Paying homage to both the history and cultural heritage of Newfoundland and the historical significance of wallpaper itself, the Fogo Island Collection by Christopher Farr Cloth and Fogo Island Workshops resurrects and reinterprets four original designs that once graced the walls of the iconic Fogo Island Inn.
Cheerful and full of life, the recently launched wallpaper and textile collection is the result of a creative meeting of the minds between Zita Cobb and the Fogo Island team (Cobb is also the founder of Shorefast, the parent charity behind Fogo Island Inn, Fogo Island Workshops and Fogo Island Fish) and British design house Christopher Farr Cloth, with both positioning heritage, creativity, traditional craftsmanship and ethical design as major pillars in all they do.
In Newfoundland, the popularity of wallpaper was born of necessity and has long been considered a symbol of resiliency, often used as a protective layer to ward off the cold North Atlantic winds in uninsulated and drafty houses. As modern advances in insulation were made, the humble practicality of the wall covering diminished but its expressive and artistic nature carried on, becoming a decorative embodiment of the tenacious spirit of the maritime province and its people. When first designing Fogo Island Inn 10 years ago, the team recognized the cultural emblem and source of comfort wallpaper represented and felt it only fitting to incorporate a number of original patterns as integral elements of the overall scheme. Today, a handful of those designs have been reimagined by Fogo Island design strategist Ernst Hupel and Christopher Farr Cloth as the Fogo Island Collection of Wallpaper and Textiles for the home.
An original pattern by artist, designer and architect Nick Herder (who was a member of the architectural team with Saunders Architecture responsible for designing and building Fogo Island Inn), Make Fish is a tribute to the vital role that cod fish plays – and has played for generations – to the people of Newfoundland. The intricate details bring to life the traditional methods of salting, rinsing and drying the cod that has long-sustained the local community.
With Set the Scene, Scottish designer Donna Wilson (who now lives and works in London, U.K.) put a whimsical spin on the traditional toile de Jouy, rendering the French-style fabric as a visual story of Fogo Island’s rich heritage. Depicting images of the island’s wildlife, longliner and punt boats, the Great Auk (the extinct flightless bird that was once common on the banks of Newfoundland), and other iconic island buildings (like the Fishermen’s Union Trading Company Museum), the pattern is a cultural tapestry of Fogo Island’s essence.
Another Herder original, Island Atmosphere beautifully captures the locale’s unique weather conditions, where rain, snow, fog and sun can all be experienced within a few short hours. The resulting palette of dazzling colours reflect the interplay of light and shadow, the soft glow of dawn and the rich tones of sunset, and are expressed through tonal shifts and a sense of movement that travels across the surface of the pattern.
The joyful We Sailed Away by Wilson takes one on an ocean voyage, where the power and mystery of the sea, the island’s expansive horizons and the thrill of an occasional sighting of migrating whales sparks a sense of wonder and amazement.
As both Fogo Island Workshop and Christopher Farr Cloth are committed to sustainability and responsible manufacturing, the Fogo Island Collection wallpapers are ethically sourced, non-woven and FSC-certified, and digitally printed using water-based ink; and the fabrics are hand-printed using an enviro-friendly pigment ink system on linen that is sourced from carbon-neutral suppliers and finished without chemical additives.
Christopher Farr Cloth and Fogo Island Workshops Reveal a Charming Collection Steeped in History
The Fogo Island Collection of wallpaper and textiles brings the rich heritage and culture of Newfoundland home.