Client: Copenhagen Conservators
Industry: Preserve Art, Architecture and Construction
Service: Art direction, Concept development, Film production
Client: Copenhagen Conservators
Industry: Preserve Art, Architecture and Construction
Service: Art direction, Concept development, Film production
The Art of time travel, restoring a Century-Old wallpaper to its former glory.
An extraordinary piece of wallpaper history, remarkably well-preserved, adorns the staircase of the old German embassy on Stockholmsgade (Copenhagen). This unique wallpaper, unlike any other, has been meticulously restored and recreated by Anne Simonsen and her team from Copenhagen Conservators.
The foresight of Wolff Svendsen’s construction manager ensured the wallpaper was preserved before the building’s transformation into residences. This proved fortunate as the early 20th-century wallpaper revealed its unique value during the restoration of the 2500 m2 building.
This wallpaper is a rare luxury, a type known as imitation gilt leather, once affordable only to the wealthiest. Examples can be found in Amalienborg and the Copenhagen apartment of Hirschsprung himself.
The conservators have spent weeks carefully cleaning and repairing minor damages to the wallpaper. The process of recreating the lost wallpaper strips was a challenge, as the original manufacturing method no longer exists. The team had to innovate throughout the process, from finding the right silicone for embossing to sourcing the perfect paper from Japan.
The result is a beautifully restored piece of history, a testament to the interior design of over a century ago, ready to delight all visitors to the fully restored building.
