Author(s): Cath Kidston

Architecture/Interiors

Over the past two or three years, wallpaper has experienced something of a renaissance. After years of minimalist plastered walls painted in neutral colours, people are coming round to the idea of individual expression in interior design, and the enormous variety and scope that wallpaper allows for means that it is, at last, hip once again. With our new title, "The Cutting Edge of Wallpaper", Black Dog Publishing pays tribute to this exciting new trend, looking at the techniques, products and designers at the forefront of contemporary wallpaper design. The book's layout is clear and accessible. Two essays open the title. One looks at the past history of wallpaper and how it has evolved paying tribute to such key figures as William Morris and Andy Warhol. The second explains the techniques and methods being used in wallpaper design today, providing simple, user-friendly explanations of the applied technologies of wallpaper design. Following on from this are images and profiles of the work of over 80 contemporary designers working in the medium. From emerging talent to established figures in the field, this section gives a broad scope of all the key players in wallpaper today. It will be sub-divided into five categories according to the qualities of the work: Figurative, Abstract, Decorative, Architectural, and Technical and Interactive. Each section will have an introductory text explaining what these terms mean, and how this is expressed in wallpaper design. The illustrated profiles will further exemplify this with beautiful images of the wallpaper in situ, close-up and in the studio. A final essay explores how wallpaper technology and use is changing and what the field may bring in the future. It also looks at the collaborations and overlaps with other fields including architecture and art. "The Cutting Edge of Wallpaper" is a beautiful, stunningly illustrated and luxurious publication. It will provide an inspiration to designers and homeowners from all walks of life, and is the first to document this fascinating and fast expanding field of design.