About Us
A heritage wallcovering house, est. 1901.
Empire Wallpaper has spent more than a century supplying wallpaper, paint, and finishes to Canadian homes and projects. We pair an editorial point of view with serious catalog depth and trade-grade specification support.
Who we are
A studio-led wallcovering house with the depth of a contract supplier.
Empire's roots are British: it was granted a mandate to supply wallpaper in Canada, and in 1901 it opened its first Canadian showroom at 3455 Avenue du Parc, Montréal, with Reed Paper Mills. From paper goods and early rolls, the business grew into a North American retail house, with the brand and team carried forward by the Chamburg family and Sunworthy Wallpaper Company across Canada and the United States.
By the 1980s, the larger retail network had closed most of its shops outside Quebec and Ontario. In 1984, Pierre Ghannoum purchased the original flagship showroom and brought paint suppliers, window treatments, and artisanal decorative products into the Empire catalog — additions that remain central to the business today.
Our team is split between specification staff who work directly with designers and contractors, a sample program that ships nationally, and a digital catalog that is built to feel less like an endless grid and more like a curated showroom conversation.
What we believe
Editorial point of view
Every collection is hand-selected. We won't list anything we wouldn't specify ourselves.
Trade-grade depth
Performance vinyl, acoustic systems, and contract-grade finishes with full submittals.
Canadian, coast-to-coast
Stock from Toronto, sample dispatch nationwide, and showrooms by appointment in major cities.
Installation guidance
Measuring, wall prep, and accredited installer matching — not just a product order.
A short history
1901
Empire opens its first Canadian showroom at 3455 Avenue du Parc, Montréal, in partnership with Reed Paper Mills.
1948
Post-war expansion: Empire begins importing from European mills and supplying multi-unit residential developers.
1976
The trade program formalizes around contractors, decorators, and the new wave of Canadian interior designers.
1984
Purchased by current owner Pierre Ghannoum.
1998
Empire adds custom print services and a contract wallcoverings program for hospitality and corporate work.
2018
The catalog moves online with a curated, designer-first browsing experience and national shipping.
2026
Empire today: heritage wallpaper, paint, blinds, smart-home, and full project coordination across Canada.
Visit us
Conciergerie Design & Spécifications
See full sample books in person, plan finish coordination across multiple rooms, or walk a project brief with our specification staff. Showroom visits are open to the public but it is always best to reserve one of our team members.
Book a visit →- Paint Matching
- Sizing and Confection
- Pattern Selection
- Customization
- Mock Up
- Installation