Wakefield might not be the first place you think of for interior style. You think of the Hepworth Gallery, the Rhubarb Triangle, and maybe a slightly damp Wetherspoons. However, this little city is secretly a heavyweight champion of wallpaper. It has more specialist wallpaper shops per square mile than you can shake a paste brush at.
I once walked into a shop on Westgate Road and asked for something “fun.” The owner, a man who looked like a retired punk rocker, rolled his eyes. He then insisted I touch a roll of wallpaper that felt exactly like a cat’s tongue. I bought three rolls. I still don’t know why.
The Holy Trinity of Wakefield Wallpaper
Forget the big box stores. The real magic happens in the indie joints. There is a place near the cathedral that sells only flock wallpaper. Not just any flock, but flock that looks like velvet, corduroy, and one pattern that I swear was trying to be an angry porcupine. Touching it is a sensory experience you didn’t know you needed.
Then there is the shop that sells only retro prints. We’re talking 1970s oranges, brown swirls, and patterns that look like a lava lamp had a seizure. The owner there told me, with a completely straight face, that “avocado is making a comeback.” He wasn’t joking. I saw the price tag: £95 a roll.
And finally, the weirdest shop: a place that specializes in 3D brick-effect wallpaper. You walk in and feel like you’ve stumbled into a Roman ruin crossed with a teenager’s bedroom. It’s surprisingly popular. I asked why. The assistant shrugged and said, “It hides damp patches better than a plasterer.” Fair point.
Wakefield Bed Centre at Lucinda Mccathie blog
