Pierre Frey is a name that's in every interior designer's little black book. Often featured in the pages of Livingetc and in our Design Projects (opens in new tab), Maison Pierre Frey (opens in new tab)'s fabrics and wallpapers are favourited by designers the world over, and are instantly recognisable to those in the know. The design house frequently features in the press with it's new collections and collaborations – it has collaborated with the likes of India Mahdavi (opens in new tab), and most recently a capsule collection for Soho Home.
Founded in 1935, the design house is a treasure trove of print and pattern to fall in love with. You'll have spotted Pierre Frey's punchy Pueblos fabric in Suzy Hoodless' home video tour (opens in new tab) last month, and some of the brand's more toned down fabric upholstery in this chic yacht interior (opens in new tab).
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Interior designer Elizabeth Georgantas also leaned on the design house for adding pops of pattern to herMassachusetts project (opens in new tab), like the Mil Neuf Cent Vingt design seen here on a Roman blind.
But it's the wallpapers that really have the Livingetc office drooling. Neutral wallpapers aside (let neutrals be neutral, we say), everything about Maison Pierre Frey's patterned papers has an element of fun to it. For example, Pierre Frey's clever tile-inspired Lisboa (opens in new tab) wallpaper is a Trompe-l'œil that'll trick you into thinking the wall is tiled. Nailing the Spanish bathroom trend, the scenic design brings a taste of Portugal’s tin-glazed walls home.
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And that's not the only travel-inspired design; most of the brand's wallpaper designs are influenced by travel, from fabric-inspired Ikats (opens in new tab), Batiks (opens in new tab), Kilim designs and even ceremonial kaftans (opens in new tab) to the storied En File Indienne (opens in new tab), a 'souvenir from a trip to India', and this wallpaper border design (opens in new tab) inspired by a painting of Venice which belonged to the King of France Louis XIV and currently sits in the Louvre museum.
The designs stretch from jungles, deserts and exotic greenhouses (opens in new tab) up into space withcloudy skies (opens in new tab) and celestial drawings. There are underwater scenes too (including an aquarium-like pattern below), and even a wallpaper that blends a bit of both; Curiosites (opens in new tab) features both sea and land animals against a dramatic black backdrop. In a nutshell? The brand frames and captures every daydream, every whimsy and curiosity.
We've rounded up our ten favourite Pierre Frey wallpapers that promise to gift your home an instant, cheerful lift.
1. FOND MARIN
An ocean scene of colourful coral and seaweed, the Fond Marin (opens in new tab) design by Carla Talopp plunges us to the bottom of the sea, where seaweeds dance and corals hypnotise. We've seen this design to great effect when given a large wall to shine, for example in fish restaurants.
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2. LE COUPLE
Passionate about drawing, the actress Louise Bourgoin introduced her drawings to Patrick Frey of the Maison Pierre Frey. He was immediately taken by the fluid, unapologetic lines of her pen and ink drawings and offered to feature Le Couple (opens in new tab) as a wallpaper. We love the minimalism of the fluid pen strokes against the white background, and love the cheekiness of this design too.
Absolutely stunning for a dressing room (opens in new tab) or powder room (opens in new tab) – or what about framing it like designer Zoe Feldman did in this cloakroom space?
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3. MONSTER FAMILY
Modern, punchy and fun, the Monster Family (opens in new tab) design features a private collection of imaginary figurines reworked by Tal Lancman and Maurizio Galante. It's super fun for a boys bedroom (opens in new tab), but could also provide a tongue-in-cheek element to a cloakroom (opens in new tab) or games room. It's also available with a gold background (opens in new tab).
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4. BONSAI
Pierre Frey's Bonsai (opens in new tab) design was inspired by Japanese gardens and bonsai stands. We love the olive greens and the painterly effect.
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5. TOILE DE NANTES
Toile De Nantes (opens in new tab) is a neutral design which would suit both cloakrooms and powder rooms as well as cosy guest bedrooms. Although it takes inspiration from an Ikat print, we think the dots and wobbly lines create a sort of English country house vibe.
See Also:Bedroom Wallpaper Ideas (opens in new tab)
6. LES BIDULES
Super playful, Les Bidules (opens in new tab) features child-like drawings, and gives a sense of carefree freedom, as though children have been left a box of markets and a blank wall, to doodle to their hearts content. We can't imagine a more fun wallpaper for a kids playroom (opens in new tab), kids study or kids art studio space.
See Also:Wonderfully Fun Kids Play Room Ideas (opens in new tab)
7. MILLE FLEURS
Gaël Davrinche paints his canvas on the ground and uses his fingers, giving us a more contemporary take on a floral. Mille fleurs (opens in new tab) feels fresh and whimsical, rather than chintzy. We think it would work stunningly in a nursery bedroom (opens in new tab) or girl's bedroom (opens in new tab).
See Also:Stylish Nursery Bedroom Ideas (opens in new tab)
8. FONTAINE ET ANIMAUX BARBOUILLAGE
The design house is famous for mixing past styles and giving them a fresh spin. Fontaine et animaux barbouillage (opens in new tab) is a perfect example of that; a traditional 'Fontaines et Animaux' fabric from 1803 gets a graphic graffiti-style overlay by Christian Astuguevieille. By looking in a new way at a classical design from the 18th century, the artist has brought it to life again.
9. LES COQUECIGRUES
Another modern reinterpretation of a classic design is Christain Astuguevieille's Les Coquecigrues (opens in new tab). It depicts imaginary animals printed using a woodblock technique from 1792. This particular motif was fashionable in the eighteenth century, and Christain has modified the design scale and colours to create a more modern version.
10. YANGZI
The stylised waves on the Yangzi (opens in new tab) wallcovering evoke the continuous waves of the Tangzi – the longest river in China. The pattern is printed on a raffia straw laminated on a metallic ground reminiscent of sparkling water.
We see this as a calm and soothing neutral design, a serene backdrop for any room in the house.