How do you make a start on a design? Where do you get all those ideas from? How does designing a whole collection of wallcoverings work in practice? These are all questions that are often asked of Arte’s designers. Answering them is far from simple, but we’re going to have a stab at it here. Let’s start by saying that it’s different for every collection. One thing they all have in common, though, is that the design process is never a straight line from start to finish. Designing a wallpaper collection takes about a year. During that time, new ideas and influences are constantly crossing the designer’s path, and these can shape the direction that the collection takes.
Antennae
Every good designer will tell you the same thing: their antennae are always up. They consciously seek out new ideas at trade fairs, in magazines, and so on. But they also absorb fresh influences unconsciously, with every little idea potentially opening the door to a completely new design.
The design process is never a straight line from start to finish
Predicting trends
“We do keep an eye on the trends, but not so that we can follow them”, the Arte design team explains. “Given the one-year lead time, we’d always be too late when creating a new wallpaper collection anyway. But we do want to see what our customers are seeing, to understand what they’re being influenced by. This gives us an idea of the direction in which things are going, and allows us to make predictions about up-and-coming trends, not only in terms of materials and colours, but also patterns and techniques.”
Mood boards
Every Arte designer maintains a number of small mood boards on a wide range of themes. A few times per year, the team take a collective look at these boards. A small number are selected for further development, which ultimately culminates in a collection. For the majority of collections, several designs are created in combination with a few (faux-)uni options. “When it comes to developing designs, many people assume it’s a question of patterns and colours, but the structure and tactility of the material are the guiding principles for us.”
Unusual materials
Our search for materials extends far and wide. Some collections consist of screen prints, detailed vinyl impressions or digital prints, but Arte is chiefly known for the many unusual materials in its wallcoverings. “We are constantly searching for exceptional materials. If we see something beautiful, we immediately ask ourselves how we can get it on the wall.”
New techniques
This search frequently leads to new techniques for manufacturing wallcoverings. There are numerous examples, including fabric, cork, shell and wood veneer. In many cases, designers seek out partners who can help, often outside the interior sector. For example, a partner from the fashion industry was approached for the thermoform technique in the Babylon collection.
Colour palette
Of course, there’s also a carefully formulated colour palette for every design. “We make a mood board to get an idea of the colours that will be included in the collection. After that, we work out the colour palette for each individual design. Of course, the colours must chime with the theme, and also with the material." For example, grasses are different to silk, and while bright colours are not really appropriate for the former, they are well suited to the latter.
We do keep an eye on the trends, but not so that we can follow them
