Cole and son produce some of the most exciting and original wallpapers on sale today and here we show you their latest exquisite wallpaper range
From the breath-taking blend of Mudéjar architecture and art, the fragrant flora and diverse fauna, to the percussive strumming of guitarists accompanying passion-filled flamenco dancers resounding through the vibrant city, emerges graphic architectural prints in sun-drenched antique palettes to vibrant botanicals and primary-toned ceramic tile motifs, Seville captures all the ebullience of southern Spain.
The collection consists of the following designs in a range of colourways:
Orange Blossom. Oranges are synonymous with Seville, with its city streets and courtyards teeming with fruit trees.
Hispalis Hispalis takes its name from the Latinisation of Seville’s earliest known moniker, Spal, with Julius Caesar designating the city Colonia Iulia Romula Hispalis.
Triana The Triana neighbourhood is home to Seville’s famous ceramic workshops and potteries. Triana’s design contains the traditional elements of flowers, leaves, and geometric shapes
Bougainvillea
Covering palaces, and chalky plaster walls, Bourganvillia is another of Seville’s vibrantly coloured flora.
Angel’s Trumpet
Although native to the tropics of South America, Angel’s Trumpet flourishes in the searing Seville heat of the Alcazar’s courtyards and city gardens
Alfaro
The plaza Alfaro residence in Seville is said to have inspired the balcony scene in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet
Alcazar Gardens
An enduring architectural icon of the city, the Real Alcazar is a stunning testament to centuries’ old blend of Mudéjar architecture and ornamentation.
Piccadilly
Composed of a host of beautiful curved, swirling lines, Piccadilly is a classic tile print found throughout Seville, from the Alcazar’s tiled bench nooks, to restaurant walls and elaborate ceramic floors.
Talavera
Talavera’s plentiful pots abundant in flowers and trailing plants can be found throughout Spain, with the traditional ceramics each painted with their own unique decoration.
Jasmine & Serin Symphony
At once sprawling and serene, Jasmine & Serin Symphony is a contemporary update of a graceful Arts and Crafts-style print.
Geranium
Flourishing in Seville’s temperate climate, geraniums can be found adorning balconies as well as creating vibrant bursts of colour throughout parks and cultivated gardens. This archive design was completely redrawn and repainted by the Cole & Son design studio to enhance the lush, robust fanned leaves and blooming clusters of bright petals.
Alicatado
Alicatado, meaning a geometric mosaic of coloured glazed tiles, is the design studio’s interpretation of Seville’s famous azulejos. Its simple two-toned print creates a striking graphic backdrop and has been designed and coloured in order to complement other designs within the collection.
Lola
Lola is a damask with a hidden secret; within the rolling scrolls and flowers of this archive print is one of Seville’s most iconic figures: the flamenco dancer. With its cultural origins firmly in Andalusia, Lola captures the dynamic, vivacious drama of a traditional flamenco performance.
Flamenco Fan
A cultural symbol of Spain and deeply entrenched within flamenco culture, the fan exudes romance and passion with its dramatic shape and versatile movement. The theatrical print of Flamenco Fan incorporates many of the dance’s notable symbols such as the carnation and rose, both representing love and admiration.
Below is a little of the history of Cole & Son.
Cole & Son was founded in 1875 by John Perry, the son of a merchant. In the early days the company built machines for creating flocked wallpaper. It was in 1941 that the fabulous wallpaper company we know today was born.
In 1949 they opened up their own print studios, one of the first in Europe. This was in response to the exciting new design movement that gave birth to the wallpapers of the 1950’s and 1960’s. They printed designs for the 1951 Festival of Britain exhibition including the work of many contemporary artists and designers including Lucienne Day, Peggy Argus, John Drummond and Eduardo Palozzi.
Today Cole &Son has an archive of 1,800 blocks and 350 screenprinted designs. Plus there is a huge collection of original drawings and wallpaper.
The archive is the major source of all Cole & Son’s new collections.
creativecolour.org 