100 WALLPAPER* COVERS: VOTE TO WIN!

All great magazines shift, shuffle, find space and re-shape to survive and prosper and Wallpaper* is no exception. Changing tastes, and our own success, are clearly mapped in this gallery of our first 100 covers. From the tentative first steps, back in 1996, through confident camp to the audacious experimental leaps that we have undertaken in the last year, Wallpaper* has always dared to bare, break boundaries and, occasionally, bemuse. We've still got it covered.

To see all 100 covers, click here.

I've long been a fan of Wallpaper magazine. Having had a subscription since they began, I've seen many of these fabulous covers. Now, you can see them all and vote as to which you think is the best.

You'll also get a chance to win the hot new Wallpaper City Guides (seen below):

To see all 100 covers, click here.

Vote for your favourite and be in with a chance to win a set of Wallpaper* City Guides.

below are a few of my favorites from the past decade:

Now you go tell them which one is your favorite!

To see all 100 covers, click here.

Funky Find of The Week:
Axelsson Dragon Speakers

First product from Axelsson, The Dragon speaker. These are only 32 cm tall so they can sit on a shelf or atop furniture.
Hand made in Denmark and Sweden out of plastic resin and the elements are high end Peerless/Vifa to give You a crisp clear sound. Available in white, red or black, just click on the image to purchase.

They will also make them in custom colors..but they're not cheap!

What's Wrong With A Bare Wall?

I've always liked a good wall.
That's right, one with nice surface area and light hitting it just right.
I love to see shadows undulate across them or, even better, if there's an outside pool nearby, the dancing reflection of light upon the wall.

And if the wall seems lonely, I can't think of a better way to celebrate it than with an original piece of art. A painting, mixed media, even a wall sculpture.

But, apparently a bare wall is a displeasing thing for many people. Just witness the explosion of companies and designers creating everything from large photographic wall murals like Surface View in the UK to Blik's incredible success with their vinyl wall decals. Not to mention the numerous wall hanging companies creating coverings with felt and metal.

Above: Some of Blik's available wall decals

There have been sooo many trends this past year to cover one's walls, it will be hard to address all of them. Below are a few of the most popular.

From Blik starting the enormous trend of vinyl stickers and Tord Boontje's self adhesive mirrored icons called "puddles" (see below) to Chalkboard slate wallpapers on which you can write. Even 3D wallpapers have entered the market. And now we see growing popularity of 'large sized' wallpapers or murals.

above: Mio's 3D wallpaper

Above: Tord Boontje's self adhesive mirrored "puddles"

Even "conceptual" wall decals have it the market like those from Domestic. as seen below:

I've watched the trend of wall 'coverings' come back in a big way over the past year. And I must confess, many of the additions to the market were unique, new, and beautiful.

Like the Paint By Numbers wallpaper by 2 Jane (seen below in my own laundry room in my Michigan Home).

Above: A close up of the Paint By Numbers wallpaper in my mudroom

Or Timorous Beasties stunning and extravagent wallpapers seen here:

Above: Timorous Beasties stunning iguana wallpaper

Or Erica Wakerly's unique artistic wallpaper seen in this previous post and below:

Above: Bradbury & Bradbury's 1930's silk screened Aviator wallpaper
available here.

above: Hybrid Wallpaper pattern by Nice in the UK

Hybrid Wallpapers By Nice available here

But are people already getting tired of all the beautiful hand printed and silkscreened wallpapers out there?

How about the interactive wallpapers? Like the scratch-off wallpaper or flocked and leather wallpapers by Linda Florence?

Above: Linda Florence's Scratch-off Wallpaper

Or these retro flocked wallpapers from Flocked Wallpaper and Retrowalls?

okay then...

So, if you're bored of the above...you need to go back to large photographic wall murals a la the Seventies? Well, I guess that explains the fast growing popularity of Surface View.

When I was growing up in the 70's, photographic murals on bedroom walls was very popular especially for the teenage male. Usually the wallpaper mural was a forest scene of tall redwoods with light peering through or of a Sunsets and palm trees.

Above: An example of the popular photographic wall murals in the 1970s

It wasn't considered the most 'vogue' thing to do, but these overblown photographic wall coverings were in many a frat house or basement. Surface View of the UK offers a similar idea but with a more contemporary twist. In addition to landscapes, you may choose from retro illustration or random interiors.

So what makes the popularity of "Surface View" and their products any different? Frankly, I'm not sure. But I have a feeling that many of my readers may not recall the popularity of the original, being that they are too new to this planet (you darn young things you!)

Above: Some examples of wall murals available from Surface View

Even books are sprouting up about popular wallcoverings, this recent one is available from Amazon.

The Cutting Edge of Wallpaper available here.

Another increasingly popular wall treatment are what is being referred to as Wall Flats or Wall Panels. Inhabit and B&N Iconic Wall Panels

Above: a few of Inhabit's available 'wall flats'

above: One of B&N's iconic wall panels

above: Tracy Kendall's 3D wall coverings

Now, even felt wall panels are gaining popularity.
Just see Anne Kyyro Quinn's work.
and wall hangings from Construct in felt or metal, available here.

above: One of Con/Struct's wall hangings

Customised wallpapers (also being called 'Bespoke' wallpapers, the hot buzz word as of late) are also available.

Like those from Designwall or from Naked And Angry

Above: custom designed wallpapers from Naked & Angry

So, if bare walls bug you, here are a few links that sell unique wallpapers and vinyl decal options:

Concept Coverings

Flavor League

Timorous Beasties

Cole & Son

Wall Candy

Blik

Vinyl decals from Ugly Home

Paint By Numbers Wallpapers

Paintable Wall Applications by Walter available here

Vinyl Surfaces by Domestic

Pop Cling

Interactive Wallpaper

Tracy Kendall

Osborne & Little

Sky Murals

Wall Murals by Surface View

It's impossible for me to list all the sites, so I suggest you visit This Next and type in wallpaper to see many other options.

Now a few options to those above would be the huge and wonderful limited edition museum banners available from Betterwall.

Or, god forbid, a piece of original art from up and coming artists at sites like Hang, or from one of the many galleries or artists listed in my links on the right.

So, although personally, I like a bare wall, clearly I'm in the minority.

Thank you, thank you.

I received so many wonderful sympathetic, empathetic and supportive e-mails about the loss of my dog that it's almost enough to completely renew one's faith in humanity.

E-mails and messages from complete strangers who clearly understood and related to my loss as well as love and well wishes from those who knew me and what Abbey meant to me! Wow.

Thank you to everyone who wrote, I cannot tell you how much it meant to me.
Bless you and all your loved ones.

Now, back to what's hip!

Happy Mother's Day

This weekend I deviated from the normal routine by posting some very personal articles instead of the usual. Monday this blog will return to its usual posts. Thanks for your indulgence.
-laura

Above: My own beautiful mother at the age of 19

Above: My own beautiful Mother in 2004

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

In honor of Mother's Day and the passing yesterday of what was 'my child'.
I thought I'd share some images of the love Abbey brought into several lives in addition to my own.

To Mother's of children, animals, art and anything else for which you care a great deal...
Happy Mother's Day.

In Memoriam

Abbey

March 7, 1993 - May 12, 2007

As some of you know, my dearest friend and devoted canine companion of 10 years, Abbey, was diagnosed with terminal cancer last september. After pallative treatment of chemo and radiation in October, and several efforts at staving off infections with various antibiotics (and yet making sure she has a positive quality of life), at the age of 14, she is finally leaving me.

A jack russell terrier with tons of attitude who was smart as a whip and equally as beautiful, her absence will leave a hole in more lives than just my own.

Not everyone understands what the love of a dog can do for your life. I am thankful that I do. Abbey basically saved mine by coming into my world at a point when I was suffering from severe depression, a broken heart and was painfully lonely.

I never had any pets growing up. Well, okay, not entirely true. I did have some of those tiny turtles in a plastic bowl with a fake palm tree and a hamster named Cream Puff, but never knew what it was like to have a pet who curled up with you during an afternoon nap or lick your face in the morning to wake you. The birthday wish I made as I closed my eyes and blew out the candles from age 5 to age 16 was to have a dog.

I'm forever grateful to my friend Kim, who was Abbey's original mommy but whose life at the time was complicated and wasn't the best for raising a dog. She saw that I needed something to love and she generously let me adopt Abbey in 1998. Not once did she ever ask for Abbey back nor during her numerous and frequent visits over the following years, did she make me feel like Mommy #2. Because of her generosity, I had the wonderful unparalleled experience of having Abbey for 10 years.

Abbey and I drove across the country, just the two of us, twice. She was my partner in strange hotels and adventures in towns I'd previously never seen. The perfect road trip companion, she never wanted to change the radio and not once asked "Are we there yet?" She helped make every unfamiliar place comforting. She gave me strength to do things I'd never undertake alone.

I moved to Michigan for work in 2003 and returned in 2006. Part of what made that experience endurable and void of homesickness was Abbey. Wherever she was became home to me.

It will be hard to adjust to life without Abbey. In the past ten years there were very few nights she did not sleep tucked under the covers with me. More often than not, hers was the last face I saw before going to sleep and the first face I saw as I woke. But, like all living things, no matter how wonderful, she cannot grace the world forever.

She is being peacefully euthanized today in the comfort of her home, in the safety of my arms. And someday, someday I hope to see her again. To hold her, to let her nuzzle her snout in my neck and to give her kisses on the belly.

Until then I can happily say I have no regrets. None at all. I'm so happy that I spoiled her rotten, put her needs before mine, and spent every penny on everything from gourmet dog food, beautiful collars, the finest medical care and all those deposits for hotel rooms.

It was completely worth it.

Goodbye Sweet Abbey.

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Below are a few of my favorite pictures from the past ten years: