Paper Trail
WITH HER SHOP AND SHOWROOM, JODI LURIE HAS CREATED A DESIGN OASIS AT TALKING WALLS.
WHEN WALLPAPER WALLPAPER CLOSED, Jodi Lurie lost one of her favorite stores – but she also saw an opportunity. In its nearly four decades of existence, the Wauwatosa store had developed a cult following of loyal customers like her. Lurie, who has a background in marketing, wanted to keep that legacy alive.
In 2022, she took a leap and bought the store’s stock of unique designer wallpapers and began planning Talking Walls. “Immediately, I was getting phone calls from retail customers and designers in need of wallpaper,” she says. “I asked them what they would like to see Talking Walls become. The one thing that really resonated was creating a place that felt more like an experience and not just another hardware-style store.”
With that feedback, Lurie designed Talking Walls as both a boutique and showroom, which opened in Brown Deer in January 2024. In less than two years, she has established Talking Walls as the go-to destination in Milwaukee for unique, eye-catching wallpaper designs. Like its predecessor, it remains the only dedicated wallcovering retailer in the area open to both the public and professional design firms.
Talking Walls welcomes both walk-ins and appointments for those looking to add flair to their home, whether it’s a single accent wall or several rooms. “We really take the time to understand how you live and how you want your house to feel, then make recommendations based on that,” says Lurie, adding that Talking Walls’ staff also advise on paint colors to complement wallpaper selections. “People worry that the process is going to be hard. It’s actually fun.”
Expanding beyond wallpaper, Talking Walls now carries upholstery fabrics for draperies, window treatments, cushions and pillows. “It goes hand in hand with wallpaper,” says Lurie. “A lot of people want to match those together.”
And with any wallpaper purchase, customers are not left to figure things out on their own. Each project is supported by a professional installer because as Lurie notes, “Our products only look as good as they’re installed.” For her, wallpaper is the perfect mix of impact and accessibility. “It’s a way to make a big design statement without a huge commitment. It doesn’t feel as daunting as replacing floors or knocking down walls. With wallpaper, if done properly, a little bit can go a long way.”
