Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1066841
48 BY REBECCA SHERMAN L os Angeles designer Timo- thy Corrigan was in Dallas recently for a private dinner at George Cameron Nash showroom to launch his de- but collection of wallpapers for Fromen- tal. Massive panels from his hand-painted Les Folies collection hung in the room like works of art in a gallery. For Corrigan, who is restoring an 18th–century chateau (his fourth) in France where he lives part time, murals painted centuries ago in Eu- rope carry heavy influence. "Murals were the art," he says. "They don't just recede into the background, they celebrate the walls. Frankly, a lot of wallpapers today tend to be about receding and not being the star. I've used Fromental for years in grand Beverly Hills estates because they are almost like abstract paintings. I'm using the papers in several parts of my chateau in the Loire Valley. There's a playfulness about them, and I wanted the rooms to feel like a mix of the past and the present." Corrigan's papers grab center atten- tion, with large-scale, hand-painted de- signs and special printing techniques that often incorporate silver and gold leafing. But there is substance behind this show: Corrigan researched the patterns for historic background before putting his own spin on the collection's four pa- pers. For Broadlands, a classical damask was blown up and produced on silk and hand-brushed and gilded linen. The vi- brant colors were taken from watercolor sketches used when planning the original jacquards, which Corrigan found in ar- chives at London's V&A Museum. The inspiration for Drapery Wave came from 17th century Gobelins tapestries commis- sioned by Louis XIV, and are based on paintings by Peter Paul Rubens. Jardin Français is a reinterpretation of André Le Nôtre's famed Orangery parterre gardens at Versailles, and is rendered in silk and hand-brushed linen. Oceanic is traced to a 19th century Japanese wood-block print, with stylized birds and organic swirling waves enlarged to a super-scale graphic, and hand-painted on textured silk. Corrigan has an impressive partner in Fromental. Founded in London in 2005 by Tim Butcher and Lizzie Deshayes, the design house is celebrated for its elaborate custom wallpapers, fabrics, and furnish- ings, all made by artisans in England and China. Unusual collage techniques incor- porate luxurious fabrics such as silk and velvet, and hand-painting, embroidery, and screen-printing. Fromental's papers are found in historic properties including The Dorchester, London; George V, Paris; The Fairmont, San Francisco; and The Jefferson, Washington DC. Les Folies, The Timothy Corrigan Collection for Fromen- tal, at George Cameron Nash, george- cameronnash.com. IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK FROMENTAL GETS A HISTORY LESSON BY WAY OF DESIGNER TIMOTHY CORRIGAN. Jardin Français wallpaper from Les Folies, The Timothy Corrigan Collection for Fromental. Timothy Corrigan at Grand-Lucé, his former chateau in France. Corrigan's chateau in the Loire Valley is undergoing restoration.