“A blade of grass is the journeywork of the stars” – Walt Whitman

Grasscloth – luxurious, timeless and elegant. When used as wallpaper, it’s incredibly aesthetic with its natural texture and intricate weaving. At NewWall, we have an extensive range of grasscloth designs from intriguing marine life prints to neutral simplistic pieces. The wallpaper style is highly versatile. Being crafted from natural materials, and handmade by skilful craftsmen, it’s also an eco-friendly interior design choice.

Within this blog, we’re thrilled to share with you a selection of our impeccable pieces of grasscloth wall art, as well as 5 reasons to embrace its transformative power in your space.

Before we dive in, let’s look at exactly what grasscloth is and the history behind it.

The History of Grasscloth

The term grasscloth is used to describe wallcoverings crafted from hand-woven strands of natural fibres including, hemp, jute, seagrass, arrowroot, bamboo and raffia. The technique has truly stood the test of time and has been used in historic homes across the globe. Interestingly, the origin of grasscloth has its roots in Asia where fibres were woven to rice paper and then installed onto walls to provide decorative effect and insulation.

Fast forward to the 70s and the surge in hippie culture, appreciation for eco-friendly materials reignited the popularity of grasscloth wallcoverings. This happened again in the 90s when the revival for ecological and sustainable products was highly in demand.

To this day, appreciation for sixties and seventies culture has continued and has been made increasingly popular by tv shows such as Mad Men that showcase 60’s and 70’s interior design using grasscloth wallpaper.

Image Source: Patrickshields.com

What makes this traditional design technique so appealing in the modern day? Here’s 5 reasons why…

1 – It’s Easy to Remove

Wallpapering is one of the most transformative things you can do to a space, it instantly instils a mood and design narrative in a way that paint simply cannot. However, it often stirs up fears of commitment. Maybe you’re a renter, a student or a bit of a commitment phobe? The great thing about wallpaper is that it injects personality into your space and is simple to take down when it’s time to move on.

If you’re searching for a way to infuse your space with personality, in a non-permanent way, we suggest you go the whole hog and opt for a punchy print such as the delightfully random Abnormals Anonymous’s Mr. Blow design.

Mr. Blow Grasscloth Shadowfax by Abnormals Anonymous

We love printed grasscloth wallpaper as it boasts texture, vintage flair and character.

2 – It’s Perfectly Imperfect

While grasscloth wallpaper roles will be similar, they will not be exactly the same. Variation and imperfection are an important part of the natural feel that grasscloth brings to a space. The structure of the material being used directly impacts the pattern of grass wallpapers.

Stripes, meshwork, rough or very delicate structures are just a few examples that are the result of the weaving methods used and the characteristics of respective plants. The imperfections are part of their appeal. Embrace their quirks and watch as their special effect unfolds in your interior.

A captivating example of finding beauty in nature’s imperfections is the Grass Extra wallpaper collection by Fausel Biskamp. Available in a range of neutral colorways the collection is incredibly versatile and boasts intriguing texture.

The design allows you to add a layer of sophistication to any room, without ever overwhelming your space. The uniqueness of each roll makes any room feel effortlessly chic, whether you’re looking to invoke a zen feel in your living space, or to use within a cosy bedroom scheme. Fausel Biskamp’s Grass Extra collection promises lasting quality and beauty for your interior.

Grass 32622K by Fausel Biskamp

Grass 32329K by Fausel Biskamp

Grass Extra 32616K by Fausel Biskamp

3 – It Evokes an Ambient Atmosphere

Famous for regulating the humidity and climate of a room, grasscloth wallpaper provides a natural ambience that is both relaxing and comforting. Interestingly, they also offer heat and sound insulation qualities that can make you feel close to nature while indoors. That element of escapism, makes grasscloth an exquisite choice for anyone looking to create a calming yet invigorating space.

If you want to maximize the natural element of the wallpaper, we suggest you opt for natural browns and earthy tone grasscloth designs. Coordonné’s Perle & Neige design in soft brown is the perfect choice. Its grounding color scheme reflects the raw texture of wood and can help you to feel rooted in your serene interior space.

Perle & Neige 9100018 by Coordonné

Perhaps you’d prefer to blend natural elegance with a little more sophisticated glamor? If so, we recommend you explore the incredible Mer & Nacre design by Coordonné in Navy. The raffia texture comes alive in this deep shade of blue and looks impeccable when paired with wooden furnishings and metallic accents of silver, gold or bronze hues.

Campos Navy 8400094 by Coordonné

4 – It Transcends Time

Grasscloth wallpapers are both timeless and trendy. They really have, well and truly, stood the test of time and will continue to do so for years to come. This is largely down to the wallpaper’s versatility. There is something for everyone, patterns range from raw, natural reeds as seen in Fausel Biskamp’s work to geometric patterns set on top of the covering’s weave, such as those in Coordonné’s magnificent Mer & Nacre Off White design.

Mer & Nacre Off-White by Coordonné

5 – They Create Textural Accents

While the product images we’ve shown you so far cover entire walls, you can opt to use grasscloth wallpapers to create intriguing textural accents.

Take for example how thestylenest has injected visual interest to the backdrop of her collectibles with grasscloth wallpaper. To replicate this look you can paste a covering to the wall behind your shelving or bookcase. Simply stunning!

Image Source: @thestylenest

Image Source: Housebeautiful.com

The company, Commune Design has also achieved a beautiful look following the same concept in the nook photographed below. They’ve used an oat hued weave to soften and break up the wooden frame of the space while keeping in tune with the nature inspired aesthetic.

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