What is Lincrusta? - Frank answers a few questions:

Lincrusta was the ingenious invention of Frederick Walton in 1877, who had pioneered the development of linoleum floor coverings in the 1860’s. He saw the Victorians’ love of ornate plaster work and his washable wallcovering soon became a popular alternative because of its beauty, practicality and durability. Designs quickly found their way into a huge variety of applications from royal homes to railway carriages, as well as notable buildings throughout the world, including The White House.

One interesting story comes from a decorator who attended a course in Darwen, Lancashire in the 1970’s. The story goes, that when John F Kennedy became US President, his wife took on the redecoration of The White House. A badly damaged Lincrusta dado was discovered in one of the White House rooms and The Wallpaper Manufacturers Ltd, Darwen, then owners of Lincrusta, were contacted. The original rollers were found to enable a re-run of the pattern to the delight of Jackie Kennedy!

Lincrusta has stood the test of time and is still made in Lancashire, using traditional methods. Both water resistant and fire retardant, yet made from natural ingredients, with Linseed as the base, making Lincrusta so versatile and suitable for installation in any room.

My love for Lincrusta started when I first began decorating, some 30 years ago. I’ve always admired the decorative details of things, especially historical properties.

More than a wallcovering - I am always looking for new uses for Lincrusta, for example, I successfully installed Lincrusta Amelia as a kitchen splash-back (chosen for the un-fussy design). This example is finished in copper, and, over 4 years later it has proved to be incredibly durable and easy to wipe clean.

Can Lincrusta be repainted?

As Lincrusta ages, it also ‘cures’ / hardens, making it extremely durable, lasting for years to come. That is why you see many historical installations still wearing well today. Lincrusta once installed and primed, can then be painted in any finish to suit your interior style and personal taste. Just re-paint it for a fresh new look!

Adding Decorative Effects

The luxurious textures of Lincrusta, in range of classic or contemporary designs, lend themselves perfectly to adding decorative effects or highlights – I enjoy the creativity of exploring the possibilities!  One of my personal favourites is an aged ceramic paint effect, which worked well on Lincrusta Kelmscott design as an inlay for a Victorian Pot Cupboard – see it here  https://www.frankholmesltd.com/potcupboard

Is it possible to repair Lincrusta?

On occasions, Lincrusta installations may need repairing, e.g. as a result of property renovations and remodelling. If the design is no longer in production, it is possible to take a mould of a good area to replicate and replace the damaged area. This is particularly useful when many coats of paint applied over the years has caused some of the decorative detail to be lost, in which case replacing with new Lincrusta would be too obvious, so taking a mould and replicating a section would be more sympathetic with the original.

Customised Pieces and Commissions

A Concept piece – a customised large steamer trunk covered in Lincrusta Amelia, and then gilded with a stunning variegated metal foil. This was a labour of love – time consuming and technical to cut templates for each piece of Lincrusta to perfectly fit, before adding the stunning variegated metal gilding foil and sealing to protect it. https://www.frankholmesltd.com/steamer-trunk

I take commissions for bespoke trunks, clients love the unique one-off customised design just for them, perfect for making a statement and useful storage.

One if the most interesting Lincrusta projects I’ve worked on was creating 2 bespoke Lincrusta headboard features for a boutique hotel. I prepared sample boards for the client, based on features he liked in the Lincrusta brochure, the copper effect was chosen, but for the second installation, I showed the client one of my creative experiment boards and he had to have it! – Lincrusta Elizabeth design painted in an off-white, then I used faux gold gilding foil (dutch gold) to highlight the relief detail.  The frames were also gilded for an added touch of luxury – who can tell it’s not the real thing!

Why employ an Approved Lincrusta Installer?

Lincrusta is a heavy, embossed wallcovering and isn’t installed like a traditional wallpaper - First, each piece of Lincrusta needs to be hand trimmed before it is installed, because the production process creates a protective salvage strip along the roll edges to protect the detail. Also, cutting around features such as fireplaces, etc. can be tricky so know-how for handling Lincrusta is essential. As an Approved Lincrusta Installer with advanced level training from Lincrusta, so you can rest assured of the highest standard of workmanship.

Even though my work is mainly across Lancashire and Cumbria, including the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales, I take each enquiry on its merit. I have worked on a project in France and also in Vancouver, Canada.