We’ve been dreaming about translating delicate floral vines on to handpainted tiles lately and with good reason—mother nature is downright bursting outside our windows this season! The abundance of blooms and the revitalizing feeling that comes with stepping out into parks and gardens has us drawn to all things botanical and sparked a desire to bring a bit of the outdoors inside, too. Bathrooms, being where we go to refresh for the day ahead, are an ideal place to indulge in nature-inspired wall coverings.
One enticing example is the handpainted ivy delicately trailing from the ceiling in this bathroom, left, by designer Dina Bandman. Made in collaboration with DeGournay, the bespoke wallpaper is handpainted in a medley of verdant green leaves set against a soft blush ground that calls to mind a garden at sunrise. The amount of negative space is part of what makes this look so successful, imparting a looseness to the vines that gives the eye a chance to roam. It’s the same reason that patterned tiles often work so well mixed with solids.
For more of a casual feel, Schumacher’s Adele wallpaper, centre, boasts a small scale rose repeat that was drawn from a 1930s illustration in the Vogue archives. Combined with a skirted corner basin, antique side table and potted greenery, it captures the essence of a bucolic country cottage. If you haven’t yet been to Schumacher’s first British showroom, which opened at Chelsea Harbor earlier this year, do go for London Design Week 17-21 May and see their new collection with Neisha Crosland, which includes some wonderfully geometric floral motifs.
Or consider commissioning a bespoke mural, as floral stylist and writer Willow Crossley did for her bathroom in the Cotswolds, right. Handpainted on site by artist Fiona McAlpine, it features a wispy array of flowers inspired by the garden. Crossley, who is known for her floristry masterclasses and gracious video tutorials, recently released her first collection of wallpaper with Barneby Gates, including a wild botanical print inspired by the collages of 18th century artist Mary Delany.
Speaking of all things botanical, we are eagerly awaiting the 20 May release of Petersham Nurseries—the first book by founders Francesco and Gael Boglione. Laden with personal anecdotes, styling tips, family recipes and so much more, the hefty tome reflects on the storied plant shop’s twenty-year history and is sure to be anything but garden variety.
Photos © Stephen Karlisch; Melanie Acevedo; Willow Crossley