JAMES AND ABIGAIL WATSON OF 1838 WALLCOVERINGS
Surface Print, the leading wallpaper manufacturer based in Clayton-le-Moors, has been producing high-quality, innovative wallpaper for over 30 years. Recently they launched their inaugural collaboration created with the Victoria and Albert Museum, London under their own brand, 1838 Wallcoverings. V&A Decorative Papers is a rich assortment of nine patterns in over 30 colourways, encapsulating design excellence and craftsmanship, inspired by the V&A’s vast archive.
The range of reimagined designs illustrates the decorative charm and continued relevance of the past for the home interiors of today. Printed at the 1838 Wallcoverings family factory in Lancashire, these luxury wallpapers showcase expert craftsmanship and skillfully blend old and new.
Five designs are printed traditionally, and four are printed digitally, to show how archive designs can be brought to life for a modern age. A variety of print methods are used including flexo and sur/flex – there are only a handful of traditional surface print machines left in the world, and 1838 Wallcoverings have four of them, so they are very proud to continue the tradition. The inks are also hand-mixed using only the eye to correct the colour, which is a highly skilled job and involves real craftsmanship.
James Watson, Managing Director at Surface Print, commented: “We were looking for a partnership for a design collection, and the V&A holds an incredible archive of historical designs for us to recreate. We worked together to go through their incredible archive – they have pieces going back to the 16th century. We then selected nine designs in total – all are floral patterns with a British heritage based upon different eras, the earliest back to the 1700s – apart from one based upon a stunning kimono.
We distribute to over 60 countries around the world, all from our manufacturing base in Lancashire. I’m really pleased with the collaboration with the V&A and how we’ve worked together, and I hope our customers will love the designs too – maybe we will see a bit of Britain around the world!”
Surface Print are known industry leader for producing the highest quality, innovative wallcoverings, and have one of the largest range of machine profiles in the world. You can see more on their website: www.surfaceprint.com
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