Wallpaper

Wallpaper, printed, painted, or embossed wall covering used to finish interior walls. Wallpaper, which is hung with glue or paste on the undecorated side, is utilized mainly as a decorative feature, and may be from any of 5 categories: ceiling papers, border papers, scenic or panel papers, papers of imitative design, or relief-surfaced papers made of ricepaper, burlap, straw fibers, or thin wood. It is thought that wallpapers originated in Europe in the 1500s to imitate expensive tapestries. Other wallpapers evolved in China (1600s) and in France (1700s). The first U.S. wallpapers were produced in Philadelphia (1739).