Detroit Wallpaper

By Lisa Howard

Detroit Wallpaper

The Rediscovered Art of Wallpaper

THIS AIN’T YOUR GRANDMA’S WALLPAPER! THIS IS, SAYS JOSH YOUNG OF THE DETROIT WALLPAPER CO., ONCE AGAIN A GOLDEN AGE OF WALLPAPER.

“When we started in 2004, there were only a handful of companies using digital print to produce wall coverings for interiors. But that number has grown exponentially, and has expanded the lexicon of what wallpaper even is – it’s become so avant-garde and idiosyncratic that there’s something for everyone.”

That’s a far cry from the 1990s, when home renovation shows like Trading Spaces showed everybody tearing down every last inch of their wallpaper. Wallpaper was deemed persona-non-grata in the world of interior design.

But, back then, much of the wallpaper being sold was mass-produced, with smaller-scale, less adventurous patterns meant to appeal to everybody. Nowadays, with the advent of digital printing, Josh and his team are following their artistic dreams and designing patterns that they’re passion-ate about and hope will excite others, too. “We end up doing stuff that’s a lot more bold and outside the box,” says Josh. “Oftentimes it’s much more large-scale and colorful than what was done in the past. Our designs may not appeal to everybody but, for the right person we have the right pattern.”

They also design custom patterns for their clients that are based on client ideas and whimsies, whether that’s a request to adorn walls with Eastern dragons or to swathe walls with sea monsters from 11th-century Viking mariner maps. Sometimes the Detroit Wallpaper team members act as historical detectives; like when someone was renovating a house from the late 1800s and they found remnants of vintage wallpaper hidden behind wooden paneling. Because such wallpaper would simply crumble away if anyone tried to remove it, the team worked with minimal bits of paper, photographs and even catalogs from that bygone era to fill in the blanks in the pattern. Essentially, if someone can imagine it, Josh and his crew can create it.

“The genesis of our business was like so many other artist-owned businesses — it started off as an idea for a personal project for our own house and then spiraled into something bigger,” explains Josh. He and his business partner, Andi Kubacki, began creating wallpaper and business-to-business printing projects like vehicle wraps and banners in Andi’s basement. After about a year, they got a retail space on Nine Mile, and then moved to their current location on Livernois. Now they’re able to truly pursue their original artistic dream of designing wallpaper. “We’re so lucky to have this work,” Josh says. “There’s such a joy that comes from people coming back to us and letting us know that we completely changed the way they feel when they’re in their homes.”

As part of their commitment to always offering fresh ideas to their clients, this year, Detroit Wallpaper will be debuting 50 to 55 new patterns, including designs based on vintage botanical illustrations and paintings from the 1600s to the 1800s. The star of those remixed floral fantasies will be the Queen of the Night, a cactus flower that only blooms once a year and in the middle of the night. It’s such a rare occurrence that even people who own this cactus usually don’t witness it bloom!

Another exciting new product will be peel-and-stick wallpaper that will allow people to put it up themselves or use individual sections as accent panels. It’s also PVC-free and recyclable, making it easy for everyone to be eco-friendly and surround themselves with beautiful art.

39 Livernois St. Ferndale, MI 48220 / info@detroitwallpaper.com 248.544.1054 / Showroom open by appointment only