Wallcovering

Staff -- Interior Design, 10/31/2006 12:00:00 AM

Sondra Alexander

Turn walls to vertical catwalks with the couture styling of this manufacturer's Sanitas-Metro. Ostrich, the of-the-moment fashion material, is replicated in sturdy Type II vinyl. It is available in 15 luxe colorways, including Calvados, Ermine, champagne, Hornback, Lynx, Cognac, plume, Mahogany, and inky Obsidian and measures 54 inches wide. 3875 Embassy Parkway, Fairlawn, OH 44333; 800-479-1109; sanitaswallcoverings.com. circle 465

Jaima Brown

Inspired by collectibles, antique documents, and travel, this designer's line of wallpapers and fabrics evokes the days of stickers on suitcases, driving goggles, and country house parties. The collection comes in eight colorways, including lime, Seaglass, turquoise, white, brown, red, black, and crème/blue. The screen-painted wallpaper is 27 inches wide unpasted. The fabric coordinates measure 54 inches wide. 935 Campus Drive, Mundelein, IL 60060; 888-865-0200; jaimabrownhome.com. circle 466

Stark Carpet

They may look at first glance like marbleized paper, but the China Lack collection creates transcendent surfaces. First, extra-thin sheets of metal are acid-washed. Then they are varnished for stability and backed with paper to ease hanging. The vivid line is available in 34 colorways, including gold, black and white, and bluff-pink. This material is 26 inches wide. 979 Third Avenue, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10022; 212-752-9000; starkcarpet.com. circle 467

Osborne & Little

Welcome to the Grove Garden. Part of the Tara collection of seven wallpaper designs—the others are Benvarden, Dunloe, Glendalough, Tullynally, Lakemount, and Rostellan—the pattern shows brightly colored tropical birds flitting through a field of stylized flowers. It measures 21 inches tall, is sold on 11-yard rolls, and comes in seven colorways: lime, mint, aqua, linen, Mole, chocolate and black. 90 Commerce Rd., Stamford, CT 06902; 203-359-1500; osborneandlittle.com. circle 468

MDC Wallcoverings

Begin a new Gilded Age with the elegant Averlino line of wall coverings, consisting of seven handcrafted patterns. Named for Italian sculpture, each are tactile, with raised elements including iron gilding, crackled frescos and textured fabric. The patterns come in colors that include Truffle, Starry Night, Ivory, Provence, Mimosa, and Gold Coast. Custom colors are also available. 1200 Arthur Avenue, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007; 800-621-4006; mdcwall.com. circle 469

B. Mori & Co.

Take one look at any of these 42 hand-painted silk murals and be transported to an Exotic Garden. Each unique Asian-inspired design shows that natural harmony isn't just for the birds anymore. The all silk papers come with six coordinating solid colors—Lilac, Slate, Tarragon, Sage, Tea, and Red Jewel Tone—and are sized at 51-inch wide panels. 450 9th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103-4411; 415-431-6888; bmori.net. circle 470

Knoll Textiles

Read between the Parallel Lines! The Lewis Tsurumaki Lewis design firm's series of wall coverings plays with the overlap between human architectural drawing and the mechanical. The result is what they call "a machined imperfection." The collection of three wall coverings—Perimeter, Vector, and Margin—is comprised of a series of lines that appear handmade, but were scanned and duplicated digitally. 1235 Water Street, East Greenville, PA 18041; 800-343-5665; knoll.com. circle 471

Forte Air Factory

Attention, lovers of geometric design. Head straight for Tube—an artwork surface—part of the Onon Interactive Surface collection from this Israeli studio. When creating the machine-cut, polyester vellum panels, designer Nir Simhon drew inspiration from natural and meditative rhythms. All panels custom made, up to half-an-inch thick and 9 ¾ feet high. 10 Hashnaim Street, Guivataim, Israel 53230; 927-526-729553. circle 472

Nama Rococo

What do you get when you combine a love of the ornate with a contemporary sensibility? Random Geometry. Like all patterns from this young studio, it is made by hand on French handmade acid-free paper. The print, shown in graphite, was inspired by drawings of both floor and urban plans. It comes in 25-inch by 38-inch sheets. The pattern is also available in deep blue and florescent red. 243 Union Street, #406, North Adams, MA 01247; 413-652-2312; namarococo.com. circle 475

Weitzner

Add some nobility to the wall with Tiara. The handmade, textured paper sports not only the usual ink, but glossy sheer cylindrical plastic beads as well. The trinkets are arranged at random, and handsewn to one end of the tinted paper, so they dangle freely. Available in Ice Blue and Frost. 256 Washington Street, 3rd Floor, Mount Vernon, NY 10553; 914-665-0800; weitznerlimited.com. circle 473

Maharam

Punch, Prism, and Stamp are all about dimensions and patterns. The embossed lines vary from Punch's web-like textures to Prism's loose crystalline structure and the unfinished, paper-like texture of Stamp. Each is available in a range of 16 to 19 colors. These Type II vinyl wall coverings are backed by cotton and measure 52 inches wide. 251 Park Ave. South, New York, NY 10010; 800-645-3943; maharam.com. circle 474

Innovations In Wallcoverings

Defeat the daily drab—cover that wall with Flare! This vinyl collection sports a knockout combination of iridescent colors and a heavily embossed basketweave pattern that sends light bouncing off its surface. The 54-inch wide Type II wall covering is available in seven rich colors: Candlelight, Nightclub, Sunburst, Glowworm, Firefly, Lightning, and Thunderbolt. 150 Varick Street, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10013; 800-227-8053; innovationsusa.com. circle 476

Twenty2

Designers Kyra and Robertson Hartnett tiptoe through their new collection, inspired by the tulip beds that bloom each spring on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. The hand-printed, 27-inch wide wallpaper is made with water-based, eco-friendly inks, and comes in seven colorways: Pin-Up, Springtide, Gold Blush, Hothouse, Froth, Champagne, and Cherry Lime Ricky. Options include gold foil and matte silver Mylar. 68 Montague Street, Suite 6C, Brooklyn, NY 11201; 888-222-3036; twenty2.net. circle 480

Omnova Solutions

Calm and subtlety are the qualities that define the Li Ming Yang series. The large-scale organic print works brilliantly with its small-scale series mate, Li Ming Cube. Each pattern in the Type II vinyl series of wall coverings is available in 18 colors, ranging from Rice Paper to Dragon Sea to Rickshaw. They measure 54 inches wide, and have a non-woven backing. 175 Ghent Road, Fairlawn, OH 44333; 330-869-4200; omnova.com. circle 479

Phillip Jeffries

Inspired by high-gloss metals, the sleek Lacquered Effect wall covering brings chic to Type II vinyl wall covering. The glazed, metallic line nods to the high-sheen world of makeup, with 16 colors ranging from Bronzer to Lipgloss to Champagne Shimmer. It is class-A flame rated, comes on a non-woven backing, and measures 54 inches wide. 311 Route 46, Fairfield, NJ 07004; 800-576-5455; phillipjeffries.com. circle 478

Textile Arts

Pihapuu, designed by Erja Hirvi, was inspired by photographs of sunlight through trees in a Helsinki park. The vivid screen-printed pattern comes in six colorways: yellow, green, blue, brown, purple, and red. Each one is 54 inches wide, in cotton, with a pattern that repeats every 36 inches. P.O. Box 3151, Sag Harbor, NY 11963; 888-343-7285; txtlart.com. circle 477