Toile: Create a French country home with a modern twist

Even if you’re not familar with the term “toile” it’s likely you’ve seen it before; maybe in your favorite regency drama or on your home decor inspo board. Have you ever seen a wallpaper or fabric featuring a series of little drawings? That’s toile (hint: it’s pronounced “twall”).

Here’s a little backstory on this classic design. While we might associate toile with textiles or wallpaper, its origins come from the designs printed on 18th-century Chinese porcelain. Known also as Toile de Jouy, its namesake originates from the small French city of Jouy-in-Josas. They are typically found as pastoral scenes printed on a white background in a single color. If that’s all ringing a bell, you might be at a loss when trying to understand where such a traditional pattern might fit in your home. Lucky for you, we can have a little more fun with toile nowadays!

Toile patterns are designed to tell a narrative, depicting detailed scenes of a particular time and place. Due to the story-telling nature of this pattern style, the wall is an excellent space to display a toile or scenic design. Using this pattern style in home decor easily creates a charming French country aesthetic but modern designers are “creating [this look] for a new generation, using traditional styles — and very non-traditional subjects.” Because pastoral scenes and landscapes might be a little more dated, we have the perfect happy medium to give this timeless pattern the fresh twist it deserves.

Our very special toiles are not your typical old-fashioned wallpapers. Punk Rock Toile and Vaquero Valley have the same core elements as traditional toiles, until you look at them up close. From rockers to cowboys, these designs are a fun way to bring this stylistic choice to your space while also adding conversation-starting elements. Seen in this Laurel Canyon home, our Vaquero Valley wallpaper is a unique behind-the-bed accent in this midcentury modern bedroom. 

Additionally, we can customize toile with any imagery of your choice.