Bloody Empire in Royal Blue; digital and handprint wallpaper
Very aptly, it being the day after Burns Night, these fabulous new wallpaper patterns and colourways from Timorous Beasties were one of the highlights of my visit to the Maison & Objet Show on Sunday.
Regular readers will know that abstract, graphic and geometric patterns are very much our thing here at colourful beautiful things HQ – flora and fauna, and the figurative in general, don’t get much of a look in around here. That said, we’re more than happy to make an exception for the sumptuous and surreal work of this Glasgow-based design studio. Timorous Beasties have reinterpreted classic subjects for wallpapers and textiles, such as insects, birds and plants, using finely detailed illustrations and intricate repeat patterns which, combined with a very contemporary use of colour, has led to their designs being described as “like William Morris on acid”.
New designs Bloody Empire, seen above, and Imperial Apiary, below (my particular favourite), continue their exploration of the symbolism of the bee, as they explain here:
“From the grandeur of old world orders to delicacy in humble domesticity, the bee has been a symbol of perpetual regeneration. Timorous Beasties’ Napoleon Bee has endured as a design classic since the formation of the studio in 1990. Now gathering all its associated symbolism of renewal and order over decadence and decay, TB’s present their new bee collection: Imperial Apiary, Bloody Empire and Civic Bee.”
The exquisite detailing and colours of Birds n Bees, seen above in new colourway Antique, was also an absolute treat to see close up. The popularity of both Birds n Bees, and the equally beautiful Butterflies, has led to them becoming Timorous Beasties classics and, consequently, a new luxurious palette being developed for the designs, consisting of Antique, Sage, Teal, Mouse Maroon, Grey and Charcoal. Feast your eyes on them below:
And don’t let these amazing shots of vast high-ceilinged spaces put you off, in case you’re thinking that you’ve nowhere to put such large-scale designs. Large patterns actually make small rooms look bigger, and I’m thinking that Imperial Apiary would be just fabulous in a bathroom or downstairs loo. I’d go for that amazing turquoise-blue shade (no surprise there..) – any other favourites?
Images: Timorous Beasties
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