Next Up

Tour a Wallpaper Entrepreneur's Creative Home

January 19, 2023

How does the founder of Chasing Paper decorate her own house? With lots of style and a little restraint. Talk about good on paper!

Price and stock could change after publish date, and we may make money off these affiliate links. Learn more.
1 / 9
Photo: Kevin J. Miyazaki. From: HGTV Magazine.

The Story

Elizabeth Rees isn’t an interior designer, but as the cofounder of the wallpaper company Chasing Paper, she has learned a lot about decorating. So when she and her husband, Brian Leadley, bought a 1927 Tudor home in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, Elizabeth couldn’t wait to renovate it.

A total redo allowed the couple to add color and pattern in big ways, like navy kitchen cabinets and a teal tile surround for the fireplace in the living room. “I know I like cool tones, so I started with blues and grays, then layered on other colors with paint, fabric and, of course, wallpaper,” she says. She had so much fun with the creative process, she jokes with Brian that they should do it all over again. “He’s like, ‘Oh no!’”

More photos after this Ad

2 / 9
Photo: Kevin J. Miyazaki. From: HGTV Magazine.

The House

Elizabeth and Brian were immediately drawn to the home’s charming Tudor details, including original leaded windows, green-gray trim and stone accents. “My personal aesthetic is traditional with quirks that make things interesting, and that’s a Tudor for sure,” Elizabeth says.

learn more

More photos after this Ad

3 / 9
Photo: Kevin J. Miyazaki. From: HGTV Magazine.

The Living Room

Neutral pieces like a cream sofa and a black Rejuvenation coffee table let the bold fireplace shine. (The teal tiles are from Zia Tile.) Playing off that focale point, Elizabeth sprinkled the room with blue pillows from Furbish Studio and Jayson Home.

Shop the Look

Aria End Table

Aria End Table

$569 at Room & Board
Abstract Throw Pillow

Abstract Throw Pillow

$95 at AllModern
Pompidou Corner Vase

Pompidou Corner Vase

$225 at Jonathan Adler

More photos after this Ad

4 / 9
Photo: Kevin J. Miyazaki. From: HGTV Magazine.

The Kitchen

The couple built an addition, starting at the arches, to create this kitchen. Choosing a cabinet color was tricky: Elizabeth wanted something bold that would stand the test of time. “Navy will still look great in 10 years,” she says. And the wood stools from Anthropologie and red oak herringbone floor really pop against the dark hue.

Shop the Look

Castell Pendant

Castell Pendant

$399 at Lights.com
Oak N3 Counter Stool

Oak N3 Counter Stool

$449 at BURKE DECOR

More photos after this Ad

500 Operands are not of the same type: comparison is supported for Number types only.

Operands are not of the same type: comparison is supported for Number types only.

Cannot serve request to /content/hgtv-com/en/design/home-tours/photo-galleries/2023/january/tour-a-wallpaper-entrepreneur-s-creative-home.html on this server


ApacheSling/2.7 (jetty/9.4.42.v20210604, Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM 1.8.0_351, Linux 5.10.173-154.642.amzn2.x86_64 amd64)