1. Ever stayed at a luxury hotel, bumped into the upholstered walls and wondered, Why can’t I have that at home? Cherie Stinson, the lead design project manager for the St. Regis San Francisco (known for its own luxe upholstered panels), says it is feasible, for the experienced do-it-yourselfer with an eye for accuracy. At the St. Regis, wall coverings that mimic stitched leather panels for the guest room entrance vestibules and upholstered floor-to-ceiling panels, which slide back to reveal an entertainment unit in the presidential suite, give the rooms a sense of grandeur. In the presidential suite the feature is made even more dramatic by the use of a large-scale damask fabric, which adds texture to the piece. In your own home, Stinson says, upholstered wall panels can be used to aid in noise reduction and for spaces where you want to evoke a more intimate feeling.
2. It may be worth hiring an interior designer just to gain access to the Shears and Windows showroom in the San Francisco Design Center, which is only the second showroom in the nation to carry Casamance fabrics. Price available upon request. 415.621.0911, shearsandwindows.com
3. In San Francisco’s Design District B. Mori is known for silk wall coverings. The company not only spins and dyes all of its silk threads; artisans also create the hand-embroidered and hand-painted wall coverings. Turn your walls into an exotic garden with the company’s Springtime Bloom coverings. $250 per square yard at B. Mori & Co. (SF). 415.431.6888, bmori.net
4. In her converted Victorian home in San Francisco, designer Sondra Alexander creates handcrafted wall coverings, which are displayed on the walls at Tiffany’s, Saks Fifth Avenue and the presidential suite at the Hilton Waikoloa. With the Neptune by Yangki line of coverings, you can take Alexander’s designs home with you. $70 a yard at Pacific Showrooms West (SF). 415.621.7638, yangki.com
5. Silk Dynasty’s classic hand- painted silk wallcoverings were originally introduced as one small collection of colors in the early ’80s. However, new pigments and specialized painting techniques allowed the company’s master artist, Stephen Yee, to develop several collections. The Calais Carnelian collection is available at William Switzer & Associates (SF). 415.621.0575, silkdynasty.com
