With the onset of Spring, there’s no better place to be than the Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour, home to over 130 showrooms, to explore new collections and discover fresh inspiration from the leading wallpaper brands. This article takes a look at what’s new and how the influence of the past remains significant.
Drawing from the past to inspire the present, Watts 1874 has always placed artistic creativity at the heart of everything it does, combining unparalleled expertise, rich archives and the continual embrace of modern technology with an unwavering passion for beauty. Following on from a recent collaboration with Castle Howard, the company has turned to Eastnor Castle for its latest launch. The collection features digital and hand-blocked wallpapers, all inspired by the eclectic array of styles and historical treasures found throughout Eastnor, including the seventeenth-century tapestries in the Long Library, which have inspired the wallpaper mural ‘Salicia’, decorative patterns on the furniture, coffered ceilings and existing historical wallpapers. The chinoiserie from Queen Mary’s bedroom has inspired ‘Queen Mary Chinoiserie’ and three standalone botanical designs, ‘Seapod’, ‘Gooseberry’ and ‘Japonica’. They provide a refined way to introduce historical chinoiserie into contemporary interiors, whether as a statement wall or an elegant backdrop.
Queen Mary Chinoiserie (©Watts 1874) and Salicia (©Watts 1874)
Ever since the 1950s when John Fowler began reviving traditional English patterns printed on high-quality fabrics for his discerning clientele, Colefax and Fowler has become renowned for its classic English appeal along with an elegance and subtlety that is admired the world over. The design studio have extended their creative vision to a stunning collection of luxury wallcoverings, drawing influence from their archive with favourite embroidery and fabric designs placed onto woven paper, pure linen and luxurious sisal. Their beloved fabric designs ‘Bowood’, ‘Greenacre’ and ‘Belvedere’, traditionally used as window treatments, are now available as printed sisal and pure linen wallcoverings. They can be applied to the walls offering an affordable alternative to fabric walling, which is a technique of covering the walls of a room with luxurious fabrics instead of traditional wallpaper or paint. It transforms the look and feel of a space by adding texture, depth, visual interest and insulation.
'Belmont' and 'Belvedere, Summerby & Honeysuckle Garden'
G P & J Baker was established in 1884 and has an international reputation for archival prints, innovative weaves and stunning wallpapers. They have collaborated with Historic Royal Palaces to launch Royal Court Wallpaper. The collection redefines timeless elegance, drawing influence from, amongst others, Hampton Court Palace. The show-stopping panel wallpaper ‘Royal Park’ has been designed and hand-painted by Quest Scholar Melissa White, who was commissioned by Bakers to create the design inspired by the tapestries and gardens at Hampton Court. All the wallpapers in this collection are ‘non-woven paste the wall’. Non-woven papers are appreciated for their dimensional stability in dry handling from the roll and upon hanging. Man-made fibres are interwoven with the cellulose wood fibres at the pulping stage, prior to it being put upon the paper-making machine. It means there is no expansion when adhesive is applied to the paper, so no need to soak out, as with conventional papers. So you can paste the wall instead of the back of the paper allowing it to be hung directly from the roll, making hanging simple and less messy.
Left to Right: Royal Park, Home Park, Queen's Damask
Cole & Son are celebrating their 150th anniversary with Classics Collection Vol I, comprising designs that have lived within the Cole & Son archive since the company was founded in 1875. These traditionally printed motifs are a triumph of British art and craftsmanship, providing a window into some of the most enduring and inspiring designs of the last three centuries.
'Strawberry', Rollers and Blocks and 'Roseberry'
Arte is a passionate designer and manufacturer of sophisticated wallcoverings, gracing both residential spaces and commercial projects worldwide. Renowned for its innovative approach, Arte has a rich legacy of using unconventional materials and advanced techniques to create stunning wallcoverings. The new spring collections continue this tradition, blending creative designs with cutting-edge innovation and featuring dynamic designs derived from wood veneers, 3D textiles, textured rope and capiz shells to high-gloss finishes, Arte continues to craft wallcoverings that defy expectations and transform spaces.
Emblème Collection (©Arte) and Mandrava
It’s refreshing to see newer brands making their mark on the industry. One such brand MindTheGap was only established in 2016. They lead the way to a life lived in colour, pattern and style. Drawing on its richly textured Transylvanian roots, MindTheGap layers sophisticated palettes and historical patterns with a rebellious contemporary edge to create a look like no other for today’s decorator. Their spring launch collection Jazz Live is inspired by the iconic world of jazz music.
Small independent companies such as Milola Design can digitally print wallpaper to order relieving the pressures of holding stock and I was taken with their spring launch based on antique textiles.
Perfectly named is the Spring Garden collection from The Design Archives, a company started by Sharon Crowson, whose father established Crowson fabrics in 1978. Using designs from the extensive archive, the company gives these floral designs a new lease of life.
Left to Right: Mind The Gap, Milola Design, The Design Archives
With many companies drawing influence from historic documents, it’s clear the wallpaper industry is thriving, given the number of brands that have launched collections this spring, not all of which have been included in this summary of the show. With advanced printing techniques and the choice of designs on the market, the possibilities are endless in ‘dressing your walls’. You’ll wish you had more rooms to decorate!
Caroline Bennett-Jane
All photos by the author unless otherwise credited