what you need to know about our designer wallpaper

As I sit at my antique writing desk, gazing into the garden, sprinkled with the forming buds of daffodils and the pure white of the snowdrops, I want to tell you about our designer wallpaper, and how I developed the design of a particularly beautiful one. I called it Chinoiserie Grandiflora for its designs encompassing the magnificent and majestic Grandiflora Magnolia, in its elegant glory.

Parallel with the first sightings of spring is the moment we start to ditch the blacks that we seem to subconsciously adorn ourselves with when the winter months draw in. The days start to lengthen and we exchange the blacks for florals, for colour, as if we too are awakening from our seasonal hibernation. With the popping of the first buds and the chattering of the animals waking from their winter nesting, the hubbub is electric and we feel it too.

Paying attention to the cycles of nature

The cycle begins again; new growth and renewal, we regain our energy, we come out of our cosy dens, we cleanse, declutter and restore, whilst holding on to the delight of the longer days and the next few months of England’s greatest weather. At this time of year we are often in subliminal bliss, having endured the darker days since the previous year, and usually we are done and ready for more of the good times.

Drawing on my roots

My ancestral roots are in South Africa, so growing up we were lucky enough to be taken each Christmas for a month to the southern hemisphere. Boy, what a difference it makes to feel the sun on your skin. The vibrancy of the head, the heart and the body when the sun shines and the warm breeze kisses your glowing skin is the greatest feeling of all.

Bringing our designer wallpaper to life

I have designed a selection of contemporary wallpapers from the tropical, to the sophisticated and a few in between. Nature has always been the root of my designs for the very reason that the natural world is my tonic, my sanctuary, the uninterrupted, the equilibrium. Looking around you or flicking through the glossy interior magazines, you will notice how much is inspired by nature, and how much we love to adorn ourselves with nature’s palette, textures and the beautiful narrative that nature tells.

The history of wallpaper

Drawing nature into our interiors can result in a serene, intriguing and invigorating living space. Chintz arrived in England from India in the 16th century. The oldest chinoiserie pieces dating back to the 17th century adorn many of Great Britain’s beautiful homes. Damask fabric first originated in China in 300 BC as a weaving technique used for nobility and royalty. It is best known for symmetrical patterns that are inspired by the natural world.

Designing wallpaper for a Georgian home

I was presented with a wonderful drawing room space with three bay windows of Georgian proportion and a larger window. With natural light flooding into the space, and the house surrounded by ancient woodland, the striking magnolia grandiflora adorning the exterior wall inspired me to design a contemporary wallpaper for this home.

Inspired by the colour palette and style of chinoiserie, I wished to design something with this in mind, but draw in the florals from the surrounding Cornish landscape. The magnolia petal, elegant and exquisite amongst its trellis of leaves and branches. The popping reds and pinks of the camellias amongst their glossy and verdant greens of their foliage, beautiful.

Create a room that sings, that is the wow, that stands out from the crowd. Our studio can guide you through the entire design process of your interior space or support you whilst bringing your designer wallpaper design to life. Bringing your creativity to life and get in touch now.

Introducing the Chinoiserie Grandiflora: