Bomb Site House 1940 Interior Part Seven

By Veronica Tonge

Subject: Bomb Site House wallpaper

My 1940 Bomb Site House would almost certainly have been papered with pieces of left over from house decoration with 1930s full size wallpapers. I discovered small fragments of a very thick brownish paper beneath the coat of gloss white which had been applied to the walls in the 1960s. I decided to revive an old ‘make do and mend’ paint technique to reproduce some replacement papers. This stippled sponging technique was often used by handymen between the wars as a cheap way of making coloured wallpaper, probably with coloured distemper. For a doll’s house version, you need a synthetic sponge (the sort that imitates a natural sponge), textured watercolour paper, acrylic paints and courage! I painted A4 sheets of stretched paper with cream acrylic and left them to dry overnight. I mixed dark brown acrylic with a little water and sponged stippled the paint on top of this using just a small piece of sponge for good control. I then did a couple or more of coloured coats on top to go with the furniture in each room. The effect is random and beautiful and if it comes out too wild, then a watery mix of acrylic white stippled over everything is the way to go.

 

 

Subject: Bomb Site House 1930s style wallpaper large bedroom

Bomb Site House large bedroom papered with pale blue and brownish-cream wallpaper to go with the original pale blue bedroom suite.

 

Subject: Bomb Site House 1930s style wallpaper small bedroom
Bomb Site House repapered with a multicoloured but pink dominated paper to look good with the strawberry pink bedroom set, which was not original to the house, but home-made and from the same era.

 

Subject: Bomb Site House 1930s style wallpaper sitting room/library

The sitting room and library had an original upholstered divan in subtle greens and oatmeal - colours popular in the 1930s. I stippled this room’s paper in Autumnal greens and browns, with a bit of blue, to give a muted but lively effect.