In conversation with New Zealand artist and wallpaper designer Emma Hayes
Written by
14 October 2023
•
5 min read
ArchiPro: What prompted your move into the wallpaper industry?
Emma Hayes: It was actually accidental! I added a custom wallpaper as a backdrop to an exhibition presentation of our silk cushions and throws and fell in love with the medium.
I found it was a mix of so many things I love – print, paper quality, surface finish, art, interiors, pattern and texture. From there, it took on a life of its own, and I’m so proud to have now developed a range of wallpaper designs found in many residential and commercial projects around the world.
AP: How would you describe your design style?
EH: I like the idea of beautiful, quiet decoration that brings you happiness and makes you feel calm in your home and workplace.
My designs often have a gestural element due to the inks and materials used. I often look to bring the influence of the outdoors in. You will see evidence of rivers, rocks, water, clouds and more throughout my collections.
AP: As a New Zealand-based textile designer, your environment is a prominent influence on your designs. Can you tell us more about your inspiration?
EH: The influence of our New Zealand environment came through in my work on a subconscious level as I started painting and drawing for my initial collections. Now, it is a cohesive thread evident throughout my body of work.
Like many, I spend time in green spaces to recharge. I also have triplet boys, so we keep active - often at the beach, biking or walking in the forest. For me, this is a great time to ‘drink’ in all this inspiration. We are surrounded by water and inspiring colour palettes here in New Zealand, and these influences help differentiate my work in a global market.
AP: Tell me about your creative process, from the initial idea to the final product.
EH: I spend as much time as I can outdoors, and from there, I often spend time experimenting with different materials – paints, inks and generating marks, which harks back to my art school training.
Sometimes I have a clear idea of what I want to create, and other times work evolves from this experimentation. I spend time painting and viewing work at different scales. I will often consider how it feels to walk by my work and like to imagine being surrounded by the design, immersed in the space.
AP: Which spaces do you specialise in?
EH: We find dining areas, powder rooms, and primary bedrooms are popular applications in residential projects, yet our papers can be anywhere and everywhere; from walls to ceilings to inside wardrobes, office nooks, and shelving units. We love working closely with our clients to tailor solutions to their schemes and will often customise a design to suit a project or space.
AP: Your recent projects include collaborations with prominent names like Louis Vuitton and Nobu Hotel. Can you tell me more about your work with these brands?
EH: We were approached by the Louis Vuitton design team and worked with them to supply a selection of our papers for their Auckland City, Melbourne and Newmarket stores. These are fine-grade papers, ranging from metallic gold to designs with a gentle vibrancy of colour, and we are thrilled to see them co-existing in such luxurious surroundings. We are grateful that Louis Vuitton has chosen to work with a New Zealand brand for these projects.
The Rockwell Group briefed us to create a custom mural for the penthouse suites at The Nobu Hotel, Miami. I created this mural not long after returning from the South Island where I had visited Akaroa. I was so inspired by the beautiful harbour, and this formed the inspiration for the design. I like knowing there's a little bit of the Banks Peninsula existing in Florida.
AP: Can you tell us about your materials and sourcing?
EH: We are particularly interested in the materials we work with. Our papers are FSC-certified, and we use non-toxic water-based inks in our printing.
We offer recycled papers and PVC-free substrates for commercial projects as an alternative to vinyl, so they have the commercial performance required without being vinyl.
For the past four years, we’ve partnered with local agencies to work on material and paper developments to create even more sustainable options in this space.
AP: How do you ensure your products are environmentally responsible?
EH: For many projects, especially commercial, we need to meet stringent environmental requirements and undertake certification to ensure our papers meet these standards.
AP: Can you tell us about your other design services and products?
EH: We often create bespoke designs for clients, and this is an area that really excites us.
All of our designs are available in a number of formats – from archival prints and artworks for those who would like the flexibility to move a piece or don't want to commit to a full wall, to heavy-duty grade fabrics suitable for commercial interiors.
AP: What have you been working on most recently?
EH: We are working on several large-scale commercial projects in the United States, including a presentation that will be released in New York later this year. We've just completed a series of bespoke designs for a restaurant in Canberra, and we have most recently partnered with a French distributor, which means our products will be more readily available in the European market in the coming months.
Discover more of Emma Hayes Textiles’ designs at Artisan Collective