Thibaut

Thibaut (pronounced Tee-boh) is one of the oldest continually operating design houses in the United States. Renowned in the industry as a trailblazer for colourful wallcoverings and exquisite fabrics, the company counts the likes of the Obamas (who chose Thibaut’s wallpaper for the White House) and international interior designers such as Henrietta Spencer Churchill, as fans.

Most recently Thibaut launched the Paramount collection of co-ordinating wallpaper, prints, woven and embroidered fabrics, all influenced by the strong visual and graphic arts and design movement

that occurred at the turn of the 20 th century. Patterns in the range include peacocks, flower motifs and S-curves, that are designed to be layered together in a look that doesn’t overpower. Equally visually striking is the contemporary Modern Resource collection. Linear yet organic, the designs in this range include textural components and crisp graphics that radiate sophistication and style. The Hayworth wallpaper, for instance, comes in nine colourways and has graceful parallel lines that create large blocks in a screen-printed design.

The studio uses a variety of methods to create its fashion-forward designs, from state-of-the-art technology to simple hand-painted techniques. Patterns may originate from an antique document, sketch or commissioned artwork but what unites them is that each has the distinctly vivid Thibaut signature that conjures up the feeling of a sunny Californian, coastal lifestyle. Alongside the florals, geometrics and damask patterns, Thibaut has a vast selection of eco-friendly grasscloth wallcoverings and embossed vinyl textures – both staples in the 1970s that are now making a serious comeback and are in demand by interior designers for the walls of the most sophisticated London apartments. These handcrafted weaves include natural corks with printed metallic, woven jute, seagrass, raffia and extra-fine sisal.

Thibaut’s broad offering was extended by the 2007 acquisition of UK-based Anna French, a luxury brand of wallcoverings, fabrics, embroideries and Scottish lace. Anna continues as a source of inspiration to the design team at Thibaut, ensuring that her energy and style are infused into the new collections. The Palampore collection by Anna French has been a smashing success. Named after lustrous, Indian, painted fabric panels, Palampore combines exotic Indienneinspired and indigenous designs in two coordinating collections of fabrics and wallcoverings.

Over the last few years Thibaut has also expanded its performance fabrics. Created specifically for family-friendly living, they are woven to meet or exceed heavy-duty requirements for upholstery and provide clients with a solution that is durable, breathable and stain-resistant. The company is constantly experimenting with fresh new ideas: the design and marketing teams work closely together to respond to the leads of the upper end of the interiors market, combining their creative vision with the needs of today’s homeowner. And since it is not limited by the capability of its own manufacturing facility, Thibaut can draw on a myriad of printing and weaving techniques, using mills all over the world – meaning colour options are virtually endless.

Whether a client is looking for turquoise sea-like wallpaper or an oversize floral print, at Thibaut, there really is a colour and pattern to suit everyone. The future is looking bright.