Thibaut wallpaper

We recently worked on a project in Mayfair with a somewhat glamorous wallcovering designed by Thibaut – we hope to post photos soon.

The firm, whose designs bear a strong European sensibility, has a long history:

“Still bearing the founder’s name, Thibaut (pronounced Tee-Bo) was founded in New York in 1886 by Richard E. Thibaut, an American of Parisian descent. Once heralded as the “world’s largest wallpaper company” Thibaut began as a successful retailer and with multiple distribution points in Boston, New York and Newark.”

You’ll find lots of designs to browse here.

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Ghost Signs in London

Noticing the presence of “ghost signs” – fading, sometimes barely legible painted commercial signage, typically from the Victorian period – is one of the pleasures available to the attentive flâneur. We recently spotted one on Cloudesley Road, in Islington, during our travels in N1.

Londonist have collected ten fine examples here.

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Diespeker Terrazzo

We recently encountered the work of Diespeker – a venerable specialist in terrazzo, established in London in 1881 – while working on the new restaurant in Herne Hill, Llewelyn’s.

Here is the bespoke terrazzo used in the restaurant, “a mix of grey, black and red/brown marble chippings in a light cement”.

Diespeker have a summary of the material on their website: “Terrazzo originates from Italy where, around 500 years ago, quarry workers used stone offcuts for flooring in their own homes. At first, the finish was rough-set and uneven but as methods progressed, the flexibility and benefits of terrazzo were recognised.”

Here is another striking bespoke terrazzo from Diespeker, using only glass.

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