Hand-printed wallpaper wonders: Adelphi

Custom block-printed hangings with heritage clout, from an artisanal studio

Traditional block-printed wallpaper can be tricky to track down. So difficult, in fact, that the Sir John Soane’s Museum Foundation recently sought the expertise of Adelphi Paper Hangings – a small studio in upstate New York – to assist with the renovation of the London apartments belonging to the neo-classical architect John Soane.

Since around 1840, machine-printed paper has become the norm, but there are several artisanal producers such as Adelphi who remain dedicated to the labour-intensive craft of block-printing wallpaper by hand. “Ours is a very immediate and deliberate way of working,” explains co-founder Steve Larson. “It is physically demanding and the end result is by no means slick. Our papers have variations – imperfections even – that let you know it is a handmade product.”

While Adelphi has built a strong reputation based on its work for museums and historical institutions such as Wordsworth House in the Lake District, and a restoration of James Madison’s Montpelier in Virginia, the firm works increasingly with private clients and noted designers such as Thomas Jayne and Nina Campbell on a variety of projects both large and small (such as those pictured). Often starting with historical documents or swatches of antique wallpapers, Adelphi sets about matching colours and replicating prints – many of which are hundreds of years old and are incredibly complex. In the case of the Soane Museum, where the original paper could not be removed from the walls in London, high-resolution photographs are used as the basis for authentic reproduction.

Private commissions generally take three to six months, depending on the complexity of the pattern and the number of colours involved, and a minimum order of three, 10m rolls is required ($380 to $945) though most clients opt for 12 to 20 rolls per room. After draft patterns are created for approval, custom-made, cross-banded, pearwood-faced blocks are created, distemper paints are mixed and test prints are made for client approval. It is only after these processes that prints are physically pressed onto either seamed or continuous rolls of acid free, 75 per cent cotton-fibre paper that closely mimic the texture and weight of the paper that was typically used in the 18th and early 19th century for block-printing.

For those who seek inspiration and don’t have a specific commission in mind, Adelphi has a significant archive of American, French and English patterns and wallpapers to choose from, and also offers licensed prints from Historic New England, The Smithsonian Institution, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Old Sturbridge Village, the New York State Historical Association, the Musée du Papier Peint, as well as from other historic institutions and private collections on both sides of the Atlantic. For those wanting a more contemporary feel, Adelphi can also create graphic patterns and subtle hues – think beiges and subdued greys – that work well in a variety of more modern spaces.

“There are a few of us who are still making paper this way,” says Larson, “but for the most part, wallpaper is digitally printed and it just lacks some of the depth and character of the handmade version – it’s like looking at a photograph of wallpaper.”

Adelphi Paper Hangings’ use of traditional tools, methods and materials yields richly textured, nuanced wallpapers that are, quite simply, in a league of their own.

Svenskt Tenn: iconic design in Stockholm

Cheerful, chic interiors nirvana in Östermalm

Stockholm is a design-lovers’ nirvana, with graphic prints and modernist furniture at virtually every turn. But no trip to this magical city is complete without a visit to Svenskt Tenn, a vivid interiors shop-cum-café in the chic Östermalm area. Opened in 1924 by pewter designer and aesthetic visionary Estrid Ericson, and fêted architect Josef Frank, the store has remained a vibrant centre full of the bold print fabrics and some 2,000 furniture sketches that were originally created specifically for the store.

A visit to Svenskt Tenn is an incredible experience, one that should include a visit to their tea salon for a bit of post-retail rejuvenation in a contemporary setting. Each of the shop’s bright, airy spaces – arranged across many rooms, and in various themes and colours – offers an eye-popping array of textiles. These striking fabrics – available by the metre in coated cotton (SEK1,100, about £103), linen (from about £103 to £135) and plain cotton (about £98) – often feature birds, plants, seashells and other natural forms that Frank found so inspirational. Cushions – from sofa pillows (about £70 to £112) to statement-making pieces with sayings such as “the world is a book and he who stays at home reads only one page” – create a cheerful backdrop for the assorted chairs, glass bookcases and cabinets.

It’s hard to pick favourites in this emporium, but I particularly liked Frank’s simple chairs – the arts-and-crafts-esque 2025 with a beautiful rattan seat (about £943) as well as his upholstered armchair 335 (about £2,316) in a vegetal motif. I am also a big fan of the muted marvel that is pewter, and temptation here was hard to resist, be it the newer Green box designs (about £261) by Jakob Solgren or Ericson’s Peruvian-inspired urns (about £4,484) or extremely tall candlesticks (about £172).  

Lighting was of paramount importance to the founders (particularly at the dinner table, where Ericson believed guests should be cast in a flattering glow, as well as from above), and this part of the shop offers playful, primary-coloured floor lighting by Frank (No 2431, about £757, third picture) as well hanging Greta lamps (about £981) by Whatswhat, available in deep indigo, fuchsia or canary yellow.

Creative director Thommy Bindefeld is also always looking for new collaborators: “We source partnerships with Swedish as well as with international names whose design language corresponds and plays well with Josef Frank’s timeless creations,” he explains. “Our aim is for Svenskt Tenn to have a mixture of historical and contemporary pieces.” Their balance between archive and avant-garde is just right.

Frank once said: “Never let things stay permanent in your home – keep rearranging the furniture, and remember to leave space for children and gifts. Your home will thereby remain a living entity.” There’s no better summation of the eclectic philosophy behind Svenskt Tenn.

Alicia Adams Alpaca: luxuriously soft winter warmers

An accessories designer who raises alpacas on her New York state farm to spin her luxurious offerings

Long considered the “gold of the Andes”, alpaca wool is softer than cashmere and offers the added benefits of being hypoallergenic, temperature regulating (due to microscopic air pockets) and lightweight to boot. Highly sought after, it can often be difficult to find accessories woven from the luxurious material because of a dwindling alpaca population. But designer Alicia Adams raises alpacas on her farm in rural New York – which makes her boutique, Alicia Adams Alpaca, something of a discovery.

Image: Tom Moore

Scarves, rugs and other warm pieces are showcased to beautiful effect on her accessories site. Decorative throws are a particular strength, with offerings including tassel-edged designs ($425) in colours such as ivory, cognac and seafoam, and fur-backed ($1,845, first picture), which have a chic chalet aesthetic. Graphical, multiband blankets ($467) and border bedspreads ($875) and pillows (from $175, second picture) with beige and slate-grey trims are also alluring.

Image: Tom Moore

Image: Tom Moore

Capes, scarves and other personal accessories run the gamut from minimalist (a double-sided cape in vicuña, $595) to mink-trimmed (wraps, $745, in natural hues, fourth picture). Vests, ponchos, stoles and an array of scarves (from $168, third picture) come in various widths and lengths, including petite and unisex – all in colours from charcoal and curry to hot pink. Knit ties ($98), extra-long gloves ($122) and Tudor hand warmers (aka fingerless gloves; $174) and an assortment of hats including a ribbed cap with a pom-pom ($130) all promise to keep the chill at bay in style.

Such luxuries make this e-boutique a winter winner – it’s almost worth getting excited about the cold weather.