Irving House

In 2009, while working with conservator Simone Vogel-Horridge, museum staff found original ca.1897-1903 decorative papers in the entrance and upper hallway of the house. The 3-piece set of consists of a wallpaper, 18” frieze, and a ceiling paper. 

Following the discovery, these stunning papers were meticulously redrawn and colour-matched by Stuart Stark, Heritage Consultant and wallpaper designer, to the original palette used in the house. They were then printed in England and shipped to New Westminster for installation. 

In the late 2010s, Ms. Vogel-Horridge returned to clean and restore the rare gilded 1887 wallpapers in the house’s Large and Small Parlours. 

Since 2011, Irving House has received a new fire and electrical system along with a state-of-the-art geothermal heating and cooling system.  

Irving House was closed for restoration work from April 2-27, 2018, and reopened on April 28, 2018. The house’s entrance and upper hall were restored to the late Victorian Period. 

Since 2009, the hallway cornice work, entrance ceiling medallion, and exterior of the house have been repaired and repainted to match the original ca.1900 colour scheme. 

In early March of 2026, Irving House was once again closed for the next phase of restoration, reopening on March 28th. The restoration work focused on repairs to the ceiling of the Large Parlour and the plaster chimney breast of the Small Parlour. The project was complicated by the need to protect the original wallpapers in both rooms. To complete the restoration work on the rooms, the ceiling of the Large Parlour, along with the rosette, were repainted to match their original colour scheme. 

Artist Laura Kwok invited community members to paint the Wallflowers Eternal mural during the 2026 New West Cultural Crawl. The mural is available for public viewing at the back of the house, overlooking the vegetable garden.

Learn more about the inspiration behind the mural design on the artist's Instagram

Two artists from the City's Public Art roster, Janet Wang and Holly Schmidt, were invited to explore and experiment in response to the site, surroundings, and deeper context of Irving House. 

Janet and Holly's Work

Arrangements - Janet Wang

Artist in Dining Room - Janet Wang

Augmented Reality Monuments - Janet Wang

Weeds of Cultivation - Holly Schmidt