COLE & SON

The wallpaper company is known for its archive patterns and modern reinventions

Cole & Son’s wallpaper expertise goes back to 1875, when John Perry founded his hand-block printing factory in Islington, north London. The first designs were created using a revived version of the flocking process – applying short fibres to paper – originally invented in Holland in 1680.

As his many competitors fell by the wayside, Perry acquired a substantial block archive and began printing for big manufacturers like Sanderson. AP Cole, proprietor of Cole & Son Wallpapers, bought the business in 1941; he went on to open one of the earliest screen-printing studios in Europe in 1949, giving rise to Michael Clarke’s iconic ‘ Woods’ forest repeat print. A Royal Warrant followed in 1961.

Today, Cole & Son’s workshop is still based in north London and its collections are overseen by creative director Shauna Dennison. They are produced using traditional and digital printing methods, and each piece can be custom-coloured and finished to suit your home. Showroom at Design Centre Chelsea Harbour, Lots Road, London SW10 (cole-and-son.com)