De Gournay

There are different types of wallpaper, but if de Gournay is said to be "Rolls Royce wallpaper" and "vertical haute couture" then it ceases to be just wallpaper. They are a bit more. Claud Cecil Gurney founded de Gournay in 1986 as a result of an unsuccessful search for experts to help him restore the 18th-century chinoiserie wallpaper in his family home. His love for the art and culture of the Far East led him to China, where he searched for artists to help him create replica wallpapers. He wanted the artists to paint the wallpaper in the same way as it was done 3-4 centuries ago. When it started, the team consisted of 5 people, today that number is much higher, about 100 artists and experts work in their studio in China, some of whom have been there since the very beginning. The craft that almost died, Claud brought back into the world of design. If you imagine making wallpaper as a standard industrial production where meters per second are printed, you can forget all that because these wallpapers are created in a different way.

Lemon grove

Wallpaper artists generally work in teams, and these are teams of 6 to 10 people and work together on only one order. The average size of one panel is 90 cm wide and 250 cm high. For 6 artists to make one panel, it takes 150 hours, as most models consist of 20 panels, it is calculated that it takes 3 to 6 months to complete the order, depending on whether they are custom, i.e. made to order/ measure (e.g. it is possible to add hand embroidery or beads). As we live in an age where everything is one click away, the idea of waiting 3-6 months for the production of wallpaper is a reminder to the world that art cannot be rushed.

The wallpapers are painted on rice paper or on silk with a paper backing. The background is mostly painted using the gouache method (gouache is a technique of painting with water colors in which the pigment is mixed with a thick white color and bound to the base with a water-soluble binder) and then the design is carefully painted with water colors. All the details are first drawn with a pencil, so in some places, if you look closely, you can see the outline of the picture. One of the possibilities is manual gilding with 22ct gold, which of course additionally affects the price, which ranges from €200 to €1100 per m2, but let's ignore the price.

The themes of de Gournay wallpaper are chinoiserie patterns with delicately painted birds and flowers, Korean and Japanese motifs, as well as details inspired by French panoramas from the 19th century. Chinoiserie wallpapers were a matter of prestige in rich interiors of the 18th century (when they replaced tapestries and fabrics that decorated the walls) and de Gournay manages to keep them in the same place because these wallpapers can be seen in some of the most luxurious interiors such as Chanel, Smythson, Bergdorf Goodman, The Ritz and Four Seasons.

Versatile fitting of de Gournay in eclectic interiors

Although once based only in London, today they have several stores in the world, and their range also includes textiles and porcelain. Midori in Belgrade is a place where, in addition to wallpaper, you can also buy their fabrics. Today, the head of the company is Claud's daughter Hannah Cecil Gournay, who is responsible for the brand's openness to modern interpretations. This is supported by collaborations with various fashion houses and designers such as Matthew Williamson, Jenny Packham and Kate Moss. The collaborations that stand out are with the Italian fashion shoe brand Aquazzura and the London fashion house Erdem.

Aquazzura x de Gournay

In colaboration with Aquazzura, they created wallpapers inspired by the Amazon, with a pink and blue background of intertwined palm branches with monkeys and parrots, transforming any interior into a tropical paradise, and if you add shoes with the same pattern to it - a fairy tale is created :).

Erdem x de Gournay

They told a slightly different story with the London brand Erdem. Known for their floral designs, they remained true to themselves in this collaboration as well. Sparrows and pheasants peeking out among the leaves, hydrangeas, irises and chrysanthemums create a recognizable romantic Erdem atmosphere.

picture 1 Tim Walker , picture 2 Mert & Marcus

I think any advice on how to decorate with de Gournay would be redundant, so I'll skip it this time, the photos speak a thousand words. And if the cosmos listens, on my wish list is definitely "Early Views of India" in the shade of Crystal Grey. Until my order arrives, this book by Rizzoli can also make it up for it :D.

Early Views of India