When the Cross House was built in 1894, it was common for higher-end homes to have a patterned wall paper, a 20-inch high patterned frieze, and a patterned ceiling paper. In the two-story stair hall, fragments of all three papers are extant. In some other rooms, wall paper fragments have also been found.

It was also common to have “better” papers for the main first-floor rooms, with less expensive, simpler papers for the upstairs bedrooms.

As such, I assume the Octagon Bedroom was originally fully papered, and with simple patterns.

All the bedrooms of the house had a wall paper and a frieze paper as there remains a tell-tale dark horizontal stripe about a 1/2-inches thick where the two papers did not quite touch. This was then covered by the picture rail. The stripe was caused by dirt staining the plaster, and is common.

So, to be historically correct, I would choose simple papers for the Octagon Bedroom. But, I have three approaches to the house:

1. If a feature of the house has been damaged, restore it. If a feature has been lost, and can be accurately recreated (like the diamond-paned windows on the west dormer), recreate it. If a feature has been lost, and a reasonable assumption can be made as to what it looked like, go for it (like the 1890s gas/electric chandelier in the parlor).
2. If zero evidence exists as to What Was, hey, go for whatever I want!
3. The house in 126-years-old. How the house is done does not ONLY have to reflect 1894. This is why I have a 1950s bedroom set in the Long Bedroom, 1970s pendants lights in the library, and will have 1970s Mylar peacock wallpaper in the powder room.

And all this brings me to my ponderings on how to decorate the Octagon Bedroom. Initially, I thought of doing something subtle:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the frieze, I have been pondering painting it flat blue (blue, like in the stained glass). Then I would do vertical 6-inch-wide stripes in gloss poly. So, the frieze would have a shimmering quality. The ceiling I would paint a pale lettuce green in flat, but I have no idea of what pattern I would do, although there will be an octagon “oculus”.

Because there is white in the wall paper, I could do a white chenille duvet cover as I wanted.

 

 

Although the wall paper is INTENSE, I do not think the room will be overwhelmed by it. There is really only one wall which will fully display the paper, and that is the new west wall. The other three walls are largely broken  up by three windows, a mantel/overmantel, a huge pocket door, and the elegant oak bedroom set.

Even the middle of the long west wall will be broken by…

 

 

 

White bedding will further “calm” the room.

There will be an octagon-shaped rug on the floor although I have not yet found anything I like.

In short, I think the room will be, yes, unexpected, but intensely beautiful and inviting. Although dog lovers might take exception.