When a historic wallpaper survives in a home or institution, replacement should always be the last resort. Restoration begins with careful surface cleaning and stabilization of any lifting or flaking material, often using conservation-grade consolidants applied by hand.
Tears and losses are repaired with archival Japanese tissue and reversible wheat-starch paste — the same materials used in paper conservation labs — rather than modern tapes or adhesives that can cause long-term damage.
Color-matching for infill areas is done by hand, mixing pigments to match faded, light-exposed original material rather than the paper's original saturated color, so repairs read as sympathetic rather than jarring.
Charleston Decorative Arts partners with historic preservation organizations across the Southeast to assess, document, and restore original wallpaper in landmark properties.