Wallpaper

Whatever you have in your rooms think first of the walls for they are that which makes your house and home
William Morris
For most of its history, wallpaper has been the poor relation of the decorative arts. Fragile, ephemeral, and easy to replace, wallpaper has often disappeared from the historical record. The V&A began collecting wallpapers from its foundation in 1856, and today has one of the finest collections in the world. 

Our wallpaper collection reveals the fascinating history of its evolution from the first black and white patterns in the 16th century, through to 18th-century flock designs, Chinese hand-painted papers, architectural papers, designs by William Morris and the Arts and Crafts Movement, and modernist and contemporary designs in the 20th century.

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Features

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A brief history of wallpaper

Discover the fascinating design history of wallpaper through our vast collection

  1. Read

    Wallpaper: health and cleanliness

    Discover the evolution of 'healthy' wallpapers
  2. Read

    Wallpaper design reform

    How the Great Exhibition of 1851 kick-started a programme of raising standards in wallpaper design
  3. Read

    Flock wallpaper

    Find out about the rise and fall of the most velvety of wallpapers
  4. Read

    Architectural wallpapers

    Tracing the popularity and eventual rejection of wallpapers imitating architecture
  5. Read

    Chinese wallpapers and the chinoiserie style

    The introduction of Chinese wallpapers in the 17th century sparked a fashion that lasted a century
  6. Read

    William Morris and wallpaper design

    Many of Morris's wallpapers are still used to decorate modern homes. But when they first appeared they struggled to win universal acclaim.
  7. Read

    A history of shopping for wallpaper

    The art of buying wallpaper from the 17th century to now
  8. Read

    Wallpapers for children

    Discover the history of wallpaper designed for children
  9. Read

    Fallen Fruit at the V&A

    How Californian artists Fallen Fruit created a unique 'fruity' portrait of the V&A
  10. Read

    Historical and British Wallpapers – a landmark 1945 exhibition

    A landmark moment in post-war industrial design

Collection highlights

Show all
  1. wallpaper
    Panel of Chinese wallpaper, about 1750 – 1800, China
    V&A East Storehouse
    View by appointment
  2. wallpaper
    Unused sheet of wallpaper, about 1780 – 1800, England
    V&A South Kensington
    View by appointment
  3. wallpaper
    Wallpaper illustrating the Crystal Palace, manufactured by Heywood, Higginbottom & Smith, about 1853 – 55, Manchester, England
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  4. wallpaper sample book
    (Inside) Page from a sample book of wallpapers supplied for the decoration of the Palace of Westminster, A.W.N Pugin, 1851 – 59, England
    V&A South Kensington
    View by appointment
  5. wallpaper
    Wallpaper, designed by Owen Jones, manufactured by Townsend, Parker & Co., about 1852 – 74, Britain
    V&A South Kensington
    View by appointment
  6. wallpaper
    Portion of a classical 'pillar and arch' wallpaper, about 1769, England
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  7. wallpaper
    Panel of red flock wallpaper, identical in pattern with the paper formerly hung in the Queen's Drawing Room at Hampton Court Palace, about 1735, England
    V&A East Storehouse
    View by appointment
  8. wallpaper
    Tits in Space, wallpaper, by Sarah Lucas, manufactured by The Archive Printing Company Ltd., 2000, UK
    V&A South Kensington
    View by appointment
  9. wallpaper
    Portion of wallpaper with a design commemorating Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee, by F. Scott & Son, 1887, Hawick, England
    V&A South Kensington
    View by appointment
  10. wallpaper
    Portion of Lunar wallpaper, designed by Michael Clarke, manufactured by Cole & Son, 1964, England
    V&A South Kensington
    View by appointment
  11. wallpaper
    Acanthus, wallpaper, designed by William Morris, manufactured by Jeffrey & Co., 1875, Britain
    V&A South Kensington
    View by appointment
  12. wallpaper
    Portion of 'Provence' wallpaper, designed by Lucienne Day, manufactured by John Line & Sons Ltd., 1951, England
    V&A South Kensington
    View by appointment

V&A Shop

Browse the V&A Shop range
V&A Seaweed tote bag

V&A EXCLUSIVE

V&A Seaweed tote bag

£12.50

William Morris Leicester keep cup

William Morris Leicester keep cup

£20

William Morris

V&A PUBLICATION

William Morris

£50

Better Wisdom Than Gold t-shirt

V&A EXCLUSIVE

Better Wisdom Than Gold t-shirt

£25

Compton Leather Cross-Body Tote Bag

V&A EXCLUSIVE

Compton Leather Cross-Body Tote Bag

£150

Strawberry Thief cross stitch kit

Strawberry Thief cross stitch kit

£35

Strawberry Thief bookmark cross stitch kit

Strawberry Thief bookmark cross stitch kit

£16

William Morris’s flowers

V&A PUBLICATION

William Morris’s flowers

£14.99

Acanthus

CUSTOM PRINT

Acanthus

From £15

William Morris Wallflower coaster

V&A EXCLUSIVE

William Morris Wallflower coaster

£3

William Morris Notecards

William Morris Notecards

£12

Kathleen Kersey Parrots tea towel

V&A EXCLUSIVE

Kathleen Kersey Parrots tea towel

£10

William Morris Strawberry Thief terracotta tile

William Morris Strawberry Thief terracotta tile

£18

Large larkspur bauble

V&A EXCLUSIVE

Large larkspur bauble

£7

Pimpernell napkins

Pimpernell napkins

£5

William Morris 100 postcards

William Morris 100 postcards

£16.99

Kathleen Kersey Parrots oven glove

V&A EXCLUSIVE

Kathleen Kersey Parrots oven glove

£10

William Morris Leicester notebook

William Morris Leicester notebook

£6

William Morris Thistle socks

William Morris Thistle socks

£7

John Henry Dearle Leicester playing cards

John Henry Dearle Leicester playing cards

£7.50

V&A Arts & Crafts pocket mirror - assorted

V&A Arts & Crafts pocket mirror - assorted

£2

May Morris Honeysuckle tea towel

V&A EXCLUSIVE

May Morris Honeysuckle tea towel

£10

Header image:
'Fruit' (or 'Pomegranate') wallpaper pattern, designed by William Morris, manufactured by Jeffrey & Co., 1866, England. Museum no. E.447-1919. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London