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ICFF 2012 Report: New Wallpapers From Tracy Kendall
Stitched, sporting puzzle pieces, made for the outdoors ... British designer Tracy Kendall's wallpapers show noteworthy innovation
For London wallpaper designer Tracy Kendall, just about anything can inspire a new design. Plants, found objects, people, puzzle pieces, embroidered words, buttons and pockets full of vintage playing cards have all been found on her wall coverings. Two new prints made an appearance at the 2012 International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) in New York, including a drapery-inspired wallpaper made by stitching custom fringe to paper.
The other, an innovative outdoor wallpaper, was created for garden designer Will Quarmby and the 2011 Chelsea Flower Show. "It survived the wind and rain of an English summer flower show," Kendall says. "I hope the U.S. market will love it too."
We caught up with Kendall at the ICFF to learn more about the inspiration behind her quirky designs.
The other, an innovative outdoor wallpaper, was created for garden designer Will Quarmby and the 2011 Chelsea Flower Show. "It survived the wind and rain of an English summer flower show," Kendall says. "I hope the U.S. market will love it too."
We caught up with Kendall at the ICFF to learn more about the inspiration behind her quirky designs.
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Q. What is the biggest priority in your designs?
A. To make something which is beautiful but that can also be used as a product, as wallpaper, pasted to the wall by a total stranger — it’s not art.
Then, also something which adds to the room it’s in, doesn’t take it over so there is no visual space for other things. I love it when clients hang mirrors or paintings on top of my wallpaper; it adds to it.
I like a flexible design, one that the client can ask to be made in a different color so it fits in with their interior, that I can change again so it fits for the client rather than just being a design in a colorway. And that’s it. I love change.
A. To make something which is beautiful but that can also be used as a product, as wallpaper, pasted to the wall by a total stranger — it’s not art.
Then, also something which adds to the room it’s in, doesn’t take it over so there is no visual space for other things. I love it when clients hang mirrors or paintings on top of my wallpaper; it adds to it.
I like a flexible design, one that the client can ask to be made in a different color so it fits in with their interior, that I can change again so it fits for the client rather than just being a design in a colorway. And that’s it. I love change.
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| From old playing cards to puzzle pieces, Kendall uses just about every material imaginable in her work. For this custom paper, she put small puzzle pieces on the roll using the same plastic ties that attach price tags to clothing. |
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Two new wallpapers were all the decor Kendall needed in her booth this year. On the left is the new drapery-inspired paper, and on the right is the new outdoor wallpaper.
Q. What iconic designer would you love to work with?
A. Easy — Ingo Maurer. He is just such a genius. He has actually just developed an LED wallpaper with a German company, which looks amazing.
Q. Your go-to place for inspiration?
A. I don’t have one go-to place, but I'll often go to flea markets, antique shows and just pick up stuff. I just brought an amazing ledger from the 1930s with page after page of the weekly payroll all neatly hand-written out and added up. I have no idea what I’ll do with it, but it ticks all my boxes. It has variations when people have sick days, leave the job, get a pay rise — the stuff of everyday life. I love it!
Q. What iconic designer would you love to work with?
A. Easy — Ingo Maurer. He is just such a genius. He has actually just developed an LED wallpaper with a German company, which looks amazing.
Q. Your go-to place for inspiration?
A. I don’t have one go-to place, but I'll often go to flea markets, antique shows and just pick up stuff. I just brought an amazing ledger from the 1930s with page after page of the weekly payroll all neatly hand-written out and added up. I have no idea what I’ll do with it, but it ticks all my boxes. It has variations when people have sick days, leave the job, get a pay rise — the stuff of everyday life. I love it!
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This outdoor wallpaper is designed to be durable. The waterproof, fadeproof and mildewproof paper is securely sewn onto a durable base paper that can be nailed or stapled onto an outdoor surface.
Q. Do you have a favorite piece of furniture?
A. Most of mine is old and secondhand and doesn’t have a name tag, but I do have a lovely office desk made by my friend Jennifer Newman. It’s plain, thick oak for the top with bright yellow metal legs, and it's teamed with a vintage Eames office chair — the only one I can manage to sit all day in.
Q. Do you have a favorite piece of furniture?
A. Most of mine is old and secondhand and doesn’t have a name tag, but I do have a lovely office desk made by my friend Jennifer Newman. It’s plain, thick oak for the top with bright yellow metal legs, and it's teamed with a vintage Eames office chair — the only one I can manage to sit all day in.
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| Some of Kendall's more popular papers feature different sayings and quotations, painstakingly stitched into a sturdy base paper. Q. What famous person's home do your products belong in? A. This has been a hotly debated question. I kept coming up with places: Versailles, 10 Downing Street, the White House. Then the debate moved on to films: High Society and most of the James Bond films. Then it moved on to scary looks: William Morris’ house and Karl Lagerfeld. I love a challenge. I quite like the idea of stepping outside my comfort zone and seeing if I can live up to these types of places and people. So, I've settled on the current James Bond — either the fictional one or Daniel Craig. I am sure a house call or two would be required for that wallpaper! See more of Kendall's wallpapers |
Comments
Casart Coverings Although we are in the same business, our products are quite dissimilar, but our basic goal is the same: to design wallcovering that acts as a background for the room's design and compliments rather than dominates the room. Tracy is very creative and I love that outdoor paper with such depth! I can tell from the interview that she also possesses that distintive "British" wit. Give us a call, Tracy, if you want to collaborate on the James Bond project as we'd gladly make a trip across the pond! Thanks, Vanessa, for another insightful ideabook.
12 months ago · Like
Ideabook updated on May 23, 2012.
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