Why preservation is needed

The historic wall coverings at Longue Vue are an essential part of the site’s architectural and decorative heritage, reflecting the vision of landscape architect and interior designer Ellen Shipman, the expertise of wallpaper designer and historian Nancy McClelland, and the influences of patrons Edith and Edgar Stern. These wallpapers document changing tastes in pattern, color, and craftsmanship in 20th-century American design, while also illustrating the close relationship between interior design and the surrounding gardens.

As fragile materials that are highly susceptible to light damage, humidity, and physical wear, historic wallpapers require careful preservation to ensure their survival. Protecting and studying these surfaces not only maintains the integrity of the historic interiors but also provides valuable insight into decorative arts, design history, and the lived experience of the home.

Through preservation, Longue Vue’s wallpapers can continue to inform scholarship, inspire contemporary designers, and connect visitors to the rich cultural history embedded in the house.

The work to be done

Preserving the historic wallpapers at Longue Vue requires establishing a stable preservation environment that will protect these delicate materials from further deterioration. Because historic wallpapers are particularly sensitive to fluctuations in light, temperature, humidity, and airborne pollutants, creating the proper environmental conditions is essential to slowing their aging and preventing additional damage.

Current preservation efforts focus on monitoring and stabilizing these conditions, improving environmental controls within the historic interiors, and documenting the wallpapers’ present condition. These foundational steps are critical to safeguarding the collection in the short term while also preparing the interiors for more comprehensive conservation treatment.

At the same time, Longue Vue is preparing for an intensive conservation campaign that will begin in January 2027. This next phase will involve specialized conservation work by trained professionals, including stabilization of lifting surfaces, careful cleaning, repair of damaged areas, and long-term conservation treatments designed to preserve the wallpapers while maintaining their historic integrity.

Fundraising and planning for this work are currently underway, as the project will require significant resources, technical expertise, and careful coordination. Through this effort, Longue Vue aims to protect these decorative surfaces and ensure that they remain an authentic and meaningful part of the historic house experience for all visitors.

For more information about preservation and conservation activities please contact our collections manager at mhay@longuevue.com

Pattern and Place: Historic Wall Coverings of Longue Vue

On View March 6, 2026 – December 1, 2026

In Pattern and Place, we explore how bold florals, natural motifs, and immersive panoramas became architectural tools within Shipman’s masterful design vision, documenting her close personal and creative partnership with the Sterns, and showcasing her mature work as one of the last great planned estates of the Country Place Era.

The wall coverings of four historic rooms—the Reception Room, the Dining Room, the Upper Hall, and the Sleeping Porch—are explored in detail, providing more information about how their designs define the character of the home. We are honored to partner with Barrie Benson and contemporary designers at Peg Norriss on this exhibit, thus opening new conversations about how wall coverings—past and present—define the character of a home.

View the exhibit as a part of a guided house tour, offered seven days a week. Click HERE to plan your visit.

Questions about the exhibit? Contact info@longuevue.com.

Special Thanks

Austen Barron Bailly – chief curator, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

Barrie Benson