Restoring 100+ Year Old Wallpaper - From the Mind of Christine McConnell 

I can just picture any resident ghost going, "WHO DARES DISTURB MY HOME?! I SHALL . . . I . . . I . . . oh. Oh my. I-I'll just leave you to it then. Carry on," and slinking back to the attic or wherever.

You are my idol.

I'm both an artist AND history major and I was literally sitting here tearing up at the skill, care, devotion, attention to detail....just everything you put into this. It made both my artist and historian heart so happy and content. From here on out, this video is going to be what I show people who tell me "oh, [insert supposedly impossible thing here] can't be done." Tell that to the lady that painted damaged portions of incredibly intricate wallpaper in a style she said she didn't really do all so she could salvage something she loved. I can't wait to see what else you've done in this gorgeous house. Instant subscription!

50 years later: Okay Doug, the new owner wants us to take down all this wallpaper...wait this part is painted in...SOMEBODY HANDPAINTED THE PATTER BACK IN???

Literally, the way some of the parts of the wallpaper were unsalvagable and Christine was just like "No worries, I'll just color match everything perfectly and then expertly replicate the design"...l-like what??? That's incredible!!

The amount of talent she possesses is astounding.. she HAND PAINTED THE FUCKING WALLPAPER. I can’t even paint my nails correctly. Amazing.

My house was built by my great-great grandparents in 1886 (wiring & plumbing has been updated of course). Majority of fixtures & lighting is from 1937 when great-grandparents took over ownership then passed to grandparents then to my father. It’s been kept up throughout its history. I took ownership in 2017 & have been trying to restore anything/everything I can to it’s original glory. While restoring original wood floors we had to remove newer flooring & found a hatch into the floor & found all kinds of documents, and original prints from build. Took forever to have wallpaper made in the original print. Also found 12 old tin style photos of house with great-great grandparents.

"And while I want visitors to feel cared for and comfortable... I also hope they feel a bit wary and suspicious." THIS. Is the vibe I want for my house. 👻❤️ Love this lady so much!

When you peeled back the 80's wallpaper to reveal the floral underneath I thought, "This house has been waiting patiently for her for a very long time." I bet it feels like it can finally breathe.

Christine: 'You can see that there are some missing/damaged pieces, so I'm going to -' Me: 'Take a high-quality photo of the wall and turn it into a pattern digitally, then have it reprinted on wallpaper-quality paper or textiles. Got it.' Christine: '-repaint it by hand. :)))' If it was anyone else I would have been worried.

Rose pink, moss green, dove gray, cream and gold. What a timeless and beautiful palette.

I’m dying to see that original red wallpaper underneath. The coloring and pattern was beautiful

Only Christine... "I could've taken this to a paint store and had professionals do it, and still not be happy. Or I could do it myself and nail it, like the queen that I am."

When people said you were the best person to take care of this house, THIS is what they were talking about. No one else would find wallpaper from an archive photo, uncover it, and paint it back to life.

She needs to be a set designer for horror movies. Could you imagine a haunted house movie with this much detail? Wow.

She deadasss hand painted everythinggggg 💀💀💀💀💀 youre mad mad talented and determinedddd!!! I adore you so much!!! Such a gorgeous house!

This woman's commitment is admirable. If walls could talk they would be very proud to have someone living in their home who was so passionate about preserving it.

OK....who else is shocked by the level of prefessionalism in this video?! I thought it was gonna be a home restoration but this lady just blown my mind!!! Never thought she would actually handpaint the wall!! So talented!!!

What a delightful way to spend a rare, lazy, rainy morning than with my cat under my knees, a yummy coffee and your video. What a delight. I love the intro, the music, and the shots you take are poetic. I’m thrilled at finding this. Btw, my husband says I have the esthetic of an old Victorian woman ~ I’ll take that compliment all day long.

Me: Wow, that color matching must have taken weeks of trial and error Christine: it took me 4 days

I guarantee you, the only reason the original owners _aren't_ haunting you right now is because they too also loved that wallpaper and are astounded by the meticulous detail you will go to make it perfect again.

So I'm new here and unaware of this lady's talents, which is all the more reason I was blown away. I've never felt quite so elated and crippled with anxiety at the same time. The second that paper came down and it was damaged with bits missing I was like 'Don't do it, Christine. It's not achievable. Manage your expectations. Realistic goals, please.' All throughout I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown thinking it wouldn't work out and then not only does she boss it, but she takes the ceiling from 0 to 100 with just a touch of paint! Lesson for today: Half of the battle is just telling yourself you can do it. Looking at something and seeing solutions rather than problems. She's been in my world for all of five minutes but now Christine is the person I aspire to be! 😍

Do you ever just get overwhelmed with the amount of steps to do? Creating is a form of zen. Everything you do is so impressive and I feel I learn so much about what patience and “living in the moment” really means and can accomplish.

I am genuinely impressed by all the effort that she has put through restoring the wallpaper. Like she hand painted the missing bits of the wallpaper and that is just so *chefs kiss*

As a historian I am so incredibly happy you not only saved that wallpaper but you went above and beyond to restore those places where the paper was gone/ruined. Your end result is gorgeous!

I’m most impressed by your patience with all your projects. Very beautiful.

I occasionally watch this again just because I am so impressed with the detail and the work done to restore the old pattern on the wall. Such painstaking work and effort just amazes me every time I watch.

"My aesthetic is that of a dead, old lady. I want guests to feel welcome, but I also want them wary." Ma'am, I have never had my own aesthetic summed up so succinctly without someone using the Addams Family as a starter. Yes to all of it!

She's painting the ceiling AFTER the wall. The balls on this lady!

I stumbled across this video on my Roku TV...sat and watched in amazement. I was self employed as a muralist approximately 20 years ago. I did a few ceilings. I also replicated a wall paper pattern by hand throughout a client's bathroom. I was proud of my work but I thought I might die by the end of it. Hard work lady!! You are brilliant at it! Oh, and those cats!! Pure heaven! I am now a subscriber :)

No words can express what you have done. I love it all, so beautiful. You are a mad, artistic genius from another era. What joy!

The fact that she could've just painted the pattern, had it made and re-cover all the walls with new wallpaper but instead she chose to painstakingly match the colors, draw out the patterns, and paint every stroke shows how much she is committed to the historical beauty of the past.

When she said she wants her home to feel inviting but that her guests also feel wary and suspicious I FELT THAT. I keep telling people by design style will make people feel welcome but that they are also on THIN ICE.

I honestly think this is one of the most amazing things I've seen. I'm open mouthed at the skill, perseverance and artistic ability of this woman. Incredible!

I truly think Dead old lady needs to be the name of your brand and you can create vintage inspired makeup and other vintage type things for us to buy 🤗

I almost wish there was a ghost living there so they could also be like, "Oh damn, she's really nailing the vibe."

This girls entire world is a canvas. I swear everything is a painting to her. It's just magnificent.

When you first said you were gonna match the wallpaper by hand I thought you were insane. I would absolutely lose my mind trying to perfectly match the colors and measurements. This turned out incredible and I'm in awe of your dedication

I’m torn between how relaxing that paper restoration looked and how absolutely grueling it must have been. incredible, made me feel like painting smth in my room was totally possible

“On this weeks ‘This Old House’ we’re going to show you how to hang wallpaper.” Christine McConnell: Hold My Beer

The vibes I get from this room is that a large gathering of strangely related people will be called together, one will be poisoned during the dinner party that night, and somehow everyone will be peculiarly implicated in the murder

I’ve never seen anybody with that much talent in my life absolutely incredible

Girl. You are wearing black satin gloves to remove wallpaper. You're my hero.

After growing up just up the hill from this house, and still passing it everyday, it makes me so happy to see the love and attention you are giving to bring this beautiful home back to life.

Christine McConnell: The woman with endless patience. Seriously. I would have just said, "Screw it! We'll put furniture there!" Haha!

You can tell TRUE CLASS, when the Lady of the Manor wears her jewelry over her work gloves!!! A REAL Victorian Lady for sure!!! 🥰🥰 I am completely with you on your choice of this room restoration! The previous wallpaper is SO much more in sync with the manors personality. Gorgeous wallpaper for certain! You KNOW this manor is breathing a sigh of relief that Ms. McConnell is the new mistress in charge now! Putting everything back to rights, making everything fresh again, keeping the manor happy as it once was so many decades ago. This piece of architecture will last forever, with the fabulous refresh it will get from the phenomenal Christine McConnell!! I'm sure this manor appreciates the dedicated use of "old school" methods, rather than technological uses, to bring it back to life! Too bad we can't clone Ms. McConnell into a legion of lovely ladies to go around the country, restoring gorgeous old pieces of history!!!

This has to be one of the most wonderful videos I've ever watched here on RU-vid! True artist and restorator. AMAZING!!!

"And while I want visitors to feel cared for and comfortable, I hope they also feel a bit wary and suspicious." ...I love you and that aesthetic.

As an artist, who has specialised in color theory, I commend you for your mind blowing patience. When you first started trying to match the colors, I was definitely doubtful, but you actually made the impossible, possible! You truly are a genius for doing this! You did a SUPERB job!

Netflix dropped your show? I dropped Netflix in order to binge watch you on RU-vid. The aesthetics of your content is just out of this world, it leaves me speechless. I have your videos on repeat every night, with some after-midnight Type O Negative. Best party I've been to in years.

12 minutes 32 seconds, the gracefulness of her hands.

"I would say that my personal aesthetic is probably closest to that of a dead old lady who lives in a haunted mansion. And while I want visitors to feel cared for and comfortable.... I hope they also feel a bit wary and suspicious." -Christine McConnell 🦇

Clicked so fast I almost gave myself whiplash... then swooned at the fact you wore opera gloves to strip the wallpaper like the true Queen that you are!!! WORTH the six-month wait!!!!

She is perfection at everything she does. Just imagine saying "I have to paint on the missing segment of the wallpaper"... henny, Its criss cross floral print though. Then she has to color match 14 shades of paint. I am in awe of you!

So great to see you back and doing more amazing things the house kittens and you and your husband are looking great !😎🇺🇸🦅👍🏻

Did she jus hand painted a wallpaper and perfectly matched the colors and strokes of all details....I can't... how much talent can one person have! Omg amazing!

She said "I'm not an impressionist painter" and proceeded to replicate the amazing artwork. This is so gorgeous. Goodness I'm so glad you're settled into the new home and back to working those diy skills we all love so much!

Ms. McConnell.....to avoid wrist problems when confronting such a task as repetitive motions, like mixing paint........try using (what I call) a carpal tunnel glove. You can get them very cheap. The dollar stores usually carry them now, so you can stock up and not break the bank. They are elastic gloves with the fingers cut out. They also have the wrist gloves as well. So you can use them together or separate. Also, you can get those super cheap one-piece, battery operated hand mixers for mixing paint in large quantities as you did for this project. It REALLY helps on the wear and tear of the wrist!!! Just something to test out, if you are so inclined. 🥰 Your fans do not want you getting hurt.

Name one person that is as superbly talented as Christine McConnell. I’ll wait.

The way you dive headfirst into everything you do, whether its carpentry, baking, sewing, painting, upholstering, is so inspiring. A true renaissance woman!

Previous owners: oh no the wallpaper was ruined... *well we're just gonna have to cover everything then* Christine: oh no the wallpaper was ruined... *well I'm just gonna have to hand paint it then*

Your talent, creativity, and skill are just so impressive and inspiring. I’m always mesmerized by your videos. You’re definitely leaving the world much more beautiful than you found it! 🖤 can’t wait for the next one!

I accidentally stumbled upon your Netflix show when I searched for baking shows. My daughter and I binged all the episodes . We are shocked the show was canceled. It was SO fascinating! Anyway, we looked on RU-vid, hungry for more! I hope your Patreon 4th tier opens up again soon. We wait with bated breathe for more videos of your stunningly gorgeous new home and your amazing talents. The wallpaper you unearthed is so beautiful and while I'm sure the process of hand painting the intricate design was painstaking, how lovely it turned out! And now you have a unique dining room that no one else has. We adore you and your unique talents.

Christine, you are the only person on the planet that could recreate a 100 year old wallpaper in minimal time and look gorgeous while you're doing it!!!

You know what I love about you? You don’t cut corners. Everything you do is done with maximum effort and carefully thought out.

Forget the beautifully done wallpaper copy by hand job in the dinning room you just did .....the 1800's red wall paper is the one to go to.....MIND BLOWN.......

This is beyond talent. You are indeed a rare human being. To be a fly on a wall. My gosh. I am so honored to have stumbled upon your video and I don’t even know how I got here. Fate.

I actually gasped when I saw the original paper. Then to see your patience in mixing the colors , cutting out the forms and painting everything in is just stunning.

AND she did all this with multiple cats roaming in and out. Give me a break already. This woman is some kind of magician.

I used to live in the heart of Rochester in an old Victorian so i immediately spotted this house as one that must be in the surrounding area these homes carry a certain distinction and the hard work you're doing to restore it to it's former glory is just magnificent, this house is lucky to have you! 🖤

Es ist so bewundernswert, mit wieviel Kunstfertigkeit und Genauigkeit Sie restauriert und renoviert. Alles, was ich bis her von Ihr gesehen habe, hat mir super gefallen. Die Dame ist eine echte Inspiration!❤

Ok but can I just say that original red wallpaper underneath this one made my heart DROP?! It was so bold and knowing how old it was spooked me for some reason.

My biggest fear is that when/if we ever have to sell our Victorian someone will come in, rip out walls, and paint everything white.

STUNNING!!! And quirky & inspiring!!! I can't believe the projects you take on, tirelessly commit to, & SLAY!!! GREAT WORK!!!

That's very impressive. True artistry. People don't take their time to do it like that in today's fast paced hurry up world. Those old guys 100-150 years ago took their time and did it right. You did a wonderful job. :)

She's supernaturally productive and talented in ways well beyond my tiny imagination. I'm filled completely with jealously and awe.

This house couldn't be more fortunate than to welcome you and your loving care inside it's walls.

Watching you measure and recreate the patterns - wow! impressive. That is a lot of talent. I do have one tip - if this situation ever comes up again - clear acetate. You can get it by the roll at leather working shops like Tandy. It is transparent enough that you could copy the the patterns by laying it on the wall and tracing it on the acetate with a sharpie - then cut templates for placement and outlining.

Christine, you are a true talent. You should have your own design network. I love the way you explain everything in your wonderful tone. You are not just beautiful, but you are down to earth, humble and detailed. I have never seen anything like this. The skill and the patience you must have is to be admired. Keep up the good work.

Gorgeous! Plot twist: Two years from now you find extra wallpaper in the attic.

She does this amazing artwork and never gets paint on herself and never has a hair out of place. I would look like someone that stuck her tongue in a light socket after a few hours of painting.

UH-MAZING. Just wow. Christine just takes everything she does and goes above and beyond. Every time!

It’s so mesmerizing to watch this take shape, like you put up a trellis and flowers grew.

Btw, for anyone on the fence about her Patreon - IT IS WORTH IT!!! She posts so much over there! Everyone is super kind, too!

There's nothing you can't do, and everything you do is done to perfection! Now hurry back to RU-vid. I'm ready for the next room!

I find it remarkable how much attention to detail you put into furnishing your home and how you take us along with you. I wish I had a house like that and you could furnish it with me. 🥰

Wow, what a mad woman, and I mean that in the most flattering way. Its amazing what she can do.

I just cannot get over how much you and this house were meant to be together. Who else would treat this house with the love and respect you do, and put so much thought and time into it? It's just too perfect for you. I'm happy you found each other!

This is the most perfect gothic but “pretty” but dark wallpaper. It’s so perfect for your style of home. Love

I saw the damaged paper and thought “Surely there has to be companies that reproduce antique wall paper?” And the Christine says “ I’ll hand paint it back in” 🤯 Christine you are so amazing and talented

I actually really like the 80s wallpaper, but to me it felt like it belonged in a kitchen, it like actually matched your kitchen from the old house. The wallpaper underneath was sooo much better for a dining room, and very gothic victorian.

Me: Spends $2500 on replicated wallpaper and waits 11 months for it to arrive. Christine: $100 bucks and 4 days

I feared that your new house (or Patreon) had swallowed you for ever! Welcome back to my RU-vid stream - and what an amazing return it is!

This young lady is a true talent and completely original. Wow on this dining room!!

I can’t believe how well you watched those colours 🤯 you are a magician

I appreciate that she acknowledges when she does a step wrong, it's nice to see

In the future, if you contact a sherwin Williams there’s actually a hand held tool they have that you can touch to a color on the wall, and it will display on the screen the color so you can call ahead and purchase at the store. I used to sell apartments and we used this to match the existing colors. It came out perfect every time.

When she showed the dining room complete the first thing that came to mind is the words of Lestat, "There's still life in the old lady yet." Also - The pink elephants symbolizing drunken hallucinations .... diabolically brilliant.

The details in your painting and templates are incredible. Blows me away.

I loved this episode, but I have to say when you said your little quote about dead old lady aesthetics, I just about died….of laughter!! That’s me too! 😂😂😂😂 best quote of 2021!!!