Recreating historic wallpapers of Trakošćan castle
A restoration project where archival research, craftsmanship, and contemporary technology came together to revive the authentic atmosphere of one of Croatia’s most iconic castles.
The restoration project for the historic wallpapers of Trakošćan Castle brought together research, art, design, and modern technology with one clear goal - to restore the authentic atmosphere of one of Croatia’s most significant castles.
What made this project particularly unique was the fact that the original wallpapers had not survived in their entirety. Only small fragments of the patterns and a limited number of historical photographs remained, requiring extensive research and highly precise digital reconstruction of every motif.
One of few original preserved fragments
Each design element was carefully analyzed and digitally measured to ensure the new wallpapers faithfully reflected the original proportions, rhythm, and visual character of the historic interiors. Special attention was also given to the artistic painting techniques characteristic of the period in which the wallpapers were originally created.
As part of the interior restoration, two original 19th-century wallpaper patterns were carefully reconstructed: a floral motif for the music salon and a decorative fruit-and-foliage design for the dining room. The new wallpapers were digitally reinterpreted using preserved wallpaper fragments alongside archival photographs of the interiors taken in the 19th century by Countess Julijana Drašković.
Reconstructed Music Salon Wallpaper Pattern
Reconstructed Dining Room Wallpaper Pattern
The floral wallpaper designed for the music salon revealed clear traces of watercolor-inspired artistry. Preserving the softness of tonal transitions, layered transparency, and the hand-painted quality of the original motif became an essential part of the contemporary reinterpretation.
In contrast, the dining room wallpaper - featuring fruit, grapevine, and botanical motifs - carried a richer decorative expression typical of 19th-century ornamental painting techniques, reminiscent of gouache or tempera. The pronounced volumes of the fruit, layered shading, and nuanced color palette required an especially careful approach to preserve the feeling of a hand-painted historic ornament.
Historically, the original wallpapers that adorned Trakošćan Castle in the 19th century were imported from Austria, as was common for aristocratic interiors throughout this part of Europe. Today, more than a century later, Trakošćan Castle is once again decorated with wallpapers produced in Croatia.
Historic photo of the Music Salon
Historic photo of the Dining room
This project demonstrates how contemporary design and new technologies can play an important role in preserving cultural heritage - not only through the restoration of physical spaces, but also through the recreation of atmosphere, detail, and the visual identity of an entire era.
Éclart Walls founder Monica Trzun Bosiljkov
