Wallpaper Border 1935 - 1942

This wallpaper border was designed by George Robin, sometime between 1855 and 1955. It’s a study in how a few simple colours and shapes can dance together. Look at how the bright blue pops against the black, contained by cool greys. It’s such a simple pattern – looping white lines linking those dark oval shapes. I love how the overall effect is almost musical, like notes on a staff. Each little oval feels like a beat, pulling you along the length of the border. It makes you think about repetition and variation, how one small change can shift the whole feeling of a thing. I’m reminded a little of the way Agnes Martin uses grids, but with a playful, almost folksy twist. It’s amazing to think of this little design repeated around an entire room, a quiet rhythm shaping the space. Wallpaper like this, it’s not just decoration, it's about creating a mood, an atmosphere.