Thursday, October 25, 2018

York Wall Coverings Project: Mandarin Prose by Waverly Classics

York Wall Coverings, Waverly by York Wallcoverings, Icon DE Holdings LLC, Prepasted Sure Strip Waverly by York Wallcoverings, prepasted wallpaper, washable wallpaper, removable wallpaper, Waverly pattern WA7771, straight match wallpaper, chinoiserie wallpaper, asian wallpaper, chinese wallpaper

Friends, have you ever dreamt about a home decor project that you felt a strong desire to undertake but weren't sure if you could actually figure it out and make it happen? Me too!

Back two years ago when I thrifted the c. 1950 James Mont Chinoiserie Limed Oak Hutch shown here in my dining area, I imagined how nice it would be to have some kind of wallpaper on the wall behind it to liven up the room and to serve as an interesting backdrop.

York Wall Coverings, Waverly by York Wallcoverings, Icon DE Holdings LLC, Prepasted Sure Strip Waverly by York Wallcoverings, prepasted wallpaper, washable wallpaper, removable wallpaper, Waverly pattern WA7771, straight match wallpaper, chinoiserie wallpaper, asian wallpaper, chinese wallpaper

And white walls. I really wanted white walls.

I know there has been a lot of discussion in the interiors world about seeing an overabundance of white walls on the blogs and in the magazines but over time I realized how much of an effect the prior turquoise-painted accent wall had on my photography. And, more recently, the sliding door to the right needed to be replaced and I was disappointed when I discovered that the glass in the new door has a blue tint. Furthermore, we live in the Willamette Valley of Oregon and cloudy, rainy days are the norm many days of the year. So for these reasons, white walls it is!

Speaking of white walls - while shopping for wallpaper I knew I wanted whatever pattern I chose to be vibrant and have a white or near-white background. Also, it had to be colorful, whimsical and fun because this is the busiest room in the house and it can afford a playful atmosphere. And, most importantly, it had to be in the classic chinoiserie style. Of course I looked at dozens and dozens of wallpaper samples, thinking very carefully about all the choices. When I discovered this Waverly Classics by York Wallcoverings wallpaper in the Mandarin Prose pattern at Mahone's Wallpaper Shop, I knew the fantastical scenery was just what I was looking for.

York Wall Coverings, Waverly by York Wallcoverings, Icon DE Holdings LLC, Prepasted Sure Strip Waverly by York Wallcoverings, prepasted wallpaper, washable wallpaper, removable wallpaper, Waverly pattern WA7771, straight match wallpaper, chinoiserie wallpaper, asian wallpaper, chinese wallpaper
York Wall Coverings, Waverly by York Wallcoverings, Icon DE Holdings LLC, Prepasted Sure Strip Waverly by York Wallcoverings, prepasted wallpaper, washable wallpaper, removable wallpaper, Waverly pattern WA7771, straight match wallpaper, chinoiserie wallpaper, asian wallpaper, chinese wallpaper

And then came the hard part. The "I'm not sure I know what I'm doing" part. The "I don't know anything about wallpapering" part. And the biggest doubt of all was the "I've never power-sanded a wall in my life" part.

The uncertainty about taking on a large project with an unknown outcome kept me from taking the plunge for about two years. In the spring of this year I thought a good way to distract myself from my fears about the task was to just purchase my chosen wallpaper pattern and give myself some time to ease into it as this was going to be my big summer undertaking. It was a bit of a mind trick I played on myself as well. I figured I'd feel quite rotten if I spent my hard earned money on wallpaper and never made it happen.

And that is how I got here:

York Wall Coverings, Waverly by York Wallcoverings, Icon DE Holdings LLC, Prepasted Sure Strip Waverly by York Wallcoverings, prepasted wallpaper, washable wallpaper, removable wallpaper, Waverly pattern WA7771, straight match wallpaper, chinoiserie wallpaper, asian wallpaper, chinese wallpaper

This is what I call "testing your family ties" and "how badly do I want that wallpaper anyway?"

What a mess! Our small power sander has a containment canister on it, but as you can see, there is powder everywhere. And not just in this immediate area. Although I placed painter's drop cloth over furniture and doorways, it still managed to seep past these barriers and, well, it seemed to find its way into every nook and cranny throughout the house. Pardon me, wallpaper project, while I vacuum for a week!

Two other frustrations I had were figuring out the mechanics of operating a power tool and the summer heat. James showed me how to use the sander and gave me a demonstration, but it took awhile until I got it. I started on the smaller wall to the left. It has a lot of scuff marks from applying too much pressure or from staying in one place too long. But by the time I started on the second wall I had it figured out pretty good. Despite the heat.

The outdoor temperature on this summer day was 91° Fahrenheit. While it does stay noticeably cooler inside, wearing all the required safety gear (gloves, face mask, goggles and knee pads), coupled with having to exert a fair amount of pressure on the sander made it quite uncomfortable. I took frequent breaks, drank plenty of water, and laid in the cool grass in the backyard until I felt I could stand it again.

Just so you can get an idea of the task at hand, here is the wall texture before and after:

York Wall Coverings, Waverly by York Wallcoverings, Icon DE Holdings LLC, Prepasted Sure Strip Waverly by York Wallcoverings, prepasted wallpaper, washable wallpaper, removable wallpaper, Waverly pattern WA7771, straight match wallpaper, chinoiserie wallpaper, asian wallpaper, chinese wallpaper
York Wall Coverings, Waverly by York Wallcoverings, Icon DE Holdings LLC, Prepasted Sure Strip Waverly by York Wallcoverings, prepasted wallpaper, washable wallpaper, removable wallpaper, Waverly pattern WA7771, straight match wallpaper, chinoiserie wallpaper, asian wallpaper, chinese wallpaper

As I was researching how to hang wallpaper here on the web, I learned that it adheres best to a smooth freshly painted wall. It became quite clear to me that if I didn't make the effort to knock down the 1970s textured wall surface that the project could fail - so why take a chance?

So once the massive clean up and vacuum cleaning was finished I painted the walls to be papered with two coats of white paint. I also painted the door and wall to the left and the wall to the right because my intention was, ultimately, to paint the entire dining area and kitchen white. 

Here's what the dining area looked like with all the painting done:

York Wall Coverings, Waverly by York Wallcoverings, Icon DE Holdings LLC, Prepasted Sure Strip Waverly by York Wallcoverings, prepasted wallpaper, washable wallpaper, removable wallpaper, Waverly pattern WA7771, straight match wallpaper, chinoiserie wallpaper, asian wallpaper, chinese wallpaper

And finally, the paper hanging commences!

York Wall Coverings, Waverly by York Wallcoverings, Icon DE Holdings LLC, Prepasted Sure Strip Waverly by York Wallcoverings, prepasted wallpaper, washable wallpaper, removable wallpaper, Waverly pattern WA7771, straight match wallpaper, chinoiserie wallpaper, asian wallpaper, chinese wallpaper

You're probably not surprised when I tell you that the wallpapering was a lot easier than the sanding. In fact, it was so easy that in hindsight it nows seems silly that I fussed over it at all. In fact, I highly recommend that if you are considering trying your hand at wallpapering that you purchase the Waverly brand. It's quality is exceptional - there are no overshadowed lines or inconsistencies in the colors and the smooth texture is easy to work with. Also, the rolls come with a full set of instructions that I felt were well written and easy to follow.

And the best part of all is that it is pre-pasted!

I would also recommend purchasing your wallpaper from Mahone's Wallpaper Shop - a family owned business. My order was shipped promptly in a sturdy box and the packing material was a wallpaper scrap which I thought was an ingenious way of repurposing their product.


York Wall Coverings, Waverly by York Wallcoverings, Icon DE Holdings LLC, Prepasted Sure Strip Waverly by York Wallcoverings, prepasted wallpaper, washable wallpaper, removable wallpaper, Waverly pattern WA7771, straight match wallpaper, chinoiserie wallpaper, asian wallpaper, chinese wallpaper
York Wall Coverings, Waverly by York Wallcoverings, Icon DE Holdings LLC, Prepasted Sure Strip Waverly by York Wallcoverings, prepasted wallpaper, washable wallpaper, removable wallpaper, Waverly pattern WA7771, straight match wallpaper, chinoiserie wallpaper, asian wallpaper, chinese wallpaper

Have you been thinking about trying your hand at wallpapering? Don't let your fears get in the way. With planning and a bit of internet research, it's a very doable project.

Have any questions? Ask me here in the comments below or on Instagram.

As always, thanks for reading!
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Tuesday, October 16, 2018

Vintage Tea Treasures: An Etsy Shop Update

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Hello Friends! It gives me great joy to share with you some of the latest vintage tea ware that's just been listed in my Etsy shop Vintage Tea Treasures.

First up are two English bone china teacup and saucer sets.

The pink set is from Salisbury China and the pattern is called Almond. Both the shape and style of Almond make it suitable for everyday tea drinking. And the pretty spring-like blossoms sprouting from their branches are sure to make your heart smile as you sip your tea any day of the year.

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If you prefer an elegant tea sipping experience, the pastel blue Paragon China set would surely be your 'cup of tea' with its wide-shaped cup and whimsical lilies in tones of light and dark blue.

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Both sets feature traditional gold gilding.

A fanciful abstract scene featuring a gathered sheave-like container with two brightly colored chrysanthemums grace the porcelain 7" cake plate made by the German company Meissen. This high quality vintage plate would make a very special gift for a birthday, anniversary or wedding.

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As mentioned, you'll find these distinct pieces of vintage tea ware (and more) listed in my Etsy shop Vintage Tea Treasures. And as always, Under The Plum Blossom Tree blog readers enjoy a ten percent discount with the code PLUMBLOSSOM10.

Thank you for reading!

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Monday, October 8, 2018

Vintage Tea Treasures: A Happy Customer

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Hi friends! It's such an enjoyable experience when a customer shares with me their excitement upon receiving the special teaware items they've purchased from my Etsy shop Vintage Tea Treasures.

A few weeks ago Patricia in Nebraska ordered four antique W.T. Copeland & Sons 'Abbey Ruins' transferware teacup and saucer sets. Upon opening her package, Patricia stated "I received the transferware cups and saucers today! I'm very pleased with them, and they were packed so carefully. They felt like a gift."

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In a prior conversation Patricia mentioned that she owned a few W.T. Copeland plates, and a platter, all in the Abbey Ruins pattern. I let Patricia know that I would love it if she shared a photo of her collection with me and she was kind enough to send two images - one of her Vintage Tea Treasures order (above) and one of her W.T. Copeland plates which includes two plates in what I think is called the 'Rome' pattern, also by W.T. Copeland:

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Isn't this a lovely wall display?! I love Patricia's choice of a monochromatic color scheme. It feels very old world, contemplative and historic.

The Abbey Ruins pattern is also called Ruins or Melrose. It's a highly detailed pattern and it is delightful to sit and study the separate and distinct intricate motifs that make up the pattern. For example, the tea set features two architecturally different abbeys. A large, close up view of an abbey is featured on the front and back of each teacup, and a smaller, more distant view of another style of abbey is in the middle of each saucer.

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Then, distinct from the abbeys, each teacup has a lovely oak leaf and acorn border on the top of the inside rim and the same border appears on the outer rim of the saucers.

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The backstamp indicates the date of manufacture to be between 1867 and 1890.

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William Taylor Copeland (1797-1868) was a successor, along with his business partner Thomas Garrett, to the famous Josiah Spode pottery manufacturer which operated in the Stoke-upon-Trent district in the United Kingdom from 1770-1833. His father William Copeland was business partners with Josiah Spode.

William Taylor and Thomas Garrett made pottery under the name Copeland and Garrett from 1833 until 1847. When Garrett retired the company then became known as W.T. Copeland, then W.T. Copeland and Sons after 1867 when William Taylor's four sons joined the company.

W.T. Copeland and Sons continued production until 1970 when the company reverted to the old name of Spode. There were various ownerships over the years. Spode managed to stay in business until it closed in 2009 but was then purchased by Portmeirion. Amazingly, Spode is still being made today.

And here we are, over one hundred years later, appreciating the timeless quality, beauty and impeccable detail of a few incredibly interesting W.T. Copeland tea ware sets. Thank you Patricia, for your purchase, and for sharing images of your Copeland collection with me and allowing me to share them here on the blog.

And thank you to all my customers. It gives me great joy to offer to you quality Vintage Tea Treasures from a bygone era and to learn about and share your collecting stories.
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