Welcome Spring! It is the time of renewal, revival and redecorating. The time to put away the blankets and bring out the bunnies. And what goes with bunnies? Flowers. 

There is always a room in any home that can be transformed into a garden. It can incorporate white wicker or French antiques, a needlepoint carpet, or a Bennison linen, but a sure way to guarantee that garden feel is to put up a floral wallpaper – and yes, you heard that right! Wallpaper is back in a big way, and floral designs, in bold or subtle patterns, are a sure way to give your room that garden feel.

It is easy to find traditional floral wall coverings from companies like Cole and Son, GP&J Baker, and Thibaut. You can even find more modern designs from Phillip Jeffries and Mark Alexander. But for my next garden room design, I want to use a sensuous, hand-painted pattern in soft shades of green and cream, yellow and pink – and definitely birds. Maybe even some fruit.

Hand-painted wall covering has been around for centuries. Often referred to as "chinoiserie," the patterns typically reflect an Asian flair, but they can also take on the appearance of your own garden. With an emphasis on delicately painted birds, flowers, trees, and other nature-inspired themes, it is an elegant and beautiful way to bring the outside in. Homeowners adore the luxe and sophisticated nature, and the realistic appearance of these painted silk materials, which are created through hours of dedication.

Once you actually see a room done in one of these many custom designs, you begin to realize the distinctive character of the technique, and the natural essence that the patterns bring to a space.

To complete a room using one of these patterns is a very specific and often lengthy process. Depending on its size, a room can require anywhere from 15 to 50 three-foot-wide panels. Assembled in place, they create a continuous mural-like design: of a forest; a field of poppies; or a magnificent garden filled with airy branches, colorful birds, and meandering blossoms.

Of course, when executing a project of this specificity and scope, you get to choose everything – from the exact shade of the background color of the silk-backed panels to the species of birds, as well as the type and color of the blooms themselves. The patterns can be open and wispy or more concentrated and substantial. The design may need to consider future artwork – and leave room so that the pattern won’t be obscured while allowing for pattern continuity around doors and window openings.

Once you have decided on the final design and chosen your colors and images, your installer will take careful measurements to determine the number of finished panels required and how they will be installed, because you are not just ordering wallpaper. You are ordering actual works of art.

All this will take longer than a typical wallpaper order. But the final outcome will also be much more than a simple papered room. It will be a true garden room, which you will enjoy for years to come.

Patricia Cove is Principal of Architectural Interiors and Design, and can be reached through her website: patriciacove.com.