Runs and Repeats

I recently installed a beautiful grasscloth on one accent wall of a lovely bedroom that I want to tell you about. For the most part, grasscloth is made such that it is hung without any pattern to match. This characteristic is often the reason it is chosen, it is natural and organic in pattern and what really makes it shine is that it can’t be replicated. The natural fibers can give the paper an amazing texture.

Up close and personal view of the York Tea Leaves wallpaper.

This was paper in particular was different. This grasscloth was paired with a sort of screen printing on top. And so - there was a pattern of giant tea leaves that needed to be matched. Typically, when it comes to hanging just grasscloth and there is no pattern or repeat to take into consideration, then each panel that is to be hung comes off the roll simply the length of the panel. So if a wall is 96” tall, like it was in this case, I would cut the 100” long panel from the roll and immediately start where I cut for the next panel. This is so fun because there is very minimal waste. But on this day, I was faced with a repeat of 25.25” which meant that I could get exactly 101” long panels (4 full repeats) if I wanted to use the paper wisely, which I always aim to do! Bottom line- not much wiggle room between panels. It also meant that I could only get 3 panels per double roll and I calculated that I need 7 panels in total for the length of the wall.

The clients were so ready to go that when I got there to take the measurements and provide an estimate, they had already ordered the paper. You know what that might mean—not enough paper. And my hunch was right, they only had ordered two double rolls of paper. This would meant only getting 6 panels and even that was tight depending on where the pattern started on the roll.

Ah, but I am also glad that they did order the paper because it gave me a chance to see that the rolls they had received were from two different runs. This is likely due to the distributer that they were ordering it from apparently had limited the stock and wasn’t allowing multiple double rolls to be purchased. But the client overrode the process by placing two orders under two names. Oopsie.

So they were down a double roll and the two on hand were not from the same run. It’s not often that I see multiple runs like this but I have been in a predicament one time when I forgot to check and…yes. Murphy’s law. The clients graciously understood the dilemma and were able to work with the original ordering company to make the return. Although I am not sure all the hoops they jumped through and time spent on the phone, I do know they were able to secure three double rolls for the project!

Did I mention that they had significantly textured walls? Another reason why I stand by completing a walk through in person. They were able to get the wall retextured in the time that it took to order the correct amount of paper and away I went! So pleased with the outcome.

Finished installation of the York Tea Leaves wallpaper along the accent wall of this bedroom.