Nebula Science Fiction #36

Wallpaper War by E. C. Tubb

Two rival interior decorators—Mark Prentice and the pretentious Colchis—compete for a lucrative contract decorating wealthy widow Cora Hammond's new house. Each will decorate one room; the best work wins the entire job. Colchis, a self-styled successor to legendary artist Daniel Mervin (inventor of "Mobile Interior Coverings"), faces off against Prentice, who takes a methodical, psychological approach to design. Prentice obsesses over Mrs. Hammond's contradictory tastes and personality to create harmonious surroundings; he rejects shortcuts, believing thorough research ensures quality. His girlfriend Lucy eagerly offers to help despite his focus on work. The story follows their competitive preparations, capturing the tension between Colchis's pretension and Prentice's professionalism in post-war Britain's domestic design industry. OCR becomes fragmented toward the story's end.