This thesis examines the historical socio-economic change of wallpaper. From being a luxuryitem, exclusive to the rich, to becoming an everyday interior design item, the thesis uses ahistorical analysis framework to examine how consumer views on wallpapers have changedfrom the early 1500s until today. The three main theories used to analyse the socio-economicdevelopment of wallpapers are Veblen goods, positional goods and Bourdieu's theories onconsumption and social identity. The thesis discusses how consumer behavior changes bothdue to accessibility and socio-economic status, with consumption having a strong link withthe social identity of the consumer, as well as the comparative accessibility of the product.The purpose is to understand how and why wallpaper went from being a high status productto becoming a mass produced, affordable commodity. For the design part of my thesis I havedesigned my own wallpaper collection, with patterns inspired by historical eras.