PRESERVATION OF WALLPAPERS AS PARTS OF INTERIORS

Historic types of wallpaper and decorative schemes of interiors
are a “dead-stock” from a store in Rapla, Estonia. (Fig. 62)
As the wallpapers have never been used, they offer good
examples of popular patterns and original tones used during
the 1930s. From the collection one could conclude that the backgrounds
of Functionalist wallpapers were usually in clear tones
(e.g. red, yellow, blue, green and pink) and were accompanied
by geometric or fine abstract patterns.
A similar Functionalist wallpaper is shown in two photos
of a room in the residence of the Ungern-Sternberg family on
the Toompea in Tallinn (Fig. 63). As is typical of a Functionalist
room, the walls are not segmented, but rather covered by a single
wallpaper from the baseboard up to a narrow border. Since
such wallpapers provided a rather plain background, various
objects, such as paintings and pieces of antique furniture, could
be exhibited in front of them.
Since Estonians did not have long experience with decorating
their homes, inspiration was drawn from England and
countries with similar climates, such as Finland. 169 An interior
of the 1930s was supposed to be spacious, clean, comfortable
and peaceful. 170 Walls were covered with either oil or distemper
paint, or with a colourful wallpaper. 171 Besides colour, other
important aspects for choosing a wallpaper were its pattern, and
the function and location of a room. Neutral colours, such as
blue, silver-grey and dark green, were recommended for welllit
rooms situated in the south and west. Warm tones helped to
minimize the cold appearance of northern rooms. All red tones
and dark shades of brown were considered suitable for sunny
rooms in the east. Ivory-white wallpapers were a good choice for
any room. 172 Since wallpaper played an essential role in room
decoration, it was chosen very carefully. Fashionable wallpapers
did not commonly have extraordinary patterns, but rather had
areas of colours that melted into each other. 173
169
A. Soodla, “Ideaalsema kodu poole!” in Oma Kodu, February 1938, 52.
170
Ibid., 51.
171
Aleksander Klein, Moodne elamu ja ruumide sisustamine (Tallinn: Vaba Maa, 1932), 101.
172
Elli Aaslava, “Moodsad tapetid ja nende mõte” in Moodne kodu sisustus. Juhiseid ja
pilte (Tallinn: Eesti Naise Kirjastus, 1932), 83.
173
Klein, Moodne elamu ja ruumide sisustamine, 101.
102