‘Tis the season for virtual holiday parties.

Following the first installment of our virtual wallpaper series, 7 Funky Backgrounds For Your Next Virtual Happy Hour, we’ve pulled a new selection from Cooper Hewitt’s vast collection of wallcoverings for you to use to spruce up your video conference background. 

Download your favorite wallcoverings below. We’ve also included links to our collection and entries from our Object of the Week blog so that you can learn more about these unique designs.

A silver pattern of meandering horizontal lines on a lime-green ground, studded with light and dark square LEDs.

[Download]   [collection object]

Trade out twinkle lights for this electrifying LED Wallpaper. The meandering pattern is, in fact, machine-printed circuitry composed of a 90% silver solution, studded with hand-applied lights. Illuminated and programmable, this design reflects the artistry and novelty of Ingo Maurer.

Design of six different white, snowflake forms scattered over a pale blue ground.

[Download]   [Object of the Week]

There’s snow in the forecast! Printed in a single color on a solid background, with smart spacing, this 1929 design still looks sweet and fresh today. Originally introduced in 17(!) different colorways, the pattern doesn’t look quite so winterly when printed in sunset hues.

Assortment of large and small widely spaced crystals or snowflakes outlined in black. Some are colored green or blue at their centers. Printed on white ground.

[Download]   [Object of the Week]

This mid-century modern take on snowfall is a whimsical investigation into crystalline structures. X-ray crystallography was developed in 1912 and, like many turn-of-the-century discoveries, inspired an interior design trend for the atomic age.

Repeating scene of a forest of birch trees in winter. Printed in purples, blue, ocher and white on tan embossed ground.

[Download]   [Object of the Week]

Immerse yourself in the forest, bathed in dappled blue light that filters through weaving birches dusted with snow. “The Birches” was designed by Charles Burchfield, one of the best known American watercolorists of the 20th century.

An amorphous creature reminiscent of Big Foot is seen trekking through snow-covered fields and forests with a hunter in pursuit. At times the creature appears to become part of the landscape. Printed in red on white ground.

[Download]   [collection object]

Become a mythical character in this soft, modern search for the fabled Big Foot. Reducing all motifs to simplified silhouettes, Geoff McFetridge’s clever use of positive and negative spaces adds humor and allows the story to be told in a single color.

Horizontal rows of buttons and small pearls alternating with rows of the pearls alone. Buttons of different colors and techniques (some with gold) are included. Some of the buttons are of unusual shapes such as a star, heart, and butterfly.

[Download]   [COLLECTION object]

For collectors of curios and players of I Spy—this 1952 screen printed wallcovering is decorated with over 70 different buttons. A peppermint swirl, a flamingo, a five of hearts, a four-leaf clover, a butterfly, a violin. What can you find?

All-over pattern of oak leaves and acorns. Printed in deep blue on a white ground.

[Download]   [Object of the Week]

Radiate calm and reflection for the new year with a traditional pattern looking up into the canopy of an oak tree. Though a contemporary design, the monochromatic, handmade block-print harks back to the Arts and Crafts period.

White netting with pink dots draped with green ribbon on a black ground.

[Download]   [COLLECTION object]

Your presence is the present! A draping pattern of pink swiss dot tulle, tied up with mint-green ribbons, pops against a waterfast black background in this 1948–56 sidewall.

 

Emily Raddant is the Visual Information Specialist at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.

One thought on “Snazzy Backgrounds for Your Virtual Holiday Party

i love this very appropriate article

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