These bespoke, hand-crafted wall coverings keep traditional skills alive

The Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris took two centuries to build; 15 hours to be almost lost to fire; and five years to reconstruct after that devastating 2019 inferno. But what does all this have to do with high-end wallpaper?

If not for traditional skills passed down through the ages, says couture-wallpaper doyenne Laura Cheung Wolf, one of architecture’s greatest medieval achievements might never have been rebuilt.

It’s why the founder of home decor and lifestyle brand Lala Curio feels it is imperative to keep training new generations of artisans, like those who hand-paint and embroider her dreamy Chinoiserie wallpaper using a centuries-old gongbi (meticulous detail) technique.

“That 800-year-old crafts can be revived in a five-year time frame is thanks in part to modern innovation, but also because these crafts – ancient woodworking techniques, hand-painted murals and restoration of stained-glass windows – have been passed down through generations,” she says, returning to her Notre-Dame reference. “Europe has put so much energy in fostering these old crafts that when the skill is needed, it’s right there.”

The act of harnessing ancient knowledge for contemporary design and architecture is gaining traction as consumers seek connection to heritage and craftsmanship. Hand-painted Chinoiserie wall coverings inspired by traditional Chinese art and culture grace grand homes, royal palaces and luxury hotels across the Western world, extending to contemporary spin-offs. The secret sauce of these and other unique wall products, Cheung says, is their authenticity.

Splitting her time between homes in Hong Kong and Washington, in the United States, Cheung was back in town ahead of the May 1 opening of the Lala Curio flagship showroom at The Peninsula Hong Kong.