One of my absolute favorite things about living in Europe, was visiting quaint, little cafes in Germany and France. There is something so unique, special and endearing about a "folk" looking cafe or bistro in Bavaria or the French Alps that is warming to the heart and "oh, so comforting" to the soul. There really is nothing like it in the world. Many are laden with antlers, folk painting, oil paintings, wood beams and paneling, and of course, mouth watering coffee and pastries.
When I moved back home from Europe and into my petite loft, I needed to utilize every inch of my place so that my home could store all my goodies, look good and most importantly, be functional. I needed a place to hook up my espresso machine and coffee bar and the Louis armoire that I found in France, was the perfect piece to create a tucked-away French/ Bavarian fusion cafe. When I open its doors, I feel swept away to a little "folk" coffee shop in the European countryside. It's a great centerpiece for entertaining as well!
I came across this gorgeous and incredibly real looking faux, fawn hide wall-paper from Walls Republic and I knew that I needed to use it somewhere in my home. It is unique, classic, timeless and reminded me of something I would have seen in the German Alps. You guys, you seriously would not believe the quality of this stuff. It is heavy, textured and looks absolutely real in person. Walls Republic sent me a few samples of the coverings that I liked and I absolutely fell in love with the fawn hide (along with the other four samples that I am madly searching for a place in my home to utilize). To my surprise, when the wallpaper arrived, it said it was "made in Germany"! I was so elated! Not only did it have the look that I was going for and appeared completely authentic, but it was also from the magical land of adorable cafes!
And here is the after! Look at what a difference the wall-paper makes!
This print looks awesome with all of my vintage and folk pieces that I brought back, but I am also looking forward to styling it with some clean, modern accessories in the future to switch up the look.
I wanted to line the inside of my armoire with this stunning paper without ruining the integrity of the armoire, so I will be sharing with you how I created this semi-permanent design without touching the wood. I would love to eventually get a few different papers so that I can swap the backing or "backdrop" of my cabinet in and out and I can use my armoire for all different things and I can adjust this accent wall as the seasons (and my tastes) change.
Yes, that's a super studly German dog, wearing a hat and smoking a pipe with a fox on it...
Even if you can't afford an entire room or wall in a fabulous, high quality wallpaper, you really should consider using it on an accent wall, niche or piece of furniture to add richness, texture and interest to your space. I was blown away by the quality and by the wonderful customer service that was provided by Walls Republic. The pictures of their items online don't do justice... you really need to get some samples for yourself! Not only does it look and feel great but it was easy to match the seams and it didn't show any bubbles or air pockets because it is so thick and textured. I am definitely putting the remnants to good use as well, and I can't wait to show you
what I have in store for that!
I never imagined that wall paper could cure my intense homesickness for my little German Barn and village, but it does the trick. My tucked-away espresso bar is a great little spot to drift away, get inspired and start my mornings off right. I can't wait to entertain and open its enchanting doors to take my guests to a "storybook" cafe, like the ones I cherished while living abroad. I can almost smell crepes and hear accordion music when I enter this lovely little space (probably because I have French accordion playing on my playlist and a constant craving for Nutella Crepes). Do yourself a favor and check out Walls Republic and all the awesome papers they have to offer, you won't be disappointed.
Stay tuned for more posts on how to make a space like this in your home! Tutorials and DIY's coming this week!
In case you missed it, click here to read about what I have been up to!
I am off to enjoy some coffee!
Tchüss!
