Talking wallpaper: women defining pattern and print
In the vibrant world of wallpaper design, women have long been at the forefront, bringing creativity, artistry, and innovation. At Wallpaperdirect numerous talented female designers contribute to a diverse array of wallpaper designs that transform homes all over the globe. Here, we celebrate just some of the remarkable women whose designs we are proud to showcase.
Above: Isabelle Boxall
Isabelle is a print designer and illustrator specialising in botanical hand drawn artwork. She draws everything individually which she then transforms into delicate compositions for wallpapers. Whole-heartedly inspired by the colour and form nature gives so freely, Isabelle draws everything with meticulous detail and interprets the design to her imagination.
Currently living and working in East Sussex, she is constantly inspired by her surroundings; English country gardens and countryside are heavily featured in her work. Isabelle’s designs are a sophisticated, romanticised take on literal subject matters with a contemporary, vivid colour palette.
Explore her collection on Wallpaperdirect:
Follow her on Instagram: @isabelleboxalldesign
Above: Breegan Jane
Breegan Jane is a Los Angeles-based interior designer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist known for her sophisticated and functional designs. With a background in real estate development and a passion for creating personalised spaces, she has collaborated with Clarke & Clarke to produce a captivating wallpaper collection.
Breegan’s designs draw inspiration from global travel experiences, featuring patterns that blend modern elegance with cultural richness. She shares inspired accounts of her multinational home designs as well as her family’s regular travels between Ibiza, Spain, and Los Angeles via her social platforms as a lifestyle expert. A leader in industry conversations, Breegan participates heavily in traveling speaker series and keynote presentations, boldly asserting the possibility of achieving success in both career and personal endeavours.
Explore her collections on Wallpaperdirect:
Breegan Jane x Clarke & Clarke Wallpapers
Breegan Jane x Clarke & Clarke Fabric
Follow her on Instagram: @breeganjane
Above: Sophie Harpley
Sophie grew up in the English west country. When she wasn’t drawing, crafting or exploring outdoors, she would help her mum spread bolts of Laura Ashley and Liberty cloth across the kitchen table to make curtains and clothes. Her earliest memory is of floral wallpaper in their Victorian home.
After studying in Sussex, Sophie’s career began at London’s V&A Museum and served to confirm her deep love of modernist art and decorative design. She then went back to art school in Bristol, gaining an MA Graphic Arts in 2012, specialised in print.
Drawing together her love for paint, pattern, history and home, Sophie’s work is known for a relaxed and joyful aesthetic, a passion for nature and a signature loose painted style. all this is exemplified by her growing range of printed wallpapers, linen and handmade homeware.
Explore her collection on Wallpaperdirect:
Follow her on Instagram: @sophieharpleystudio
Above: Barneby Gates
Barneby Gates is a UK based wallpaper and fabric studio; the brainchild of lifelong friends, Vanessa Barneby and Alice Gates. Known for their diverse range of prints, combining traditional techniques and historical reference with a fresh, contemporary twist.
From initial sketch to creating the colour palette, from selecting printing methods to styling shoots, Alice and Vanessa work closely together on each collection from start to finish.
Explore their collection on Wallpaperdirect:
Follow them on Instagram: @barnebygates
Above: Diane Hill
Diane Hill is a London-based artist celebrated for her contemporary interpretations of traditional Chinoiserie art. Her passion for this intricate style was ignited during her time in New York, where she worked in a bespoke art studio specializing in hand-painted wallpaper. Upon returning to London, Diane dedicated herself to revitalizing Chinoiserie for modern interiors, creating vibrant and uplifting designs that resonate with today’s audiences.
In collaboration with Harlequin, Diane created a stunning collection of wallpapers that blend classic 18th-century aesthetics with a fresh, modern twist. This partnership has made the luxurious Chinoiserie style more accessible, allowing a wider audience to incorporate these exquisite designs into their homes. Her work often features rich botanical imagery, delicate blossoms, and exotic birds, all meticulously hand-painted to bring a sense of elegance and tranquility to any room.
Explore her collections on Wallpaperdirect:
Harlequin x Diane Hill Wallpapers
Follow her on Instagram: @dianehilldesign
Above: Clarissa Hulse
Clarissa Hulse designs beautiful and luxurious wallpaper, murals and homeware from her studio in North London, with an emphasis on botanical imagery and bold colour. Clarissa’s designs are based on her nature photography, which is just as likely to originate from a tropical rainforest as it is to feature leaves from Highbury Fields- a stone’s throw from her studio.
Clarissa was born in Prague where her parents were living due to her father working there as a diplomat. The family moved around a lot and lived in Bangkok, Brussels, Athens, and Vienna with summers spent in her mother’s native Greece. She attributes her love of textiles and interiors to her nomadic childhood as every time they moved, her mother would make the new house feel homely with beautiful textiles and handicrafts from local markets. She was also a plant enthusiast and would fill the house with botanical finds.
Explore her collections on Wallpaperdirect:
Follow her on Instagram: @clarissahulse
Above: Kit Kemp
Kit Kemp is the Founder and Creative Director of Firmdale Hotels, which she established with her husband Tim in 1985. Acknowledged as pioneers in the hotel industry, the group features eleven luxury hotels and eight restaurants across London and New York. Kit Kemp is passionate about creating exciting and unique interiors. Over the years she has been forging an internationally acclaimed reputation at the helm of the Kit Kemp Design Studio and as a successful textiles, fragrance, and homewares designer, author and highly-respected champion of British art, craft, and sculpture.
Explore her collections on Wallpaperdirect:
Andrew Martin x Kit Kemp murals
Follow her on Instagram: @kitkempdesignthread
Below: Carrie Brightley – Wear the Walls
Wear the Walls was founded by Carrie Brightley, an interiors print protégé with ten year’s experience designing for the iconic Liberty London and super trendy print house, House of Hackney. The idea for ‘Wear the Walls’ was one that had been transpiring since Carrie graduated her Printed textiles degree from Leeds College of Art in 2011. With an equal love of fashion and interior design, it felt only natural to combine her two passions. The business is run from Carrie and her husband Tom’s home in Cornwall on the rugged North Coast of the UK and design inspiration comes from the beautiful Cornish landscape. A deep rooted love of nature and the desire to preserve it, is echoed throughout their ethical practises within their brand.
Explore her collection on Wallpaperdirect:
Follow her on Instagram: @wearthewalls
More like this…
Some of our favourite wallpaper designs…
Woodland Floral by Harlequin x Sophie Robinson
A beautifully hand-drawn archive design capturing the essence of Sophie’s country garden and the enchanting woodland that surrounds it. This illustrative wallpaper showcases a delicate composition of peony, primrose, and cascading laburnum, inspired by an English springtime in full bloom.
Bom Bom from Hannah Werning at Boråstapeter
Cheerful and dreamy, this Bom Bom wallpaper is coloured in tones of beige, dove blue, and barley blue on a crisp white background. Featuring a rhythmic puff shaped pattern designed by Hanna Werning, Bom Bom brings both playfulness and sophistication to the surrounding space.
Read the Room from Minnie Kemp x Mind the Gap
Linda from Sara Bergqvist at Sandberg
Linda is a beloved wallpaper with many lovely stories to tell. The pattern was hand-drawn by talented designer Sara Bergqvist and named after her sister, who is deeply interested in nature and plants. The design is based on one of the most beautiful sights in spring. The bursting magnolia trees. The branches spread gorgeously over the soft background, adorned by roses, lilacs, and lilies of the valley.
Wild Flower from Shabby Chic by Rachel Ashwell
Rachel Ashwell launched her interiors brand, Shabby Chic, in 1989 – it became a huge success and coined one of the most recognised phrases in the interiors industry, defining a style that is recognised all over the world. Wild Flower remains a favourite design inspired by an antique chintz fabric remnant from the Shabby Chic by Rachel Ashwell archive.
Seasons by May from Morris & Co.