GB2215278A

GB2215278A - Modular design in wall paper

Info

Publication number: GB2215278A
Application number: GB8813079A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Geoffrey Poole
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-03-02
Filing date: 1988-06-03
Publication date: 1989-09-20
Anticipated expiration: 2008-06-03
Also published as: GB2215278B; GB8804915D0; GB8813079D0

Abstract

Rolls of wall-paper are provided in which the design or pattern is related modularly to commonly occurring room heights. Patterns or designs are registered to the modules so that matching is achieved between drops without off-set or pattern drop. Fitting to particular room heights is achieved with minimal wastage by removing a short length from either tops or bottoms of the module. The number of rolls of a stated module length required to paper a known room area can be accurately calculated before purchase which over-comes a major problem with existing boldly patterned papers. Modular designs may be non-repetitive so permitting a sequential change from floor to ceiling. These may be simply of shade or colour, or an array of naturalistic or abstract designs. Lateral variety of pattern may be achieved by variation of the designs within the modules while retaining matching information across them. <IMAGE>

Description

MxxIAR 1SIGN IN WAIJrPAFR This invention relates to the provision of wall-papers and coverings in which the design is related modularly to room height.

Most houses have rooms of commonly occurring heights, usually the minimum determined by statute. These statutory heights have been gradually lowered over the years by about one half metre in total. Wall-papers are supplied in rolls from which usually four complete 'drops' of paper may be anticipated for such rooms, with substantial paper still left over. Where patterned paper is employed, there is an off-set, the 'pattern drop', necessary to match the pattern across the joins. This pattern drop leads to a loss of potentially useable paper from the total length on the roll. The loss may be substantial, especially with bold patterns, and can reduce, quite unpredictably, the anticipated wall area covered by each roll and lead to an underestimation of the rolls needed.It is sometimes difficult to pudase era rolls at a later date, when it is not uncommon to find that the particular pattern, or the particular print batch, is no longer available.

The alternative is to over-buy in the first place 'just to make sure' - an encouraged practice This invention draws on these two factors, of common heights to rooms, and wastage in the 'drop' in hanging patterned papers. Designs are committed to a modular length appropriate to room height such that the number of rolls needed to cover a particular surface could be precisely determined before purchase and any wastage predicted. There are also indications that the modular conformation provides exceptional, new design opportunities.

According to the present invention, there is provided a roll of wall-paper in which the design is presented in modules: of length, such that on hanging the paper, the modules may be shortened by removing a strip from the top or bottom to fit particular room heights; and of design, such that on hanging the design or pattern, being registered to the module (this registration to be kriown as the modular information), will correspond across the joins to any other module in the roll, according to the design requirement, without off-set or pattern drop.

The modular length of the design or pattern would be stated on the roll.

Notionally, a length of 2.7 metres would cover ceiling-to-floor heights of virtually all rooms in post-World War I houses, while 2.3 metres would cover most 'modern' room heights as well as the skirting-to-picture rail, or dado, of older houses. Between two such modular lengths most rooms could be decorated with minimal hanging loss.

The modular structure of design suggests a new concept for interior decoration using manufactured wall-papers. It allows the design to be sequential and non-repeating within the module (and even between modules as desenbed later).

The design may be simply a sequential change of colour, hue or intensity, over the length of the module. This would provide a room with potentially subtle changes of mood from floor to ceiling. Or it may depict naturalistic scenes, for example greenery rising to trees, rising into clouds, and sky with birds. Or silhouettes of buildings rising to sky with stars or spaceships. Or abstract.

Designs may be discrete to the module, simply sitting alongside the adjacent module, or they may be devised to flow across the join into the adjacent length.

This interconnection of pattern could be used either to produoe a uniform pattern laterally or it could provide sequential variation across two adjacent 'drops'.

The sequential idea is fully extended laterally by providing say four variations of the design (not necessanly on each roll), each capable of fusing or matching with any other, in any order, across the joins. This would provide opportunities for pardcularity in the decoration of a room; the user would elect the order to suit personal preference for a given room.

A special form of module is provided for stairmses or inclines in which the bottom, top, and pattern, is set obliquely to the drop to match standard staittase angles.

Where distinct patterns are continued across a join, matching diflties in hanging should not arise, but in the case of patterns involving slow changes of colour, hue or intensity, an aid to registration will be necessary. A detachable marker on the front of the paper or a permanent mark on the baik is an optional provision.

A specific embodiment of the invention in its sequential form will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 shows four successive drops of paper in situ having been trimmed to fit a wall. The sequential nature of the modular pattern is suggested by the horizontal wavy lines; Figure 2 illustrates the use of four variations of sequential design module which may be combined laterally in any order to offer partularity, if not uniqueness, to decorating a room. Other numbers of variations are not excluded.

Figure 3 illusttes the use of a bevelled or angled modular design to follow the rise of stantcases.

Claims

QAIN

1 A roll of wall-paper in which the design is presented in modules: of length, such that on hanging the paper, the modules may be shortened by removing a strip from the top or bottom to fit paitular room heights; and of design, such that on hanging, the design or pattern being registered to the module (this registration to be known as the modular information), will correspond across the joins to any other module in the roll, according to the design requirement, without off-set or pattern drop.

2 A roll of wall-paper as claimed in Claim 1 in which the design or pattern is repetitive within the module length.

3 A roll of wall-paper as claimed in Claim 1 in which the design or pattern is non-repetitive within the module length.

4 A roll of wall-paper as in Claim 1 or Claim 3, in which the design contains one discrete sequence within the module length.

5 A roll of wall-paper as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 or Claim 3 or Claim 4, in which modules, though containing the same modular information as in those claims, may contain two or more differing designs.

6 A roll of wall-paper as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 or Claim 3 or Claim 4, in which the modules, though possessing the same modular information as in those claims, contain a single design differing from that in those claims.

7 A roll of wall-paper as claimed in any preceding claim in which the module, top, bottom and design, is set obliquely to the drop line.

8 A roll of wall-paper as claimed in any preceding claim in which sane form of registration maS is applied along the module edge to help in matching adjacent drops where the pattern cannot be readily so used.

9 A roll of wall-paper substantially as described herein, and with reference to Figures 1-3 of the accompanying drawing.