Many high-end designers (including Ali Budd, where I originally saw it) are using the Gucci heron wallpaper, which is really more of a mural. A little context - Gucci has a limited selection of beautiful and dramatic wallpapers, which run about $750 a roll. Worth googling, and have a look at Ali Budd's online portfolio for some really interesting wallpaper ideas. SNL's Heidi Gardner also used a Gucci wallpaper, which she presents during her Architectural Digest midcentury Kansas home tour.
I fell in love with the whimsy of an oversized herons pattern, and the now-iconic Gucci mint green is fresh and cheerful. But...I can't justify or afford $750, especially since I wasn't sure if I would like such a dramatic wall mural in person.
I had the idea to style the small walk-in closet in the guest room, since the wall facing the door was empty, and it seemed the perfect spot to add some whimsy that would be (in my view) too much for an entire room. I also thought it would be a neat backdrop to create a dressing area using things from my old house: an oval full-length mirror, a glass console that was in my old entryway, etc.
I discovered that a number of Aliexpress vendors had "interpretations" of heron wall murals that are very close to the original. And they are inexpensive! I decided to take the plunge, and order a few rolls. I went with this vendor, a steal at $10 CDN a roll for paper, and $18 for my preferred peel and stick. I sent them measurements, they send a digital proof, and it arrived in less than 10 days.
I am so impressed with this paper - it was a breeze to hang, and it's staying up. Because this was custom-printed to my measurements, the pattern was pre-aligned on the panels (so no matching a repeat pattern), and it was already sized to the wall. As it was peel-and-stick no tools or paste were required - it's similar to working with post-it notes. I worked bottom-to-top to make sure the herons were perfectly aligned, and the entire process only took about an hour total, not including breaks between rolls.
I used the oval mirror to break up the pattern, then the glass console as a dressing table. I had an acrylic folding chair onto which I added a plush cushion for texture, and I stole Chandler's little napping mat (it's Mon Chateau from Costco Canada, and they usually sell them every December).
Since I was able to use things I had from my old house, the only expense to style this closet was about $60 for the wallpaper - which is only on that one wall. I used leftover paint to freshen the remaining closet walls, you can see the left-side dowels to hang clothes. On the right side are shelves. It looks like a whole other room! The wallpaper somehow makes the closet appear larger, and the angled area rug contributes to an illusion of depth.
