This is a brand new Gracie wallpaper that is timeless and classic. While visiting the Gracie showroom in New York City a couple weeks ago, I was able to meet and visit with Jennifer Gracie, 4th generation of the Gracie family. She was so gracious to take some time and show me many of the fabulous Gracie wallpapers both new and old, as well as explain the history of the company. It is fascinating how it all began. Gracie was created in New York City in 1898 by Charles R. Gracie. At that time, Charles focused on providing custom lamps. He expanded his business in the 20’s by collecting and dealing in antique Chinese and Japanese furniture, screens, and porcelains.
During the 1930’s, a friend of Mr. Gracie’s who was a textile trader, presented him with a roll of hand painted wallpaper that he discovered in Beijing. Mr. Gracie knew he had a market for this exquisite wallpaper. His current business focused on timeless and classic Chinese and Japanese furniture and porcelain, so he thought this would be a perfect fit to expand. A business relationship was formed with that studio and continued until 1949. The Gracie studio went under different management, but has been in the Orient with the same Chinese family for the last 50 years.
This is an example of an old archive the Gracie’s found. You can notice the age of the hand painted wallpaper. Also notice how timeless and classic it is. All the Gracie wallpaper panels I saw in the showroom, no matter what their origin, could be used today; that is what I call timeless and classic design.
This beautiful Gracie hand painted wallpaper is just stunning with its muted tones of greys and greens, combined with pops of colorful birds, and then offset by the brightness of the white flowers. This particular design is installed in Arein Lauder’s dressing room. According to Jennifer Gracie, this design is highly requested, not only due to its beauty, but it has been highly advertised through social media, etc.
I absolutely fell in love with this Gracie wallpaper. I love that it is framed with a trellis like border and outlined in hand painted bamboo. This would look stunning in a sunroom or garden solarium room.
What I recognized the most by seeing Gracie wallpaper in person is the exqusite detail of the lines drawn and intense color used. Gracie Wallpaper is one of a kind!