What a cool idea this is.  Recently a reader of this website sent me a personal request in the mail (desperate for help).

She found an aged and distressed wallpaper look in a Pottery Barn catalog that she loved.  But… can't figure out a technique to achieve the look.  What's a girl to do?  Call on THAT Painter Lady for help of course… :) 

Here is her question:

Debra! I saw a photo of what appears to be a distressed wallpaper effect– it looks as if somebody put up off-white wallpaper around the time of the Civil War and her descendants never changed it (or washed it, either) so now the BEAUTIFULLY worn, yellowed, browned, water stained, rumpled, streaked, and all of those good antiquey - vintage things.

Could you help me with suggestions as to how I could achieve this look? I'd be very grateful. Ann 

Here is the photograph from Pottery Barn:

So how would you achieve this look?

I asked Ann if she would like to put up paper or use just paint to achieve this look?

She answered with:

Hi, Debra!  Thanks for taking the time and putting in the effort to help me!It's deeply appreciated!To answer your inquiry:  either/or, doesn't matter, but I would of course value your professional opinion as to which technique would be easier and less expensive.  Whatever you say, I'll do — you're the expert! Thanks again, Ann

I'll give it a go… Thanks Ann for the great question.

First… let's talk about color. Aged walls can seem to have a yellow cast, but this look is actually a bit peach in color, so we can use either color to achieve the look. It would depend on the rooms furnishings and lighting. If you will be in the room with table lamps and incandescent lighting… this gives a yellow cast to the wall on it's own.  

Florescent lighting may cause a greenish cast.

Natural lighting from a large window gives clear light in the day time, but if the room is used often at night… the entire look of the wall will be changed. 

Any faux finish should be very subtle… not the first thing that is noticed in the room. The first thing you see in the Pottery Barn photograph is the furniture… then the walls come in to focus. This is the effect you will want to achieve.

Walking into a room with faded wallpaper should feel like grandmothers house, not an abandoned room.  This is why this effect should be subtle.  

This idea will take a bit to explain… so I have cut the article into 4 parts.  Here is the link to Part Two of Distressed Wallpaper Look.