Is a Printed Wallpaper Still an Artist's Work if the Original Was Painted by Hand?
Last updated: 19 October 2026
In short: Yes, when the pattern begins as a real painting and the process is stated plainly. An interview published by The Guide Istanbul reports that Iksel Decorative Arts hand-paints its scenic designs, then scans and prints them to the size and color a room needs, and that most designers are happy with the effect and price of the printed panels. Angela Simeone works the same honest way: an original painting becomes a printed pattern on 20 oz vinyl.
What does "hand-painted" mean on a wallcovering?
It depends on which object is being described. An interview with the founders of Iksel Decorative Arts, published by The Guide Istanbul, says the studio, founded in 1988 by Mehmet and Dimonah Iksel, still hand-paints its designs, then scans and prints them according to the size and color needed. The piece adds that most designers are more than happy with the effect and price point of the printed panels. (The page is undated; the practice it describes is the useful part.)
The distinction is the honest one. The original is painted by hand. The wallcovering is printed. Both can be true of the same design, and a designer deserves to be told which is which.
What are designers choosing for walls this season?
Texture, mood and a painter's touch. Rebecca Craig, lead designer at Sanderson and Morris & Co, told Country & Town House in January 2026: "Rather than starting with carpet or fabrics, designers and homeowners are now beginning with wallpaper." Flora Daly, lead designer at Harlequin, describes the effect designers want from texture as "a lovely sense of movement and texture that brings walls to life." Both appear in Charlie Colville's 2026 trends report.
The hospitality side points the same way. Gray Davis of Meyer Davis, quoted in Artestial's Aurum column, describes a direction of "layering large-scale patterns on walls with deep jewel tones, highly textured leathers, and deep veined colored marbles." When the wall is where a room starts, the source of the pattern matters.
What does a pattern drawn from a painting add?
A named origin and a mark you can trace. Each of my wallpaper patterns begins with mark-making from one of my original paintings, so the wall reads as singular: evocative, rich and deep. The easy version of that story would call the product hand-painted, and it is not. The pattern is drawn from a hand-painted original and printed by a manufacturer onto 20 oz Type II commercial-grade vinyl, with an embossed face and a slight strié shimmer over a laminated fabric backing.
Rolls are 24 inches wide, pre-trimmed and unpasted, with a 52-inch width for commercial projects. Custom colorways and scale are available to the trade. That is the whole story, and it is a good one without embroidery.
How do you choose between a catalog pattern and an artist-designed one?
Order the sample first and hold it against the room's real light. Ask where the pattern came from and who made the original. If the answer is a named painter and a stated process, the wall will carry that answer for as long as it is up.
For designers and art consultants, the studio offers samples and trade pricing through the Trade Program. Browse the full wallpaper collection and the process behind it below.
→ Explore the collection: Wallpaper patterns by Angela Simeone · For the trade: Trade Program · Meet the painter: About Angela
Frequently asked questions
Is printed wallpaper still an artist's work?
Yes, when the pattern begins as an original painting and the maker says so. A hand-painted original that is scanned and printed is a long-standing way to produce wallcoverings, and many designers choose the printed version for its effect and price.
Is Angela Simeone's wallpaper hand-painted?
No. Each pattern is drawn from an original hand-painted work and printed by a manufacturer onto 20 oz Type II commercial-grade vinyl. The painting is by hand; the wallcovering is printed.
What are the specifications of the vinyl wallpaper?
20 oz Type II commercial-grade vinyl with an embossed face and slight strié shimmer over a laminated fabric backing. Rolls are 24 inches wide, pre-trimmed and unpasted; a 52-inch width is available for commercial use.
Can designers order custom colorways?
Yes. Custom colorways and scale are available to the trade, and samples can be ordered before committing to a pattern.