Grasscloth & Linen Wallpaper

How to choose a textured wallpaper

Depth without pattern is the point, which makes these the easiest wallpapers to live with long-term. Designers reach for them in living rooms, studies and main bedrooms, and anywhere downlights would make flat paint look patchy. Decide between a real natural fibre and a printed texture. Genuine grasscloth, seagrass and abaca have visible seams and variation from strip to strip, which is the charm and the caution; printed non-woven textures give the look with far easier hanging and cleaning. The product page states which is which. Texture is impossible to judge on screen, so this is the one category where we would say a sample is not optional.

Where to start

We keep the collection in a considered order rather than by sales: Romo's Esai Seagrass opens it, followed by Rebel Walls' Clay Flow, Romo's Raya Silk, Casamance's Ankaa, then Linear Flow, Ciro Abaca, Kauri and Etsu. Esai Seagrass was the textured paper ordered most in the last year, and the samples went to the Casamance textures: Ankaa, Modernismo, Monterosso, Lombok and Aloes. Read our grasscloth and textured wallpaper guide for the differences between the fibres.

What we stock and how it is sold

Casamance and Romo rolls list their width and length under Product Details, and some natural-fibre papers come in wider or shorter rolls than the Scandinavian standard, so read the size before you calculate. Most are non-woven backed and hang paste-the-wall; some natural fibres call for a paste-the-paper method, and the product page says so. Rolls are printed or woven to order overseas, so allow three to four weeks. Trade pricing is available to designers and shopfitters through our trade program.

Before you order

Order the sample, hold it against the wall in daylight and at night, and run your hand over it. Measure and use the roll calculator, allowing an extra roll for natural fibres where colour varies between batches. For plain textures in a single colour see limewash and plaster and linen; by colour, beige, cream and grey hold most of them. Care advice is in cleaning and caring for wallpaper.

Questions we are asked about textured wallpaper

Is grasscloth hard to clean?

Natural grasscloth should be dusted or vacuumed with a brush attachment, never scrubbed, and it is not for kitchens or bathrooms. Printed grasscloth-effect papers usually wipe with a damp cloth. Follow the care note on the product page.

Will the seams show?

On real grasscloth, yes, and the strips will vary slightly in colour; that is what natural fibre looks like on a wall and it is why designers love it. If you want an even, seamless look, choose a printed texture.

Can I use textured wallpaper in a bathroom?

Some printed non-woven textures are used in well-ventilated bathrooms away from splash zones; natural fibres should not be. Read wallpaper in bathrooms and kitchens and the product page first.

Can I get a sample first?

Yes. A4 samples are A$10 each plus A$5 postage within Australia, A$18 to New Zealand and A$35 elsewhere, sent by letter mail and usually with you within a week.