Luxury bespoke wallpaper is making a strong comeback

When Tim Butcher finished decorating the lobby of London's prestigious Goring Hotel with his one-of-a-kind wallpaper, he knew he had found the place to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his luxury wallpaper firm, Fromental.

He did so in March this year, only weeks after the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton dotted the eye of a whimsical unicorn among the other animal motifs hand-painted on top of silver leaf gilded walls at Goring's reopening ceremony.

"It was a special project," Butcher recalls. "We built upon the idea of a classical English Arcadian garden landscape and put a playful spin on it - think grizzly bears hiding in the clouds, swans in the leaves and snakes in the branches."

Wallpaper that has long been overlooked by interior designers is slowly taking the spotlight. Making the comeback stronger is luxury bespoke wallpaper rendered in precious materials such as gold leaves, glass beads and silver crystals as well those applied with artisanal techniques such as marquetry, hand screen paint and embroidery.

The luxurious rolls come with hefty price tags attached. Some of Fromental's luxury wallpaper fetches US$2,500 to US$3,000 per square metre. One living room Fromental fitted cost a client more than US$95,000.

"For many years, wallpaper was not considered a 'big-ticket' item, but that has changed," says Butcher, who founded Fromental with his textile designer wife Lizzie Deshayes.

Interior designers now treat wallpaper as more than a background, and take the opportunity to enhance the surroundings of luxury homes.

"Wallpaper is now seen more in the realms of artwork adorning the walls and a focal part of the whole [design] concept and scheme," says Simon Rawlings, creative director of London's famous David Collins Studio, whose portfolio spans luxury homes, retail concept stores and five-star hotels. The studio works extensively with luxury wallpaper brands such as De Gournay and Alpha Workshops.