OMG, Wille and I are so excited! We found a treasure in our attic! It’s not going to make us rich but a treasure nevertheless!
The treasure hunt started when I went over to reader Jenny’s house on Saturday for “fika” (= coffee and cake). Jenny lives just down the street (how amazing is it that two of my readers live on my street?!) and is the one who took the mid century desk off my hands the other day. Anyway she gave me the house tour which was really fun since her house is the same as mine with only minor differences and she showed me her WC where she had wallpapered one wall with original wallpaper that she found in her attic (clue!). She told me that she had found it along with some other wallpaper scraps up there when they moved in nine years ago.
The thing is that we moved in five months ago and still until yesterday hadn’t gone up into the attic. I’ve been meaning to but since my to-do list is never ending I just haven’t had the time and it’s not super easy access since you need to get a ladder onto the balcony and get in through the ceiling there.
After hearing about Jenny’s finds I told Wille that we had to explore our attic and so we did.
Wall paper galore is what we found! Some less exciting ones like the one we just painted over in Wille’s bedroom (a little too floral for a seventeen year old boy…) but wait until you see this:
Whoa! Isn’t that amazing? Our house had had just one owner before we bought it and they must have been pretty cool back in the days!
And check this out, this is actually the very same design that Jenny has in her WC! It’s so cool and the condition of these rolls is pretty good but as Jenny told me they are tricky to put up. I guess aside from these rolls being over 50 years old wallpaper probably has come a long way in terms of DIY-friendliness too.
These hour glass designs are Wille’s favorites and I agree they’re awesome! I’m going to have to measure to see how much there is and if I can find a use for them in his room somehow.
I think this one’s my favorite. There’s not a whole lot of it but Wille suggested we frame the coolest designs and I love that idea. I can also see myself covering some boxes perhaps.
One of the best bits is that apart from recognizing some of the designs because they were actually still up when we moved in (Wille’s bedroom and my bedroom nook) a couple of the rolls are marked. The top design was used in the entry hall (imagine walking in through the door being greeted by that back in the 50’s!) and the dark hour glass design was used in the upper hall which is now part of the den upstairs.
Wow! I’m so stoked having found all this (and more!) and I can’t wait to put some of it to use in at least a few places around the house.
89 Comments
That is a truly amazing find! Makes me want to go up on our attic (even though I don’t think I’d find anything except old bees nests and such).
What an awesome find, those wouldn’t look out of place in any modern home. I think Wille’s idea of framing them is inspired.
LOve the framing idea!! They all would look great together – the only odd one in the group is the floral…
I love all those patterns, how lucky!
I love all those patterns!!! What a lucky find. The best thing I ever found in an attic was a pair of be-dazzled bell bottoms from the 70s that actually fit me. I still have them. I love finding treasure.
Amazing! Utterly cool! I’m speachless (as you know does not happen often).
Isn’t it funny how the ones we deem the least interesting ones today end up being the ones that stayed on the walls for 56 years. I guess they thought they were classic while the other ones went out of style…
Kors i taket 🙂
Oh wow, so many wonderfull patterns! What was it with the people back in the days? I also found wallpaper from an attic room from the old apartment I lived in. Too bad it wasn’t anything as fancy as your find and the paper I found was allready a bit moldy.
Hej Benita
WOW! You really did find treasure!
Those retro wallpapers are amazing!
I must say I do love the floral…if you have no use for it…I would give it a good home, would you be willing to sell it to me?
My email is jkingsmanwilson@aol.com or contact me via Swedish House.
I have commented for a while but I do check-in most days with you.
You have done fantastic work with your new home.
It is really coming together, I am flabbergasted at the speed you progress
Ha en trevlig vecka
LOVE PEACE enJOY
Julie
x
That is completely awesome – I would be doing a happy dance for weeks – Oh framing a block of each would be stunning, especially the hourglass and diamond ones. You lucky pair!
I find it interesting that the floral one is part of the group. Definitely the odd one out. Wonder if it was compromise between cohabitants. Anyway… Lucky for you the cool designs won out. They are amazing!
Ingen dålig skattjakt! 🙂 Tapeterna på de tre sista bilderna (på enskilda tapeter) är såååå snygga. Står det vem som har tillverkat dem? De skulle säkert passa ypperligt i ramar. Förutom att de fungerar som snygg konst så är det ju också trevligt med den direkta länken till husets historia. Det är alltid trevligt att ta husets historia i beaktande i inredningen med små detaljer tycker jag.
Wow Benita !! what a fantastic find. ;o)
I was going to suggest exactly the same as Wille.. framing is a great way to make use of the papers.. especially the pieces that might not be large enough to use on a whole wall.
One place especially springs to mind.. that window to nowhere between the living room and your bedroom nook…??
A nice big piece in a wide white frame… cracking !!
Jo xx
Great find! If they end up being too tricky to put them up on the walls, I am sure you’ll find other uses for them. Looking forward to seeing what you’ll create.
Vi hittade dem sent på em igår och jag har bara snabbfotat dem men inte rullat ut dem i nån större utsträckning. Noterade dock som hastigast att flera (alla?) är svensktillverkade och att åtminståne en är från Duro :).
You need to get those rolls to a wallpaper manufacturer STAT and force them to make new ones! Seriously, I’d love to be able to buy them =)
Oh my goodness, what a find!! A much better treasure than a box of gold! 😉 Congratulations & enjoy xx
The last one, which you say is your favorite, might make a nice stencil for that front hall floor if you did decide to stencil it! Because the pattern is geometrical, it would be easy to scale up.
The last one, which you say is your favorite, might make a nice stencil for that front hall floor if you did decide to stencil it! Because the pattern is geometrical, it would be easy to scale up.
Great idea!!
Love love love this post! Wow, should check out my own attic soon! 🙂 Love the hour-glass ones! Framing sounds really good, or decorating boxes like you said. You will find a good purpose for all those lovely prints!
That is awesome!!!
My grandmother is 95 and has lived in her house since 1937. I guess they papered most of the walls every couple of years and she says she kept a piece of each of the papers she used since then… can’t wait for that treasure find, one day!! For now we’re happy we still have her 😉
Having said that, she has wallpaper in her dining room that is bright yellow/orange 70s flowers and now she is getting compliments on it because it’s come back into fashion LOL yet it’s been there for nearly 40 years…
Oh yes, and in one house we lived in, an old semi-farmhouse, we found a Bruno Mathsson lounge chair in the old stable…
OMG. Those wallpapers are just lovely!
I can’t wait to see what you will do whit it. Such cliffhanger 🙂
fantastiskt! vilket fynd!! 🙂
This is indeed treasure! I love some of them really much and just wanted to suggest this
“There’s not a whole lot of it but Wille suggested we frame the coolest designs and I love that idea. ”
Hur häftigt som helst!!!
Actually, I think this trove is worth some money, either via eBay or to a small company such as Farrow & Ball who hand produce small lines of historic wallpaper. There must be similar companies in Sweden. You could try selling the ones you don’t want in a lot, you might be surprised. What an awesome find!
oh, how amazing! i love the grey one too, just gorgeous. so great to have traces of the old house to bring back in again. anything i find belongs to the owners, but i can always use it while i’m here – i came across a very old copy of mrs beeton’s household management, complete with cuttings from 1930’s recipes and letters. fabulous.
Men HIMMEL vad roligt! De ser ut att vara i riktigt fint skick också. Jag gillar den blommiga starkt men begriper att det inte är din sons stil. De andra är så coola. Du kan ju rama in dem och ha utställning i trappan om de inte duger att tapetsera med. Grattis Benita!
Så himla kul! Tack för motivationen till att äntligen krypa upp på loftet 🙂
Jag blir sällan avundsjuk för det är så missklädsamt att vara det. Men nu blev jag det lite iaf. Nejdå, skämt åsido.
Otroligt fina tapeter, jag hade varit våldsamt lycklig om det var jag som hade hittat dom, nu tröstar jag mig med att de hamnade hos rätt person.
Vilken tur att just du köpte huset som inser “skattens” värde!
Wow – great find and I love the patterns! 🙂
Hi ! What a treasure!!! But I wounder why is everyone in your street “hiding” old wall paper in the attic? Have you asked the other neighbours if they have found old wallpapers too or maybe something else?
Tjingeling!
Anette 🙂
Oooh, combine both great ideas, stencil it on the floor and frame the original somewhere in the hall.
If the houses were all built together, maybe they were all wallpapered by the builder and everyone got a few replacement scraps in the attic??
What a fantastic discovery. They’re beautiful patterns.
Wow, that really is a treasure! I love all of them except the floral one… Really looking forward to seeing them in your space! I love what you have done so far, but I think a little bit more colour and pattern is exactly what the space needs! (which isn’t meant to be a critic, I am well aware that your place is far from finished, but I am just so excited to see what you will do with those awesome wallpapers!
I haven’t. Yet 🙂
I was thinking along the same lines but since these houses were partly self builds I think they probably did some of the work themselves and that wallpapering might be one of them. I thought that maybe there was a local paint and wallpaper store with a limited assortement which made many choose the same designs?
Oj, vilket fantastiskt fynd! Vansinnigt snygga och de har ju verkligen hamnat hos rätt person eftersom du är så bra på att hitta användningsområden för sånt här (klä in boxar, göra brickor osv). Ska bli kul att se vad du hittar på!
Bricka såklart! TACK!
Great find! If the houses were built around the same time, self -built or by a builder they might have pooled together for a better deal on wallpaper and gotten a good selection to use.
Would you try hanging it yourself or use a professional because it’s older wallpaper?
I would definitely do it myself. I guess just need to a bit extra careful so I don’t rip it.
Här kommer ett tips som du kanske redan tänkt på, men jag säger det iaf för det vore ju så synd om så rara ärtor till tapeter blev förstörda – jag tror att man måste välja annan typ av tapetklister till dessa tapeter än vad moderna tapeter har. Har för mig att färgen och trycket kan lösas upp annars…
Och som sagt. Jag önskar att jag hittade sådana fynd i min källare. Du vill inte ha en potatislår som rymmer sådär 50 kg potatis istället, vilket är vad som fanns i mitt förråd? 😀
Haha!
Tack för tips, jag ska kolla på Byggfabriken och liknande och se om de har nåt specialkok för gamla tapeter.
That’s AWESOME! Third one is my fav! 🙂
That’s awesome! The third one is my fav! 🙂
WOW!!!! that is so wonderful, and I love Willies idea!
the third picture appears to be the same green that you have as accents in your bedroom, living room & hallway (pictures) – my bet is that you’ll find a use for this piece at the very least. What treasures!
Truly, an amazing find. It’s soo cool to have an attic full of these gems! I can’t wait to see them around your home. I guess you will give us more than one posts for wallpapering projects(excited, excited, excited)!
I especially love that white and light gray pattern! Great find.
What a great find!! So exciting to find treasures from the past. I’m so interested by what we’ve decided is great design, even 50 years later. Can’t wait to see what you do with it.
p.s. Thought of you last night as I finally reorganized “my” bathroom drawer. Was getting exasperated by its state so took everything out, threw out the used/old products, recycled some other things that had found their way in there, and then sorted like with like and put it all back. It looks SO much better and I zoomed through getting ready this morning. You’re an inspiration!
I am going to get into my attic…right…now!
Underbart! Vilken skatt. Nr 3 är min favorit.
Det ska bli spännande att se vad du/ni gör av dem.
Vi hittade diverse fantastiska tapeter (fast kvar på väggen) när vi renoverade vårt Båtsmanstorp. Se här: http://b-torpet.blogspot.com/2011/05/vad-gommer-sig-bakom.html
I have no idea in terms of scale how it will look on a wall, but I love the graphic hourglass design!
Kul!
I actually said, “That’s FANTASTIC!” right out loud, reading your post.
All we ever found in our attic was mouldy cardboard and abandoned wiring. I like your finds MUCH better!
Fantastic find! I love the idea of framing them in groups. I also can’t wait to see what you so with your new treasure!
Tina
Fast jag är en usel läsare eller hur, du skriver ju att Wille föreslog att ni skulle rama in dem 😀 Jag ska bättre mig, lovar!
very cool! there was some wallpaper up in our house when we bought it and thankfully all of it matches my design style, and they were all accent walls. well, except the silky looking rose paper on our bedroom ceiling…i still haven’t figured out how to pull that down without having to redo the whole ceiling.
Wow! That is really an amazing find, Benita. To have found so many different (and cool!) prints is just amazing.
May I suggest you get some fabric made from them?
http://www.spoonflower.com/welcome
I think some of those gray patterns would look lovely with your quilt.
Nicole
Chicago
It’s amazing how modern they all look – how completely right for now. Such a marvellous find – I like the idea of putting them in frames. It’s one thing to buy pretty generic prints – but another to have your home’s history hung on the wall or on boxes.
Oh wow, what a great find! I love the white/gray hourglass one! 🙂
Oh my gosh, I was gasping aloud at your find! So lucky!!
Have you seen on Pinterest the tutorial on “easy, tiny envelopes”? That’s what I would do with extra scraps, once you’ve framed, wallpapered, box-covered, etc.
Have fun!
WOW, so happy for you, I love the bright blue , yellow and tan one, would look great framed, I have used one top to bottom strip of wallpaper as more of an art statement it picks up some of the colour of the painted wall, you have so many options enjoy!
Wow! That is amazing. The designs are beautiful and there is so much you can do with them. Can’t wait to see what you do. My favorite is the same one you chose. Gorgeous design.
Cool find! Is that wood shaving insulation in the attic? Huge fire risk….is it on your list to replace?
there’s nothing better than discovering something completely awesome hiding around the house. waay better than scoring a deal at a thrift store. those are some serious mid-cent designs. i like the frame idea. they would probably work along the back of a bookcase. they could be mounted behind a sheet of glass as a backsplash too. there’s too many ideas to count!
Lovely find, is there enough in one roll to cover the doors of the old kitchen cabinet that you have put in the basement.,that you find so ugly
Jealous! I am too scared to go up in my attic… lol. The hour glass ones are definitely my favorites! can’t go wrong with black and white. I do also like the others (except floral)
Some possible ideas i have for them are,
1.accent wall
2.book covers
3.wrapping paper (if they aren’t too thick)
4.line the back of a bookshelf
5.frame them
6.line a waste basket
7.laminate for bookmarks, place mats or new stationary dividers.
That’s all i got currently off the top of my head for ideas 😛
I know whatever you decide to use them for it will look great!
It’s very common insulation in old houses over here and I don’t plan on replacing it.
Ooh, great idea! I will need to measure!
Great ideas, thanks!
OOOOH MY now that is some sweeeet treasure! So exciting….!I look forward to seeing what you do with it.
I think the suggestion to use your favorite as a stencil for your entry floor is terrific…looking forward, as always, to seeing you put your unique spin on all of your treasures!
These are SO cool- there are so many projects you’ll be able to pull off with these (looking forward to seeing them!!)
wow! even the attics in sweden are super stylish. or at least they’re hiding stylish stuff 😉 very lucky finds! those patterns are amazing. good thing you found them now, and not someone in the 1970s… they would’ve chucked them, no doubt.
Vilken skatt!!
Incredible! Lucky, lucky, lucky duck!!
Bästa skatten ever! Kram Sarah
This comment is abit late but I was wondering about the insulation in your attic. Would you put extra insulation up there? In Canada we need R50 in our attics which is about 50 cm of batt insulation and it is fairly easy to install yourself. It is interesting how different countries keep their houses warm.
All the best!
isn’t is neat to find little treasures like that
Great Finds! Wallpaper is very expensive. You have some great designs that are very in fashion right now. I would also frame some of them and hang them. You could also wrap a lamp shade or put them in a serving tray. Or make coasters too.
It is here too. Having had all mine replaced after a house fire….I would definitely suggest a modern and less flammable replacement. Just because it’s common doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. It’s what there was at the time.
I asked about the insulation too, above…in Canada older homes also have the wood chip/shavings insulation if it’s original (mine did. I had it removed when 1/2 of it was burned and smoldering (!!! it smolders for a VERY long time) after a housefire)…it’s not great insulation, and it’s very flammable.
I have always wanted an attic just so I could find cool things. They’re not very common on the West coast in the US, at least where I’ve lived. I am loving the 50s prints and like your idea of framing some of them.