A Partnership Transforming Heritage into Home
In the homes on Fogo Island, wallpaper isn't just a decorative accent; it's a symbol of resilience and cultural heritage. Traditionally used to keep out cold winds in uninsulated homes, wallpaper was a practical source of warmth. But even as modern insulation replaced drafty walls, wallpaper remained a cherished part of Newfoundlanders' homes, embodying their expressive and artistic spirit.
When designing the interiors of Fogo Island Inn, we knew incorporating wallpaper was necessary to tell the island's story. We strived to hold on to Fogo Island’s traditions while reaching out to the world, merging the global with the local to foster creativity while preserving culture.
Design Strategist Ernst Hupel and Graphic Designer Carolina Soderholm worked with designers from both near and far to weave meaning into each wallpaper designed for the Inn, including: “Salt Box Houses & Sea Life” by Nick Herder, “Arc Stripe” and “Leaves & Berries” by Donna Wilson, “Caribou” by Kym Greeley and Erica Stephens-Moore, “Berries” by Martine Myrup, and “Map of Fogo Island & Change Islands” by Eric Ratkowski.
Ten years after the designs were created to embellish the walls of Fogo Island Inn, leading luxury textile house, Christopher Farr Cloth, has transformed four patterns into an exclusive wallpaper and fabric collection for in-home use. While we strive to craft as much as possible locally, sometimes we must seek out like-minded partners. After a decade-long search, we found the perfect collaborator in Christopher Farr Cloth.
The collaboration was born from a shared commitment to heritage, creativity, and ethical design. The new collection of original patterns from the Inn reflects a deep appreciation for Newfoundland's culture and history, with emphasis on sustainability and community.
"Christopher Farr Cloth and Fogo Island Workshops have a kinship in the way they approach design,” said Michael Murphy, VP Fogo Island Workshops. “Design for both is a way of giving the human knowledge, traditions, and experience of the past a new form to thrive into the future. Christopher Farr Cloth’s work in unearthing designs from archives and in developing new designs with old techniques is a beautiful expression of this."
“I fell in love with the idea, the place, the people of Fogo Island,” said Michal Silver, Creative Director of Christopher Farr Cloth. “The shared belief that local craftsmanship, the joy of human contact, and touch are at the centre of our work and fundamental to the creative process… that made this partnership irresistible to us."
For generations, wallpaper shielded Fogo Islanders from the harsh winds of the North Atlantic. The collection pays homage to this history, while infusing a contemporary touch. The four designs selected for production are:
Make Fish:
A tribute to the noble cod that has sustained generations of Newfoundlanders, designed by Nick Herder, one of the original architects of Fogo Island Inn.
Island Atmosphere:
Capturing the ever-changing and magical light of Fogo Island's weather, this design by Nick Herder reflects the diversity of the island's atmospheric conditions.
Set the Scene:
Donna Wilson's interpretation of the traditional French fabric Toile de Jouy, features scenes from Fogo Island that reflect the community's outport Newfoundland heritage.
We Sailed Away:
Donna Wilson's design captures the boundless expanse of sea and horizon from Fogo Island, occasionally punctuated by migrating whales.
The partnership between Christopher Farr Cloth and Fogo Island Workshops is more than just a collaboration, it's a meeting of minds dedicated to fostering economic resilience through artisanship and innovation. These designs crafted for Fogo Island Inn will now find new homes, blending the past, present, and future in a celebration of place-based design.