Fromental x Chad Dorsey: A Celebration of Arts & Crafts for WOW!House 2025

This year we had the pleasure of collaborating with American designer Chad Dorsey on a space rooted in the enduring influence of the Arts and Crafts movement. This thoughtful partnership brought together Fromental’s hand-made wallcoverings and Chad’s warm, collected aesthetic to honour the shared histories of British and American design—while exploring new ways forward.

What emerged was a layered, personal installation: one that paid homage to tradition without being bound by it. Across each surface, we aimed to show how historical movements can be reinterpreted with care, becoming part of a living, evolving conversation in design.

At the heart of the space was Kiku—a bold and expressive design, inspired by Japanese motifs and techniques. Each panel was individually framed and trimmed, its elegant chrysanthemums referencing the enduring influence of Japanese art on the Arts and Crafts movement.

For this installation, Chad selected a gentle grey-pink ground that allowed the golden sunflower detail to glow—an intentional nod to the Aesthetic Movement. The palette, rooted in warm pinks and earthy tans, created a sense of calm and quiet sophistication.

One of the more surprising details was a technique borrowed from ceramics: salt, sprinkled over wet paint, created delicate, organic textures that softened the graphic motifs. It’s an approach we’d rarely used on wallcoverings—but one that perfectly suited the tactile spirit of the room.

“The story of Kiku draws from many influences,” explains Fromental Creative Director Lizzie Deshayes. “But its heart is unmistakably Japanese. That connection—between Eastern design and Western reinterpretation—has long been central to the Arts and Crafts movement.”

Borders played a quiet but crucial role in holding the room together. Rather than simply decorative, they acted as a framework—bringing structure, rhythm and cohesion to the overall scheme.

The border design itself was a subtle reference to Lewis Foreman Day, a key figure in the Arts and Crafts canon. As Lizzie notes, “His ideas on proportion and layout form the foundation of how we think about design today.”

Perhaps the most ambitious element of the room was the ceiling—a space often overlooked in contemporary interiors, but which here became a central feature.

We looked to Candace Wheeler, a pioneering American textile designer, for inspiration. Her honeycomb and bee motif was reimagined with bramble branches and soft detailing that gave the ceiling a painterly depth. Floating between the florals were butterflies, a quiet nod to Tiffany, which added lightness and movement.

This “fifth wall” became a celebration of overlooked details and unsung influence—a tribute to the women who helped shape America’s decorative arts tradition.

The designs we created for WOW!house were customised specifically for this project and aren’t part of our permanent collection—but the ideas and techniques behind them remain an active part of our studio’s work.

If something in this story resonates with you, we’d love to talk about how similar ideas could be adapted for your own space. Whether you’re interested in reinterpreting elements of Kiku or exploring a custom commission, our team would be happy to help.

For inquiries about custom wallcoverings inspired by our WOW!House 2025 installation, please contact our sales team. Every project is approached with the same attention to detail and design integrity that shaped this collaboration.