Borders

The primary purpose of wallpaper borders throughout history has been to simplify wallpaper installation by providing a decorative edge to cover uneven cuts of wallpaper panels. In honor of Boråstapeter's new BORDERS collection, here’s a closer look at borders and their role in wall decoration through the ages.

Borders in the Past

 Borders have always aimed to imitate other valuable interior elements, such as ornate plaster moldings, wooden trims, or even fringes that framed tapestries mimicked by wallpapers.

In earlier times, borders often contrasted more sharply with the wallpaper background. As a result, they were usually produced in darker and more vivid tones. Contrasts brought out the beauty of the background material and gave the room a polished appearance.

Over the years, borders have been designed for both horizontal and vertical use, with the ornamentation aligned accordingly. Historical decorators could combine a variety of printed wall design elements—borders, cornices, dado panels, and corner elements—to create impressive wall schemes tailored to their taste, the room’s function, and dimensions.

Borders were often printed side by side on wallpaper-width material and only cut apart before installation.

Borders Through Time

Depending on the era, borders have been either indispensable or entirely out of fashion.

There is a direct correlation with contemporary clothing trends. Maximalist fashion, with its abundance of lace, ribbons, and trims, often overlaps with the use of more decorative wall elements. Conversely, minimalists favor monochrome, understated surfaces.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, borders were often several dozen centimeters wide and adorned with rich motifs. Over time, they became narrower, averaging 5–15 cm by the early 20th century. During the functionalist era of the 1930s–1950s, borders shrank to just a few centimeters wide, featuring only a few colorful stripes.

From the 1960s, the use of borders declined significantly, disappearing altogether until the major border trend of the 1990s. During this revival, wallpaper manufacturers offered matching borders alongside wallpapers, which were used both near the ceiling and mid-wall to separate different wallpaper patterns.

As this trend faded again in the early 2000s, borders vanished from wallpaper collections.

Borders Today

Now, borders are once again becoming a significant part of wall design. You can find them in collections from historical wallpaper experts like Lim & Handtryck and Gysinge, as well as in modern materials from major wallpaper houses like Boråstapeter, Midbec, Cole & Son, Little Greene, and Casadeco. Smaller designer brands like Långelid / von Brömssen and Kueen also include borders in their offerings.

Undoubtedly, the largest selection of these delightful decorative elements can be found at Scandinavia Wallpaper Salon and the online store TAPEET.EE.

https://tapeet.ee/collections/borduurid