Commentary
The importance of aesthetics in homes and public spaces was evident in the 19th century, when prosperity led to the beautification of interiors. Wallpaper played a significant role in transforming spaces into luxurious environments accessible to all.
Every American family aspired to create a castle-like feel in their homes, reminiscent of Old World royalty. The use of wallpaper was a key element in achieving this ideal.
Reflecting on the past, I sat in a cozy New England hotel bar surrounded by fine wallpaper that added to the comfort of the space. The absence of such decorative elements in modern homes and public places is striking.
Gone are the days of elaborate wallpaper, replaced by plain, easy-to-maintain paint. The convenience of painting over imperfections has led to a loss of character and imagination in interior design.
Public spaces like Union Station in D.C. stand out for their grandeur and intricate details, emphasizing the importance of aesthetics in architecture. In contrast, modern homes lack the ornate beauty of the past.
The decline of wallpaper can be attributed to a shift in philosophy post-World War II, with a preference for minimalist, utilitarian designs. The rise of “Mid-Century modern” aesthetics and Scandinavian influences furthered this trend.
As society embraces digital living and transient lifestyles, physical aesthetics and meaningful decor have been sacrificed. The loss of decorative elements like wallpaper represents a shift towards a more sterile and utilitarian approach to living spaces.
Gone were the reminders of higher things in general.
No more talk of how God became man, thus blessing the world with divine affirmation. From now on, we will all dress only in disposable clothes, stare at screens, be surrounded by nothing, power lights with breezes and sunbeams, and eat bugs.
Why did we do this to ourselves? It might have just been one huge error but I suspect that it all traces to a kind of demoralization that fell upon human life after the second world war, a belief that the powers of the world do not really care about bringing dignity to life, so why should we care either?
You can detect this theory in everything from music to architecture to interior design.
I have no grand plan to bring back beauty and elevated sensibilities on a large scale. But I do know this. We can fix this where we live right now. We can start anywhere but one good place might be to look through eBay for beautiful wallpaper, purchase some, and employ an expert to put it in. It can be just the bathroom, just the bedroom, or go all out for the dining room.
It’s a small thing to do but it is also deeply symbolic. Making our own lives and living spaces wonderful is a means of fighting back. And let’s face it: you don’t really like living a sparse and barren existence inside rooms that feel like prisons, no matter how much fashionable writers at the New York Times tell you that you should.
Wallpaper makes rooms beautiful, as you can easily discover by looking at archival photos or touring homes of great men and women. I hear from designers and people in the renovation business that wallpaper is making a huge comeback. If so, it rather makes sense given my prevailing theory of our times: we are reverting by a century to find freedom, beauty, and spirituality again.
You can use AI to discover the look and feel, and dream about what could be.
Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
