Expert Fusion
Each year leading wallpaper and paint specialist Graham & Brown announces its Wallpaper of the Year and Colour of the Year
Launching the 2021 collection from its design headquarters in Blackburn in a globally-streamed digital showcase, Graham & Brown presents Wallpaper of the Year: Timepiece and Colour of the Year: Epoch, an expert fusion of archive material and contemporary components.
Full of movement, colour, and exuberance, the Graham & Brown Wallpaper of the Year marks the start of the 75th Anniversary celebrations of the brand which will run throughout 2021. Piecing together fragments of the Graham & Brown archive, Timepiece is an amalgamation of prints dating from 1946 to the present day.
One of the archive patterns referenced in Timepiece is ‘Original’ the very first wallpaper produced at the Graham & Brown Blackburn factory. The Art Deco structure of the pattern forms the geometric framework and layers of floral designs are then woven into this architecture.
In addition to the Amethyst colourway, Timepiece is also available in Moonstone and Midnight palettes and for the first time ever the design can also be produced as a made-to-measure bespoke mural highlighting just how far wall covering production has developed from the fixed repeat surface print machines of 1946.
The Wallpaper of the Year and Colour of the Year are shining examples of the Graham & Brown perfectly partnered paint and wallpaper offering.
Each wallpaper in the extensive Graham & Brown collection is mirrored by a precisely matched hero paint colour, and three co-ordinating hues for a complementary full room solution.
“A great deal of craftsmanship goes into the making of each archive artwork and we believe that is something to be cherished and celebrated, to be able to breathe new life into this material and let it have a new place within our history is something we love to do,” explains Maryanne Cartwright, Design Studio Manager at Graham & Brown.
To complement the Timepiece wallpaper design, Graham & Brown has announced its Colour of the Year 2021: Epoch. A directional shade of plum, Epoch pinpoints the richest purple tone in the Timepiece wallpaper and amplifies it, channelling the regality and luxury associated with the shade.
A calming, cocooning tone, Epoch echoes a wider interiors trends which looks to create restful spaces for healthier, happier homes.
It is a proud, luxurious tone that can shape dramatic, high-impact interiors, but can also be pared back for those that favour more subdued, soothing schemes. Abby Hesketh, Product Manager and Paint & Colour Specialist at Graham & Brown has shared her expert tips for styling the Graham & Brown Colour of the Year: “Tonal pairings are a great way to make use of rich, expressive shades whilst still keeping things fairly safe. Epoch works brilliantly when used as a feature wall partnered with lighter hues.
“A trend we’ve noticed gathering momentum is pale walls paired with skirting boards and doors painted in a darker shade. This is a great way to highlight the architectural features of a room and adds a cosy element.”
