits of painted walls) color, BM Waterbury Green:
Cabinets, BM Buckland Blue:
What do you think?
9:05 update -- ooh, found Apartment Therapy article on anaglypta -- pretty! Maybe I could do a combo of the blue and green, which would tie it in more tightly to the cabinets below...
Can the wallpaper be painted with a glossy enamel so that it can be wiped clean easily? Otherwise, I would think that the surface would deteriorate awfully quickly from wiping off the occasional grease splatter, etc.
Traditionally, anaglypta used for high-traffic areas was sometimes varnished. But it can also take up to three coats of paint, so I think you might just repaint it in a few years.
It’s pretty sturdy stuff — lots of Victorian homes around here have 100-year-old anaglypta wallpaper that still looks good.
Mary Anne,
Wow… great looking stuff. The geometric pattern reminds me of the carved marble screens in some Arabic palaces. The patterns also are similar to some of the tin ceilings tiles that sometimes were applied to walls in commercial establishments.
If you use it in the kitchen, you’ll definitely need to seal it with an acrylic spray or urethane coat. Because of the multiple steps needed to paint it, I would think about finishing it before installation to give maximum maneuvering space to manipulate the brushes and sponges. Using a printmakers pounce pad tool might give a different finish to the raised elements of the design. I vote for Derby since the smaller scale fits the space pf the backsplash. Maxwell is really a nice pattern and more free form. It needs to go on a larger wall to be appreciated.