Restored Zuber Les Vues de Suisse panoramic wallpaper at Greenwood Gardens in New Jersey — Les Vues de Suisse, After Restoration

Restoration at Greenwood Gardens, New Jersey

Scenic Wallpaper was entrusted with the conservation and restoration of Zuber’s Les Vues de Suisse at Greenwood Gardens in Short Hills, New Jersey, a historic landscape where architecture, art, and nature are closely intertwined.

Project Overview

This Zuber panoramic wallpaper, installed in the mid-20th century and lining the walls and winding stairway at the entry to the historic estate, had begun to show its age. The sky was heavily faded, cracks in the plaster had torn through the paper, and there were areas of flaking paint, small chips, and water staining that disrupted the continuity of the scene.

One section beneath a window had also partially pulled away from the wall and required replacement and reintegration.

Our goal was to stabilize the paper and bring the scene back together while preserving as much of the original artwork as possible.

Zuber Les Vues de Suisse wallpaper before restoration showing fading, cracks, and water damage — Fading in the sky

Section of antique wallpaper pulling away from wall with visible damage before repair — Paper lifting from the wall with areas of loss

Zuber Les Vues de Suisse wallpaper before restoration showing water damage — Water damage from a leak

Detail of damaged wallpaper showing flaking paint, cracks, and lifting paper before restoration — Paints chips and paint loss from age

About Zuber Les Vues de Suisse

Les Vues de Suisse was Zuber’s earliest panoramic wallpaper, first produced in 1804. Depicting a series of Alpine landscapes - lakes, mountains, and pastoral scenes - each panel contributes to a continuous composition that wraps the room.

Unlike later Zuber scenics, which are designed to join seamlessly from the last panel back to the first, Les Vues de Suisse was created as a sequence of 16 panels that do not repeat, reflecting its place as the company’s first panoramic.

The design presents an idealized view of Switzerland, with detailed foreground scenes set against expansive skies and distant mountain ranges. It draws from real landscapes, with views inspired by places such as The Staubbach Waterfall, Chateau de Ringgenberg, the village of Brienz, The Furka Glacier, Chateau de Grandson, and Le pont du diable aka the Devil’s Bridge.

Swiss alpine landscape similar to scenes depicted in Zuber Les Vues de Suisse wallpaper

Chateau de Grandson and the Pfäfers Cloister

About Greenwood Gardens

Greenwood Gardens is a 28-acre public garden in Short Hills, New Jersey, set within the South Mountain Reservation. Originally a private estate, the property was purchased in 1949 by Peter P. Blanchard Jr., an IBM attorney and businessman, and his wife, Dr. Adelaide Childs Frick Blanchard, a pediatrician at New York Hospital and granddaughter of the American industrialist and art collector Henry Clay Frick.

Photo of Greenwood Gardens — Photo courtesy of Greenwood Gardens

At a time when few women pursued careers in medicine, her path reflected a notably independent and determined character.

The Blanchards envisioned the property as a rural retreat, replacing the original mansion with a smaller residence and shaping the grounds in a way that still defines the garden today. Following Adelaide’s early death in 1956, Peter Blanchard Jr. continued to develop and care for the property.

The estate was later overseen by their son, Peter P. Blanchard III, who grew up on the property. In the early 2000s, following his father’s vision, Peter and his wife Sofia led the effort to transform the estate into a non-profit public garden, ensuring its preservation for future generations.

Since opening to the public, the gardens and buildings have been carefully maintained and restored as part of an ongoing stewardship effort rooted in conservation and education.

The interiors, like the gardens, reflect a layered history, making the conservation of original materials - including wallpapers - an important part of preserving the site as a whole.

Restoration Process

The wallpaper was gently cleaned with archival materials to remove surface dirt and bring back the color and detail. Areas of flaking paint were stabilized and cracks were filled.

The sky, which had significant fading and disruption, was carefully repainted using airbrush techniques to match the original tone and gradation. Water-stained sections were addressed and blended back into the scene, and the area that had pulled away was secured, repaired, and worked back in to match the surrounding paper.

All retouching was done by hand, carefully matched to the original color and character of the design.

Zuber Les Vues de Suisse wallpaper during restoration with custom scaffold — During Restoration

Zuber Les Vues de Suisse wallpaper during restoration — During Restoration

Before and After Restoration

Before restoration of Zuber Les Vues de Suisse wallpaper at Greenwood Gardens — Before Restoration

After restoration of Zuber Les Vues de Suisse wallpaper at Greenwood Gardens — After Restoration

The Completed Restoration

With the restoration finished, the panoramic now reads as a seamless landscape once again, with depth and detail fully restored. The visible wear has been gently softened, preserving the character and age of the paper.

This project exemplifies our restoration approach: careful, hands-on work that respects the original material while making the space feel complete and harmonious.

Working with Zuber paper on a staircase is rare. The method used - stepping the paper upward - is very much in line with techniques still employed in restoration today.

Thanks to this work, future generations can enjoy the beauty of Greenwood Gardens as it was meant to be seen.