In focus: Behind the scenes in the Cole & Son studio

When you’re as passionate about design as we are, there’s nothing more appealing than a peek behind the scenes at one of the UK’s most prestigious wallpaper brands. Cole & Son’s incredible heritage is unparalleled in the world of interior design, and it’s an absolute privilege to be able to see the inner workings of its studio. Every brand we work with has its own unique story, back catalogue of designs and creative process, and Cole & Son is no exception.

Despite having an extensive and enviable archive to draw from, new designs are predominantly sourced from the design team’s own original photography, taken on research trips to inspirational locations. These trips are of an immersive nature – designers are left to get lost in the unique features and beauty of each place, pinning the results of their efforts to the studio walls and brainstorming intensely to come up with the resulting concepts. Next comes the process of sketching and illustrating their own designs, coming together again to find something that works in a repeating pattern and can become a viable wallpaper option.

After using a computer to formulate the size and scale of the design, the final step of the process is to hand paint the design to scale. Unlike other wallpaper manufacturers, Cole & Son’s print methods are dictated by the design, and not vice versa.

Seeing how the Cole & Son design team works, it’s no surprise that they continue to create breath-taking collections, year after year. We can’t wait to see what’s next.

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