Ep. 384: The Art of Wallpaper with Jenn Gracie

Summary

Podcast Summary: How to Decorate | Ep. 384: The Art of Wallpaper with Jenn Gracie

Introduction

In Episode 384 of How to Decorate, hosted by Caroline and Liz from Ballard Designs, the spotlight shines on Jennifer Gracie, a key figure in the illustrious Gracie Wallpaper family business. The episode, released on October 22, 2024, delves into the rich history, craftsmanship, and artistic processes that have defined Gracie Wallpaper for over 120 years.

Gracie Wallpaper: A Legacy of Craftsmanship

Jennifer Gracie opens the conversation by highlighting the remarkable longevity of the Gracie family business. She shares, “[...] it's pretty remarkable and unusual that there's a family business in its sixth generation still going around” ([02:22]). Gracie Wallpaper is renowned for its exquisitely detailed hand-painted wallpapers, often custom-designed to fit the unique specifications of each room. The company’s dedication to quality and artistry has sustained its reputation through six generations, a feat Jennifer attributes to the family's unwavering commitment to excellence and mutual support.

Joining the Family Business

The discussion transitions to how different family members found their way into the business. Jennifer explains that her father initially pursued a path in law but was gently steered into the family business through a summer study of its operations. “[...] he's the only one in his generation who didn't have another family member helping him” ([04:12]). Jennifer's brother Mike and her son Zach each brought their unique talents to the business, enriching Gracie Wallpaper's legacy. This organic transition ensured that each generation was genuinely passionate about their roles, fostering a collaborative and loving work environment.

The Art and Process of Hand-Painted Wallpapers

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to the intricate process behind creating Gracie’s hand-painted wallpapers. Jennifer describes how interior designers collaborate with the company to map out room dimensions and architectural elements, allowing artists to tailor designs precisely around windows, doors, and molding. “[...] it looks prettiest when the design goes very, very close to the ceiling” ([12:12]). This meticulous planning ensures that each wallpaper seamlessly integrates into the room’s aesthetic, enhancing its beauty without wasting any material.

Jennifer emphasizes the customizable nature of Gracie wallpapers, stating, “sometimes we include local birds” or personal elements like family pets or specific flora that the client loves ([12:12]). This level of personalization turns each wallpaper into a unique work of art, making every installation distinct and meaningful.

Gracie Wallpaper’s Custom and Stock Designs

While custom designs are a hallmark of Gracie Wallpaper, the company also offers stock designs to cater to clients with immediate needs. Liz remarks on the versatility of these designs, noting how they can be adapted by experienced installers to fit various spaces beautifully ([14:35]). Jennifer acknowledges the importance of having stock options available while still championing the bespoke creations that set Gracie Wallpaper apart.

Publication of "The Art of Hand Painted Wallpapers"

Jennifer proudly discusses the unveiling of her family's first book, The Art of Hand Painted Wallpapers: Timeless Rooms by Rizzoli. She shares the challenges and triumphs of compiling the book, which features detailed chapters authored by different family members, showcasing their personal experiences and the evolution of the business. “[...] it was probably interesting for our family, but for everybody else, it's a lot about our process and lots of beautiful rooms” ([24:07]).

The book not only serves as a historical document but also as a celebration of Gracie Wallpaper’s artistic journey. Jennifer highlights the collaborative effort involved, especially when her father contributed the introduction at the last minute, ensuring the book encapsulates both the family’s legacy and their creative processes.

Restoration and Longevity of Wallpapers

A fascinating topic discussed is the restoration and longevity of Gracie wallpapers. Jennifer recounts how some wallpapers have endured for decades, such as a 1930s installation preserved in a Long Island estate. “[...] two very talented people [...] cleaned it on site” ([31:17]). This commitment to preservation underscores the timeless quality of Gracie’s products, making them more than mere decorations but cherished family heirlooms.

Design Elements and Favorite Collections

The conversation touches on various design elements that make Gracie wallpapers stand out. Jennifer expresses her admiration for Japanese designs and panoramic landscapes, noting their elegance and simplicity. “[...] Japanese screens have always been one of my favorite, favorite types of art” ([37:28]). Caroline and Liz share their favorite patterns, highlighting the versatility and aesthetic appeal of designs like the "Paradiso" line and "Linda’s Garden," which feature intricate motifs and harmonious color palettes.

Interactive and Accessible Art

Jennifer discusses the accessibility of Gracie wallpapers, emphasizing that even those who may not commit to a full-room installation can incorporate single panels into their décor. “If you're renting a house, if you're in your first home, I mean, I understand that not everybody can afford to do a room of our wallpaper” ([34:43]). This approach allows a broader audience to appreciate and enjoy Gracie’s artistry without the commitment of an entire room makeover.

Conclusion and Book Availability

As the episode wraps up, Jennifer invites listeners to explore her book and visit upcoming book tour events. She encourages engagement through social media and direct communication, reinforcing the company’s approachable and family-oriented ethos. “[...] our book tour dates and locations are on our website” ([41:29]). Caroline and Liz express their admiration for the book, recommending it as a beautiful addition to any coffee table, further cementing Gracie Wallpaper’s status as a blend of functional design and fine art.

Notable Quotes

• Jennifer Gracie on family legacy: “[...] it's pretty remarkable and unusual that there's a family business in its sixth generation still going around” ([02:22]).
• Jennifer Gracie on customization: “[...] we can customize it to your heart's content” ([12:12]).
• Jennifer Gracie on the book’s content: “[...] it's mostly a lot about our process and lots of beautiful rooms” ([24:07]).
• Jennifer Gracie on restoration: “[...] they are a very good salesperson for Gracie out in San Francisco” ([31:17]).
• Jennifer Gracie on accessibility: “If you're renting a house, if you're in your first home, I mean, I understand that not everybody can afford to do a room of our wallpaper” ([34:43]).

Final Thoughts

Episode 384 offers an in-depth look into the artistry and enduring legacy of Gracie Wallpaper through Jennifer Gracie’s insights. From the meticulous creation process to the family dynamics that sustain a century-old business, listeners gain a comprehensive understanding of what makes Gracie Wallpaper a distinguished name in interior design. Whether you’re an interior design enthusiast or someone looking to add a unique touch to your home, this episode provides invaluable inspiration and appreciation for the art of wallpaper.

Connect with Gracie Wallpaper

• Website: Gracie Wallpaper
• Instagram: @graciewallpaper
• Book Tour Dates: Available on the Gracie Wallpaper website

Tune in Next Time

Don’t miss future episodes of How to Decorate for more expert advice, inspiring interviews, and insightful decorating tips from the Ballard Designs team. Subscribe on your preferred podcast platform and join the community of passionate decorators.

Transcript

[Caroline]

Welcome to how to Decorate from Ballard Designs, a weekly podcast all about the trials and triumphs of decorating and redecorating your home. I'm Caroline. I'm on the marketing team. And I'm Taryn and I'm a product designer.

[Liz]

I'm Liz. I head of the creative team. We're your hosts.

[Caroline]

Join the expert team at Ballard Designs for tips, tricks and tales from interior designers, stylists, and other talents in the design world. Plus, we'll answer your decorating dilemmas at the end of each episode.

[Liz]

We love answering your questions, so don't forget to email [e-mail] now, on with the show.

[Caroline]

So honored to introduce today's guest. Her family's business has been synonymous with craftsmanship and luxury for more than 120 years. Founded and family owned for six generations, Gracie Wallpaper is known for their exquisitely detailed hand painted wallpapers, often custom designed to a room's exact specifications and capturing the artistry of antique art panels. Jennifer. Gracie carries on her great grandfather's family legacy, along with her brother Mike and her son Zach, all of whom have collaborated on their first book, the Art of Hand Painted Wallpapers. Timeless Rooms from Rizzoli. Jen, welcome to the show.

[Jennifer Gracie]

Thank you so much for having me. I already have a Gretchen.

[Caroline]

Oh, okay. I'll start over.

[Jennifer Gracie]

No, I'm totally kidding. But great, great grade. Great.

[Caroline]

Oh, I missed a great. I guess that makes sense. I said six, but then I miscounted.

[Jennifer Gracie]

Yeah, I know. It gets so tricky, right?

[Caroline]

Great, great grandfather's family legacy.

[Jennifer Gracie]

Yes. Yeah. Yeah.

[Caroline]

Well, let's start there because what an incredible story. I mean, I don't. I don't want to speak for Liz, but I know, like, I've obviously heard of Gracie for so many years. You know, you read any design magazine, you love design books, you're going to see your beautiful wallpapers. But I think at the flower show house, when we spoke, someone introduced us at the flower magazine show house. And I think 20, 23 or 22 maybe. And I did not realize that your last name was Gracie. I thought Gracie was like a first name. And so I was like, oh, my gosh. I had no. I had no idea that this was such a, you know, heralded family business. And so that was such a fun thing to learn about in the book. So maybe you could kind of start there.

[Jennifer Gracie]

Sure. I answer to Gracie. People call me that all the time and it does sound like a first name, so I just roll with it. That's fine. But yes, no, it is. It's pretty neat that there is still Gracie's and my son Zach, another family member. His last name is not Gracie, it's Shay. But running the business, it's pretty remarkable and unusual that there's a family business in its sixth generation still going around. I think there aren't even statistics for family businesses in their sixth generation. I haven't found any. It's pretty rare to even get to three, so it's unusual. And my dad has always said in no generation have any arms been twisted. So that's also really special. There's always been someone who has wanted to carry it on and no one has been cajoled into doing it. So it's wonderful. And my brother and Zach and I are really lucky because we have each other and we love so much working together. My dad was the only one in his generation he didn't have another family member helping him. So the three of us are so fortunate to have each other, to have different interests and skills and to just have the enjoyment of working together.

[Caroline]

Well, it was fun. I loved each. You know, each of the family members wrote their own chapter and sort of detailed the, I guess, their personal experiences growing up around your family business and the wallpapers, but also, you know, kind of their unlikely, I suppose, paths into the business. It seems like many of you didn't necessarily. Well, you did. You grew up knowing I want to be a part of it, but maybe some others. So maybe you could kind of share a little bit about that for our listeners.

[Jennifer Gracie]

Yeah. My dad did not grow up thinking that he would be in the family business. He thought he might pursue law, as did my brother. And then during the summer, my, I think it was a summer during college. My dad was asked to work at the family business during the summer by his uncle and his dad and to do a study of the business. And this was their secret way of sort of enlisting him and seeing if they could garner interest on his behalf in what they did. And it worked because my dad did a study of the business and sort of what was working and what wasn't working and studying all the different aspects, antiques and the Japanese wallpapers that were reporting and the hand painted wallpapers and what was more successful and what we were carrying too much inventory of and all of these different things. And then came to him, came to them with this, you know, very detailed report and said, I think I could really make you guys more successful. And they said, oh, interesting. Why don't you try that? So, so, so he decided that he would go ahead and do that. So that was kind of how my, my dad pursued his path. And I was a baby at the time, so it was also a practical decision because he didn't have to continue on to four years of law school. He had a young family to support already, so that was how he started. And then my brother pursued acting first and traveled around the country and ended up in San Francisco working in a multi line showroom that happens to represent Bracy. So he was a very good salesperson for Gracie out in San Francisco. And Zach did all kinds of things, including working on a fishing boat in Key West, Florida. So. Yeah, but I think that's great. Right? It's great for someone not to say to you, you have to do this your whole life. And for it to be something that you just naturally come to in your own.

[Liz]

Sure.

[Caroline]

And have sort of an. You could have more of an opportunity to carve out what areas of the business might appeal to you most and, you know, find a way to get involved there.

[Jennifer Gracie]

Yes.

[Liz]

It also helps that you make exquisite products and being around things that are so beautiful. And that's.

[Jennifer Gracie]

That doesn't, that doesn't hurt. It's true. Well, it does make it nice that it is. You know, we naturally take pride in everything that we do. It is so pretty. And what we do is not only beautiful, but we have exquisite quality. You know, we are proud of every order we deliver. If there's any tiny thing wrong, we make it right. And that's how you stay in business for 126 years. You don't ever leave a client dissatisfied. So it's. I believe in being able to go to sleep at night, not have things that I'm worried about, not worrying about someone being upset with me. And I just think it's the best way to run a business.

[Caroline]

So it seems like early on in the business there was more finding old art panels and turning those into papers.

[Jennifer Gracie]

Right. Well, before we even started importing hand painted wallpapers from overseas, we just purchased antique wallpapers. So my great grandfather used to buy a lot of antique wallpapers from England and Ireland, from dealers in Paris and London, and from Nancy McClelland, I don't know if you know that name, but she wrote a wonderful book on antique wallpaper that I think is out of print, but you can find it online upshore. It's really, really a beautiful resource. And so we had a large inventory of antique wallpapers. And so we always loved wallpapers. But then in the 1920s, a friend of his came back from China with some rolls of hand featured wallpaper and asked Charles R. Gracie, my great grandfather, if he thought he could sell them in New York. And he thought he could. So that was the beginning of this. And in the beginning, we didn't do custom orders. We just imported hundreds and hundreds of panels of scenic wallpaper. And we would have 100 continuous panels of a particular design in stock. Elsie DeWolf would come in and say, you know, that she needed 28 panels for a dining room and just buy the next 28 in sequence and cut them wherever she needed to for doors and windows. And so when you look at rooms, photographs of rooms from that era, you will see that they weren't. You can see that they weren't engineered for the space. Usually the design is cut the ceiling. And you also notice that in rooms of antique wallpapers that they weren't fit to the room. You know, antique wallpapers were brought back by ship captains often, you know, in the, in the tea trade era. And so they were just precious and coveted and people made them work for the room. And it was the same in the early era of US Emporia wallpaper. So it wasn't until later that we started customizing things for the room.

[Liz]

And the wallpapers you're talking about the antique ones, are they. When they would buy them in a sequence, is that more of a landscape design or would that be like a repeat pattern or.

[Jennifer Gracie]

The antique wallpapers were both. They tended to be continuous murals, scenes either, most frequently landscapes. I mean, sometimes they were European scenes of, you know, the hunt or city scenes. You know, they were sometimes Roman ruins or scenes of Paris or country scenes, you know, things like that. But we did also buy antique Chinese wallpapers and they usually fell into two categories. They were either floral scenes, many of which are the types that we do today, or they were landscape and figure. And they showed things like tea cultivation or pottery making or scenes around the village. Sometimes they were a combination and they would have mostly a beautiful scene of flowering trees, but then they would have these beautiful sort of out of proportion figures at the base. You know, that the people would be smaller sometimes than the birds that were in the trees up above. So that's kind of charmingly, you know, ridiculous.

[Caroline]

Right. Right before reading the book. And I did, I did know that y'all did custom designs. I guess I didn't realize how widespread that was. I'm wondering if maybe our. Our audience is. Doesn't know quite as much about that process. So maybe you could describe it for. I mean, all of the. Everything that the designers do to map out the room, and then your artists design around it. You know, designing the flowers around the window casings and the. To placing certain, you know, animals or things in unusual spots. That's such an. A unique and wonderful element to add to the room.

[Jennifer Gracie]

Right. So the designer either draws out the room, or their architect provides the elevations to us, and we then lay out the design to look most beautiful for the space. So it looks prettiest. The design is exactly the right height for the room. And there's also no wasting the wallpaper. You don't have that heartbreaking moment where you see your wallpaper installer cutting or beautiful design because a window needs to go someplace or a door needs to go someplace. So it looks prettiest when the design goes very, very close to the crown molding. If you end the design too far below the ceiling, it actually has the effect of making your ceilings look lower in the room. So I really love it when the design goes very, very close to the ceiling. But another really fun thing to do is to really, really customize it. Sometimes we include local birds. You know, if you live in Atlanta, we could include birds that you love from around Atlanta. Or you could say that you just absolutely adore foxes and you wanted a fox included in your scenic. Or, you know, maybe you want your family dog or you have two children, and so you want a little bird's nest with two little baby birds in it. Or, I mean, really, we can customize it to your heart's content. So sometimes it's just a small request, like, I do not want yellow flowers in the scenic. Or sometimes we are customizing absolutely anything you can imagine. So some orders are 100% custom, and some just have tiny little tweaks here and there.

[Caroline]

Well, it's sort of like. And I think of this all the time with other arts as well, but, like, it's like a ballet where it looks so easy when you watch it. In some ways, like, it's supposed to look effortless. And I feel like this wallpaper, that your wallpaper installations are like that. You don't necessarily realize that it's been custom designed to not go behind the curtain panel and. Yeah. You know, hug the. The door, you know, so perfectly. But take the placement of the concept exactly. But really just makes it look so perfect. I don't know. It's like.

[Liz]

And they move you through the space so beautifully.

[Jennifer Gracie]

Yeah, it's true. On the other hand. We do also stock designs because, you know, people have emergency wedding receptions that they have to host in three weeks. We've had that happen too. And with a really fantastic professional wallpaper installer who has lots of experience installing papers like ours, they are still able to engineer a stock Gracie wallpaper and make it look beautiful at a room. So we love doing custom orders. But in many cases a stock scenic will look beautiful in the space as well. I don't encourage people to buy one of our stock papers if the stock design is really too low for a room or much too tall for a room. But a lot of times they look gorgeous as well.

[Liz]

Well, I was digging around your website and I was loving the Paradiso line that you have, which I, oh, you're.

[Jennifer Gracie]

Going to make my dad so happy. That was his idea.

[Liz]

I think it's, it's the beautiful marriage of something that's custom and that's something that's stock. So correct me if I'm, if I'm describing this incorrectly, but I think it's, it's rolls and you can trim off bamboo edging.

[Jennifer Gracie]

And then this is a video. We'll describe this a bit. So yes, this is my dad's idea. So it's, it's a, it's very customizable. So it's a lattice design. It also has panels that, so there are panels that are just lattice. There are also panels that are lattice but have arches with hand painted design within the arches and then at the edges of the panels there are strips of bamboo. So there are so many different ways you can install this. You can choose to buy just the trellis panels and do a whole room of trellis. Or you could buy only the panels that have the trellis with the hand painted arches and do a whole room of that. You can have your installer cut off the bamboo strips and apply the bamboo strips at the whole top of the room at the top and the bottom of the room in between all of the panels. So there are lots and lots of ways to use this. And we are ready to take the phone calls when people say, wait a minute, can I do this? Should I do this? How is this going to look prettiest? Because there are so many different ways you could use that design.

[Liz]

Yeah, that blew my mind series. That was great.

[Jennifer Gracie]

Yeah, it's going to be fun. And it's in stock. So I mean that is, that is available immediately and ready to go. And it's in two colorways and it's really, really fun.

[Caroline]

Yeah, those are really, really pretty. I'm curious like, how you know, what you, what your artists do is so specialty. And I'm curious like, how does one become a Gracie artist? Like, what is the, what's the background? Are they, you know, fine art? Like, where does that, where does that craft come from?

[Jennifer Gracie]

Many of our artists are children of artists from our studio. So I think it's like any other artistic talent, whether it's music or cooking or anything else. You may have grown up in a household where you saw your parents who were chefs or musicians. And being an artist at our studio basically takes practice. So I've been at our studio where an artist is starting out and they are doing nothing but painting hundreds of leaves until they get a leaf perfect and then they can move on to a butterfly and then they will move on to a complete flower. So it is, it is a learned skill. And certain things are much more difficult. You know, it will take much, much longer to move on to doing something like figures, you know, actually painting people in one of our landscape designs than it will to do a flower or a bird or a butterfly. And it takes longer to do things like our very, very complicated scenes with ships and buildings. Doing architecture and perspective like that is really, really tricky. So that would be something that would take many, many, many years to do. So there's a very small painting team to do designs like that.

[Liz]

So are they working from a series of templates of elements that they piece together or what are they working for?

[Jennifer Gracie]

No, it's really, it's really not templates. Things are, things are sketched out by hand. We do our design sketches. We never want any room to be a repeat of any other room. Since it's hand painted, why would we want to do anything that's a copy of any other? So our sketches are all unique and then things are basically chalked out on each panel and then it's a line drawing done on each panel and then they're sort of, let's say if something's being painted on a white, on a dark background. If they were doing this pattern behind me, the white outline of the trees would be done first and then the darker shading would be done in, you know, started to be painted in next and then fine line details would go on last. So. But this one actually behind me is particularly tricky because every little square of tortoise shell that you see is actually hand painted as well. So.

[Caroline]

Incredible. Yeah.

[Jennifer Gracie]

Wow.

[Caroline]

That's sort of. I, I really loved getting to see some of the really up close photographs of the Papers that have, I guess you would call it like the aging applied like on the background. And that I found to be so fascinating. And I wonder if you could kind of tell people about and like the, the, the sort of paneled or like. What's the right word?

[Jennifer Gracie]

Yes. So we do that piece. So that two different things we're talking about. So the pieced backgrounds, that is something that we've done for a very long time. Because back when antique wallpapers were first made in China, you know, in the late 1600s, early 1700s, there were not huge sheets of uninterrupted paper. So they did always have seams in them. So it's always an option with any of our papers. Someone could choose to do that. The wallpaper here in my office has large rectangles. It's hard to see right here in the studio when you're looking at me, but it has overlapping rectangles in the background. We actually sell rolls of wallpaper that don't have hand painted details, but it just has sort of a block effect in the background and people just buy that as is. It just adds an interesting. You know, it's a lot more interesting than a plain painted wall. But a lot of our backgrounds are made in that way. And then we also do wallpapers where before we even begin painting the design, we create the background so that it looks like a restored antique wallpaper. So the background itself has wrinkles and wear and it has the patina of an 18th or 19th century wallpaper. So it looks like an antique wallpaper that has been removed from a wall, restored and is ready to put.

[Caroline]

It's incredible. Like I said, there were some details in the book and the, you know, of course the book has just like the most luscious paper. And it's just. It has. Hold on one second. It even has the pattern printed on the spine like the.

[Liz]

And on the paper edges.

[Caroline]

The paper edges anyway, so it was just really pretty to see those details up close.

[Jennifer Gracie]

Thank you. Yeah. I don't know why we didn't start doing those really, really antiqued papers earlier, because we've known how to do it forever. Because when we sell antique wallpapers, they never fit a new room. Exactly. So making additions to look like the antique wallpapers is something we've done forever in our New York studio. Making new wallpaper look just like the antique wallpaper that we're selling. So we've had to do that for a very long time. And then, I don't know, maybe 15 or 18 years ago or something like that. My dad said, oh, let's do a wallpaper that looks like that right away, you know, that we're showing in the New York showroom. And so the very first one that we did was called Georgian Ivory. And it. I mean, people just absolutely loved it. It's so, so pretty.

[Caroline]

So it's one of those things where, you know, from far away, you probably wouldn't take it. Take it in. But once you get up close, or maybe if you're in a powder room or something where you're. It's a smaller space, the. It's just an exquisite sort of texture, I guess, really behind the pattern.

[Jennifer Gracie]

It is. You do appreciate it in person, is why. We also tried to show some really tight detail shots in the book, because you can see that effect that you're talking about.

[Caroline]

Going back a little bit. Where did the concept for the book come from? Like, you know, what was sort of the initial decision?

[Jennifer Gracie]

I've been wanting to do it for about 15 years. And then we said that we would do it for our 120th anniversary. And that came and went. And then Covid hit, and then, you know, anyway, time flies.

[Caroline]

It's a big undertaking.

[Jennifer Gracie]

We did. We. It is. It is. And especially with a lengthy history like ours, it's a little bit overwhelming figuring out, how do you start? What do you include? We didn't just want to make it a history book, because that would be boring. So it's probably interesting for our family, but for nobody else. So we can just. We can write that for our own family, but we don't have to. We have to do it for everybody. So we did include a little bit of the history, but it's mostly a lot about our process and lots of beautiful rooms.

[Caroline]

And you wrote a lot of it.

[Jennifer Gracie]

And my dad wrote the intro, which was so special because we kind of sprung that on him at the last minute because he had said he didn't really want to be involved in the book. So we let that lie for a long time. And then when it was pretty much at the 11th hour, we knew all along we wanted to write the intro, but we waited until it was pretty much the deadline. My dad's a really, really good writer. And then we asked him, when it was almost too late if he would write the intro, and he said yes. At that point, he was excited. At that point, we were almost done, and he had seen all of the photocopies of the book, and he. He did a great job. And it just. It wouldn't have Been complete without him being involved. So we were so happy.

[Caroline]

Yeah, it was a beautiful way to start the book. And I, I really loved getting to hear your personal stories because I felt like that, you know, it's easy to like, detach from a lot of brands, probably less so when it's a family owned business. But, you know, just getting to hear your personal stories was, was really, really sweet. So. Yeah.

[Jennifer Gracie]

Thank you. I, I mean, I feel like I hear that when people meet us, I. Our wallpaper is very precious. We as a family are really not. And so I feel like that you hear that, you know, when you read our stories, people sometimes walk into our showrooms with trepidation, like it's a library or something, and they gasp. But we are, we're a very warm family. We joke around a lot. And I think people are immediately put at ease when they come in. And I hope people feel that way when they read our sections of the book as well. So. And when people meet us at different tour events, I know that they'll feel that way too. So we have, we have a lot of fun and we really, we love each other and we really get along so well and I think that will come through.

[Caroline]

It's really cool to see how, I guess not technology, but how the different elements of the business has grown. And it seems like you obviously take the business very seriously, but not so seriously that you can't launch new things and try this and yeah, everything doesn't have to work.

[Jennifer Gracie]

You can try things and move on. If it wasn't a great idea, that's okay. That's life, right?

[Caroline]

You know, what was the process of gathering the photography like? So many, so many interior designers have used your papers and incredible rooms and they, you know, they've all got their own design books. So how did you go about sourcing the photography and deciding which ones you wanted to use?

[Jennifer Gracie]

That was the most difficult and most heartbreaking part of it. I'm still, I'm still sad about rooms that I have in my head that didn't make it into the book or that never got photographed at all. There are so many beautiful rooms that for various reasons, the homeowners never wanted them photographed or they got photographed for themselves, but then just didn't want, you know, publicly released or. I mean, there are many designers who just deal with clients who just, I mean, almost all stay private. Some of our best designer clients rarely, rarely have a project that is ever, ever in a magazine. So that's just the way it is sometimes with, you know, some of the best projects, unfortunately. And then there are so many beautiful projects of ours that unfortunately predate high res photography. You know, there are, there are rooms that my dad worked on with Mark Hampton and Ruben de Saavedra and designers from, you know, the 60s and 70s and 80s. And unfortunately that photography either doesn't exist or just wouldn't really look great on a page these days. So that's also really tough.

[Caroline]

Sure.

[Jennifer Gracie]

Things like that were agonizing.

[Caroline]

Yeah, that would definitely narrow it down because like you said, it's 126 year old business. So, you know, you're only really using, I guess, the last maybe what, 10 years of projects. How old is the oldest project in the book?

[Jennifer Gracie]

That's a really good question. No, there are older projects than that. Well, let's see. One of the oldest installations in the book is a Stephen Gambrell project. And it is a 1930s Gracie wallpaper that is in a home that he completely renovated on the north shore of Long Island. Um, and it had the original wallpaper. It's. It was just this absolutely extraordinary estate that he completely redid and thank goodness, saved the Gracie wallpaper which had to be restored on site. But that is one of the most fun pictures, I think, in the book because the room, I mean, he's just. His projects are extraordinary. I just absolutely adore his work. And the room is so pretty. And it's so much fun to see one of our wallpapers that's almost a hundred years old still. And then there's another one. Our wallpaper in the Greenbrier in the Presidential Suite at the Greenbrier is also quite an old installation. That's gotta be. That's gotta be close to 40 years old at this point.

[Caroline]

I think the one in on Long island, that was such an interesting story. Did they have to take the paper off the wall and then reinstall it or did they like refurbish it and clean it on while it was on the wall?

[Jennifer Gracie]

They did not. They left it there. And two very talented people, John Alabaya and Jim Francis, very talented installers that we recommend actually cleaned it on site.

[Caroline]

So that's so interesting and something that I wouldn't have necessarily realized. Y'all did, you know, have restorations of your own papers. Very cool.

[Jennifer Gracie]

Yeah. I mean, it's ideal to be able to leave it on the walls and not have to remove it. Because when you remove an old wallpaper there is. You're always going to create some damage pulling it off the wall. You know, you're just going to create some cracks in just that process of pulling it and bending it. So it was great that it was able to stay there. That was wonderful.

[Liz]

Yeah. I've been following you on Instagram for quite some time, and there's maybe a mild obsession with your wallpapers going on here. And, you know, that's fine. But I've seen videos of you taking down wallpaper and archiving paper. Can you tell us a little bit about that process and what is it about Gracie Papers that you can do something like that even? I mean, I personally just think of.

[Jennifer Gracie]

It's not just ours. You could do it with any. You could do it with any paper. It's just. It's just taking an extra step or two and preparing the walls. So you have to put up. We consider it a mandatory step to put up a real paper lining paper. But what you have to do is lining paper, fabric, muslin, typically another layer of lining paper, then our wallpaper. And that will enable you to. That's. That's when you see those crazy videos of me just peeling it off the wall really quickly. It's so much fun. So satisfying. And. Yes, but it's. No, it's not just. It's not exclusive to Gracie wallpaper. You could do that with any paper. I don't think you would bother doing it with, you know, a very inexpensive wallpaper. Why would you bother?

[Liz]

Right.

[Jennifer Gracie]

But doing the extra step. But it makes sense, you know, making that investment. But. Yes.

[Liz]

Yeah, that's really interesting. That's a lot of prep. But that.

[Jennifer Gracie]

But totally worth it. It's so much fun. Yeah. I know. I know of one of our wallpapers that has moved to four different homes over its lifetime.

[Caroline]

Oh, wow.

[Jennifer Gracie]

Because of that. Yeah.

[Liz]

That's really wild to think about.

[Jennifer Gracie]

Investment.

[Liz]

Yeah, that's wild to think about it. Having different lives and I guess having different cuts and placements and things too.

[Jennifer Gracie]

Yeah. You can use it so many different ways. I know of families who have removed it and then divided it and given different sections to their kids who have then framed it and used it in their own homes in different rooms. Um, so, you know, I. It really is because it's hand painted. I say to people that it is more a work of art than wallpaper, really. I mean, I do think of it that way. It's. You can think of it more as an investment than. It's not like paint. It's not like painting your wall. So it's. It probably is worth taking that extra step and that little bit of Extra cost in the installation process and being able to do that when you are.

[Liz]

The framed panels also look so gorgeous.

[Jennifer Gracie]

Thank you. Yeah, I love those. And it's so nice. I mean, if you're renting a house, if you're in your first home, I mean, I understand that not everybody can afford to do a room of our wallpaper, and I love that that makes it more accessible. You can just buy a single panel and put it somewhere that you love, and you're always going to have a place where you can use that single panel.

[Caroline]

There was a really pretty bookshelf in the. In the book that it was mounted on the back. In the back of the cabinet. That was. Yeah, that was really lovely.

[Jennifer Gracie]

Yeah, that. That makes me happy, too, that we, you know, you can order just a single panel. That's a minimum order. So you could just do that. Just line. Line one shelf. That's a nice way to use it.

[Caroline]

When you were compiling the photography, was there anything that surprised you or any rooms you hadn't seen before?

[Jennifer Gracie]

There were lots of rooms I hadn't seen before. That was one of the most fun things. I mean, nothing makes me more excited because I am the one who runs the institute. It's something I've never been willing. Yeah. Yeah. When. Oh, when you get an answer in a dm, it's me.

[Caroline]

That's Jen, Gracie, that's me.

[Jennifer Gracie]

Yeah. I've never delegated the Instagram, so it's also the reason. I apologize if you don't get an.

[Caroline]

Answer to a dm.

[Jennifer Gracie]

It's also because it's me and I'm. I'm doing so many other things, so I apologize in advance. I do my best to keep up, but it's hard. Nothing makes me happier than when I see a tag on Instagram and it's a room, a new room that I haven't seen or a new installation going up. I love an installation shot. I sometimes love it more than a professional photo, to be honest. Honest. An installer on a ladder. Nothing makes my day more. Yeah, that's great. That's a great day for me. But no, I really, I. There. There are so many, and. And I will sometimes. I will sometimes DM a designer on Instagram and say, hey, are you going to have that professionally shot? Yeah.

[Caroline]

Did y'all have to, or did you reach out to people and I guess, request photography or. Yeah, okay.

[Jennifer Gracie]

Yes. Yeah. There are some rooms that we did have show up just for the book.

[Caroline]

How cool.

[Jennifer Gracie]

Yeah. Because we knew. We knew that we did not want to have them explained.

[Caroline]

You know, I was so familiar with the. More of the garden scenes, but I hadn't seen as many of, like, the Japanese. The Japanese ones and the landscapes. Those were so pretty. And I was so happy to get to have, you know, so many in one place in the book. That was really cool.

[Jennifer Gracie]

We're adding more and more of the Japanese designs. Japanese screens have always been one of my favorite, favorite types of art. And I used to love going with my parents to Japan, and we used to buy screens in Kyoto. And I just. I think they are so beautiful, so elegant. I love the simplicity of the compositions. And so those are a particular part, a particular line that I'm really enjoying adding to. So I'm happy that we have a section devoted to those. And, yeah, the panoramic landscapes as well. That's a really fun section, too. And which were your favorite of those?

[Caroline]

I feel like there were some pastoral ones. You know, I actually really love the silhouettes. I guess those would be considered garden ones, but they're so striking.

[Jennifer Gracie]

Those are pretty. And they're also really. Those are interesting because they're sort of transitional. I feel like people, even people who live in more modern homes who thought they would never want to live with a floral wallpaper, really, really respond to those because they're very pared down.

[Caroline]

There's that. I assume this is a grace paper, but I don't know. There's that Tom Shear room at the. That's not. Oh, man. Well, it's. It's. So you know exactly what I'm talking about, though. What is that? It's the Lifeord K Club, and it's got that brown wallpaper with the white palms on it, I think.

[Jennifer Gracie]

I'm not sure. I think it might be a printed design. There's a repeat in that room, so I'm not sure how that room was done, but. Yeah, I mean, talk about it instantly.

[Caroline]

I conquer. I mean, you can conjure that image, like.

[Jennifer Gracie]

Yeah, brown and pink. What a combo. It works so well.

[Caroline]

And you talk in multiple times in the book about the blue and brown, which I thought always looks so good together. Something about those colors.

[Jennifer Gracie]

Yeah. Which is what I've got.

[Caroline]

Yeah.

[Jennifer Gracie]

In my room right here, I found this fortunate fabric on ebay, of all places.

[Caroline]

Liz, what was your favorite of the papers? That wasn't my. I couldn't pick a favorite, but I did. I do love the silhouettes.

[Liz]

No, I can't really pick favorites, but, I mean, any entryway, I'm just. It feels so iconic to me. There's one with, like, golden clouds that moves through the natural landscape. I just.

[Jennifer Gracie]

Oh, I think that's the one I'm about to put in my own living room out here in la. Ooh, yeah. With gold clouds. Piano garden.

[Caroline]

Oh, I did love Linda's garden. That was named after your grand. Your grandmother. Your mother. Your mother.

[Jennifer Gracie]

My mom. No, my mom. Yeah.

[Caroline]

I liked this color. It's like, sepia one.

[Jennifer Gracie]

I love that. Avery Selleck designed that room. That is such a pretty room.

[Caroline]

And then there was some versions that had, like, lemons in it.

[Jennifer Gracie]

That's peach. Yeah, that's the peach version of Linda's garden. It had.

[Caroline]

Oh, lemons.

[Jennifer Gracie]

That's the original colorway of Linda's garden. Yeah, I love that one too. We're actually about to do a room in that colorway at the Beverly Hills Women's Club out here. It's gonna be so pretty. Yeah, it's a beautiful building that was built in the 1920s, and that's gonna be really. That's actually where my first book signing event is gonna be, here in la.

[Caroline]

All right, well, Jen, thank you so much. This was so lovely. And getting to see your book was a treat. Highly recommend, everyone.

[Jennifer Gracie]

This is really fun. Oh, thank you.

[Caroline]

Will you tell everyone where they can find you, follow you, and pick up the book?

[Jennifer Gracie]

Well, as we've said, you can maybe try to DM me on Instagram and you can always send me an email. And our book tour dates and locations are on our website, so I hope people will try to find us. Absolutely.

[Caroline]

If you're like a coffee table book gal and you like a beautiful coffee table book that you can read, but you can also display with some pretty. This is a really good one for that. It'll go right on the top of your stack. That's how pretty.

[Liz]

Yeah, it's been on the top of my stack for four. Yeah. For these weeks. And it's been just such a joy to go through.

[Caroline]

I'm really.

[Jennifer Gracie]

I'll put it on the top of mine as soon as I get it out from under my computer when we're done.

[Caroline]

And that's our show. You can find all of the show notes on our blog. How2decorate.com podcast to send in a decorating dilemma. Email your questions to podcast ballard designs.net so we can help you with your space. And, of course, be sure to follow us on social media at Ballard Designs.

[Liz]

Don't forget to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts so you never miss an episode. And please leave us a review you. We'd love to hear your feedback.

[Caroline]

Until next time. Happy decorating.