Botanical Atlas Wallpaper Collection
Sir Arthur Lasenby Liberty’s championing for discovery has been placed at the core of Liberty Fabrics since our doors opened in 1875. His enthusiasm for adventure has permeated time, inspiring the designers at Liberty Fabrics to be ambitious with their creativity. These sentiments are encapsulated in a new wallpaper collection for 2023, Botanical Atlas. The Botanical Atlas collection embodies a celebration of magical and fantastical forms of the natural world with reference to our historic archive.
Taking us on a similar global voyage to that which originally inspired Sir Arthur Liberty, but from a new perspective, the collection returns to the Liberty archive’s abundance of designs. From trailing Chinoiserie motifs, through to miniature Persian Garden illustrations, Indian Moghul paintings and art from the Japanese Edo period, Botanical Atlas references our founder’s remarkable expeditions to Japan, China, Persia, and India during the 1880s – 1910s.
Botanical Atlas showcases an eclectic array of flora and fauna from some of our favourite designs, unseen archive fragments, and some fresh artworks created by Liberty Fabrics’ in-house Design team. The collection is crafted with timeless elegance and hued in rich, sophisticated colour palettes, marking a return to the historic tradition of studied illustrations. Described by the Head of Design for Interiors, Genevieve Bennett, ‘The Botanical Atlas Collection was an opportunity to take a deeper look at the origin, symbolism, medicinal, aesthetic, and folkloric meaning of plants and flowers from around the world and through time.’
Meticulously hand-painted in the Liberty Design Studio, in the heart of London, and expertly printed, using traditional and cutting-edge techniques in England and Italy. The wallpapers include delicately textured metallics to lustrous grass-cloths full of luxurious textures and depth of colour. Read on to find out more about the collection.
MAGICAL PLANTS
Hand-painted in the Liberty Design Studio, Magical Plants is inspired by the historic tradition of studied illustration. Exquisite natural forms come together to create a majestic trailing garden of Magnolias, Fuchsia, Wisteria, Lily of the valley, White Dogwood, and Nutmeg. Magical Plants skilfully combines scientific accuracy with artistic sensibility.
BERRY TREE
Originally created as a woven textile piece, Berry Tree was reimagined as a fresh and contemporary printed wallpaper. This trail is printed using specialist print techniques which allows rich reticulation of surface pigment, emulating traditional block printing effects.
ENCHANTED WOOD
Inspired by the book ‘Around the World in 80 Trees’ by Jonathan Drori, Enchanted Wood was hand-painted in the Liberty Design Studio in a painting style similar to miniature Indian garden paintings. Enchanted Wood has stylised trees from all over the world including Maple, Cypress, Willow, Orange, Pear, and even an imagined Liberty floral tree.
CYPRESS VOYAGE
Inspired by a collection of mid-19th century hand-painted shawls from the Liberty archive, Cypress Voyage offers a striking rendition of the much-loved Persian Voyage design – with the original design rescaled and reworked into a brand-new layout.
OBI STRIPE
Constructed in compact, narrow widths and tonal colour gradations, Obi Stripe creates a subtle ombre effect. Artistically rendered with soft, hand-painted edges, this rhythmic pattern is an interiors staple.
TUDOR POPPY
This luxurious botanical was inspired by a tiny fragment of fabric discovered in the Liberty archive dating from 1895. Paying homage to Liberty’s long-standing association with the Arts & Crafts movement, Tudor Poppy was lovingly restored and carefully reconstructed with delicate shading and soft inky washes.
HANA
Originally designed during the height of Liberty's Iconic Art Nouveau period in the early 1900s, Hana is an enticing botanical brimming with ephemeral opulence. Part of Liberty's Art Nouveau revival during the late 1960s, this beautifully elaborate pattern has been reinvented once more, layered in mellow neutral hues.
FLOATING PALACE & FLOATING PALACE LINEN
This magnificent landscape was originally printed as a Liberty furnishing fabric during the 1970s. Incorporating new stylistic elements, and recoloured in tonal and harmonious palettes, the design is inspired by traditional Chinoiserie wallpaper panels from the 17th & 18th centuries. Printed on a textural fibrous metallic base and a paperback linen.
ENDLESS KNOTS
Inspired by Japanese indigo printed textiles, Mizuhiki knots and ancient kimono linings, this wonderfully kinetic pattern was adapted from a hand painted design created in the Liberty Studio. Beautifully illustrated with dynamic geometry and delicate precision.
PORCELAIN TRAIL
Based on a hand-painted furnishing design originally printed for Liberty during the late 1960s, this edited version has been exquisitely redrawn, resized and recoloured. Porcelain Trail is a Chinese style, ornate floral.
SAKURA
A celebration of the beautiful and transient Cherry Blossom, Sakura embraces the minimalist aesthetic of this Japanese flower. Hand painted in delicate watercolour, these serene flowers appear to be bathed in diffused light.
SILK TREE
Commissioned artwork created by artists and experts in traditional Chinese silk painting techniques, using metallic silk paper, was reworked into a scenic panel by the Liberty Design Studio. Silk Tree features a joyous canopy of tree and Bamboo branches, decorated with birds, butterflies, Persian Silk Tree flowers, Chinese Physalis, Amaryllis, and Peonies.