THE HILL HOUSE

We’ve been working our way through the upstairs renovation at the Hill House - the hall bathroom, picking paint colors, built-in bookcase with the secret compartment, refinished hardwood floors - and now we’re jumping to the bedrooms. The largest of the three bedrooms will eventually be Daphne’s, so she got to choose the wallpaper… within reason 😉 Today we’re sharing the grasscloth she picked, what we learned installing it ourselves, and everything we’d tell a friend before hanging grasscloth wallpaper for the first time (we have THOUGHTS!). The internet almost scared me away from using grasscloth, but I’m SO glad it didn’t. Let’s get into it…

Holding grasscloth wallpaper after pasting and booking before installing on the wall

wallpaper, nickel-gap paneling, paint: BM Swiss Coffee

What Is Grasscloth Wallpaper?

Grasscloth is a natural wallcovering made from woven plant fibers - typically jute, sisal, hemp, or seagrass - adhered to a paper backing. Unlike printed wallpaper, grasscloth is handcrafted. That means:

Subtle color variation between panels
Slight texture shifts
Visible seams are normal

These are not flaws, they’re part of the charm (think honed marble or unlacquered brass)! If you love layered, old-house texture, grasscloth delivers depth that flat paint simply cannot. Needless to say, I’m a huge fan!

Why We Chose Grasscloth

This room will eventually be Daphne’s, though she’s generously “lending” it to us while our downstairs primary is under construction first. We wanted it to feel like hers and something she’d love for years - not overly grown-up, not overly childish. When I asked what she wanted, she said: Pink. Purple. Floral. Canopy bed. Blue maybe. A vanity or desk. Her pink chaise. And she confidently dictated furniture placement. (Apple didn’t fall far from this tree 😉)

A collection of floral, whimsical, and pretty wallpaper samples for Daphne's childhood bedroom

samples: Morris & Co, Lulu & Georgia, artist Tess Newall, Lisa Fine Textiles, and block printer Molly Mahon

I pulled wallpaper samples that fit her brief but also felt timeless enough for the house. Daphne chose the small-scale floral grasscloth (the sample on the left) and honestly, it surprised me in the best way. It was the least obviously ‘girly’ or ‘pink, purple, maybe blue’ option, but so very enduring. The small flowers look like hearts from far away and the texture of the neutral grasscloth reads subtly pink - it’s just right.

Daphne's grasscloth wallpaper

What to Know Before Hanging Grasscloth Wallpaper

We’ve wallpapered a bunch before but this was our first grasscloth experience. Here’s what you need to know…

1. Prep Is Everything

Grasscloth highlights imperfections more than standard wallpaper. Here’s what we did:

Applied a good primer (this one came highly recommended!)
Painted a thin coat of flat paint color-matched to the wallpaper background at Sherwin Williams (this minimizes visible seams)
Fully painted trim, ceiling, and wainscot before installing wallpaper
Waited to install crown molding and the top rail of wainscot until after wallpapering (so trim covers edges cleanly)
Installed window and door trim with a slight shim so we could slide wallpaper underneath for crisp edges (SO good!)
Set up separate cutting and glue tables (glue stains the front of grasscloth easily)
Used a good-quality, clear and strippable wallpaper glue

If you’re working with older walls, smoothness matters. The flatter the surface, the better your result. We were working with nearly perfect walls and clean corners since these were just drywalled by our guy Edward last month and that made all the difference!

We used a color matched paint prior to installing grasscloth wallpaper to make seams less obvious

Our cutting table set up for grasscloth wallpaper installation

Applying paste and booking grasscloth wallpaper on a separate table before installation

2. Grasscloth Is Not as Scary as the Internet Says

We followed the manufacturer’s instructions exactly:

Paste the paper (not the wall)
Book for 3 minutes
Use a brush (not a roller) to set it

The install took about one full day. It was genuinely our easiest wallpaper install to date. The key is slowing down and protecting the paper’s front from glue and water.

Installing grasscloth wallpaper together in a bedroom renovation at the Hill House

3. Seam & Corner Lessons We Learned

There was a lot of ‘how to cut grasscloth’ YouTube watching before we got started, but here’s what actually helped.

Precut 3 sheets on the table before starting (we used a rolling fabric cutter on a melamine sheet and it worked really well!)
Double-cut seams on the wall for clean transitions (we kept at least one strip dry while cutting so there was less glue to manage).
Add a little extra adhesive at outside corners. Grasscloth wants to lift there.
Cut inside corners a few inches after corner to prevent bubbling and getting off level.
Always level your first strip!
Always cut with sharp blades (seriously have like 50 blades on hand!)
Grasscloth (and all wallpaper really) is better hung with 2 people
Expect some minor visibility at seams. Embrace them.

Grasscloth is about texture, not perfection.

Grasscloth wallpaper installation at an inside and outside corner with extra adhesive applied

Detail of grasscloth wallpaper wrapped and trimmed at an outside corner

Detail of grasscloth wallpaper wrapped and trimmed at an inside corner

4. Plan Millwork Strategically

This was huge! Garrett thought through the millwork, which was all new in here. He intentionally:

Left off crown molding
Left off the top rail of the wainscot
Installed window and door trim with a slight shim so we could slide wallpaper underneath for crisp edges
Pre-painted all trim (installed and uninstalled) before wallpaper

That allowed us to wallpaper quickly without precision micro-cuts - and the crown and wainscot top rail will hide the edges beautifully. Designing the sequence of installation matters as much as the design itself.

Finished grasscloth wallpaper in Daphne’s bedroom at the Hill House, showing small-scale floral print and layered texture

Installing grasscloth wallpaper under the edge of window trim for a clean finish

Installing painted wainscot cap over the edge of grasscloth wallpaper for a clean finish

A Quick Note on Wainscot

Why wainscot in a bedroom, especially a kid’s bedroom? Well…

It protects the lower wall!!
It’s far less expensive than grasscloth
It keeps the wallpaper from feeling overwhelming
It makes the room feel architectural and layered - think Gil Schafer

We pulled this wainscot design in from the hallway and debated painting it pink or a warm neutral, but once the wallpaper was up, the white we had settled on (BM Swiss Coffee - our favorite!) felt right. It lets the texture shine and gives Daphne flexibility as her tastes evolve.

The Finished Grasscloth (So Worth It)

The crown molding and top rail still need to be installed, but even unfinished, this wallpaper completely transformed the room. The texture is subtle but interesting and handmade. The scale is sweet but not overtly childish (this paper could absolutely go in an adult’s bedroom, too). The warmth feels layered and grounded and so, so lovely! Garrett and I keep walking in here to ogle at the paper - it’s that good.

View from door into Daphne’s bedroom featuring newly installed grasscloth wallpaper

Finished grasscloth wallpaper in Daphne’s bedroom at the Hill House, showing small-scale floral print and look into future ensuite bathroom

From the hallway, the wallpaper looks pretty good with the test patch of F&B Slipper Satin on the hallway panelling (Off White in the bathroom). This is where lots of rooms meet so I’ve been using this spot as a litmus test for the hallway color. Still debating - do I go darker? less yellow? thoughts?

View from hallway into Daphne’s bedroom featuring newly installed grasscloth wallpaper

A Room That Feels Grown With Care

Growing up, I had a lot of freedom in my bedroom. I moved the furniture around constantly. I tacked up posters. I experimented. I absolutely drew on the walls with permanent marker at one point (sorry, Mom).

That kind of creative freedom is important. But there’s also something really beautiful about giving a child a thoughtfully designed foundation - a room that feels intentional, layered, and cared for from the start. This wallpaper feels like that kind of beginning.

Will Daphne make it her own? Of course.

Will bedding change? Definitely.

Will art rotate and evolve? Absolutely.

Will I pass her small, discreet tacks instead of letting her tape posters directly to the grasscloth? Also yes 😉

Kids’ rooms are always a give and take. I want her to feel creative ownership, but I also want the room to reflect the care and craftsmanship we’re putting into the Hill House as a whole. The grasscloth gives her a beautiful backdrop - one that feels solid enough to last, but sweet enough to feel like hers right now.

View from doorway into Daphne’s bedroom featuring newly installed grasscloth wallpaper

Final Thoughts on Hanging Grasscloth Wallpaper

I’m officially a grasscloth person, now! If you’re considering grasscloth and feeling intimidated, here’s my honest take:

It’s not perfect (that’s kinda the point!)
It’s more expensive than regular wallpaper
Seams may show a bit and variation will happen
But the warmth and texture are unmatched
If you like honed marble and unlaquered brass (🙋‍♀️) you’ll probably love grasscloth!

With proper prep, thoughtful sequencing, and a little patience, it will turn out stunning. And in an old house especially, it just works. It adds softness, depth, craft, and that layered, lived-in feeling we’re always chasing. Daphne chose well! And I think this paper will grow with her - and with the Hill House - for years to come. More bedroom progress soon.

xx

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