Wallpaper
Introduction
wallpaper, also known as papering, wallpaper, mural paper or hanging paper, is a type of paper that is used in interior decoration and is placed on the walls of a room, covering them totally or partially.
Wallpaper consists of a patterned or smooth paper surface that is glued to the walls of a room. It usually consists of uniform designs such as stripes or checks or repeating motifs so that one roll can be placed next to the other maintaining visual harmony.
History
Since ancient times, civilizations have decorated the walls of buildings with various materials and techniques, such as curtains, frescoes, wood paneling, stucco or leather, especially in the homes of the wealthiest classes.
During the Middle Ages in Europe, the Arab tradition of tapestries became popular, used to ornament the walls of palaces and castles in the main courts of the continent. These tapestries can be considered a precursor to wallpaper, fulfilling both a decorative and insulating function.
The first examples of wallpaper have an origin that dates back more than 2,000 years, during the Qin dynasty in China, where individual sheets of rice paper were decorated with representations of birds, flowers and landscapes, thus establishing a precedent in the use of paper as an ornamental element to cover walls.[1].
Wallpaper comes from the East and began to reach Europe in the century thanks to the trade that was maintained with that part of the world. One of the finest oriental examples is on display at Harewood House in the United Kingdom.
Its first success occurred with the Industrial Revolution thanks to the cheaper manufacturing due to mechanization.
Papers have been in fashion at various times during the century. At the beginning of the century, simple motifs proliferated, usually floral. In the 1930s and 1940s they evolved into geometric drawings. Finally, they achieved great popularity during the 1960s and, especially, in the 1970s when they were distributed in a wide variety of colors and designs.
Currently, it can be said that paper enjoys relative popularity. Among the new decoration trends applied to it, the following can be mentioned: