This October, widely revered boutique wall-coverings brand Calico launched the Alchemy and Enchantment collections: ethereal designs informed by the natural-dyed silks utilised in the puppet theatre of Janene Ping, the Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School teacher that recently taught founders Nick and Rachel Cope’s children. The duo—one of a handful of independent studios that defined the post 2008-recession New York design scene—moved to the Upper Hudson Valley region during the Covid-19 pandemic. Like many urban-transplants escaping the city, they came in search of a better quality of life. But unlike most that have since returned, the Copes stayed and it significantly impacted how they work.

‘I feel liberated to explore new ideas with more freedom, away from the frenetic energy of New York City,’ Rachel Cope explains. ‘Being upstate has allowed us to establish a studio space that accommodates larger-scale projects, incorporating nature-based materials and processes that weren’t feasible before. This slower, more grounded pace has influenced the evolution of our practice, bringing a sense of mindfulness and intentionality into each piece and fostering a connection to more organic themes.’

It’s difficult to imagine creative terrain that Calico Wallpaper hasn’t traversed in the Brooklyn studio’s decade-plus history, which has seen husband-and-wife founders Nick and Rachel Cope practically elevate the medium into fine art thanks to their embrace of glowing gradients and marbleized prints. Lately the duo has been mining the infinite expanse of the galaxies for inspiration, which they translated into the dazzling Supernova collection realized alongside Manhattan interiors firm Studio DB.

Infused with cosmic intrigue and atmospheric texture, the eight-piece collection depicts star patterns that infuse interiors with a healthy dose of cosmic wonder while providing a personal portal into the great beyond. “This collection sparkles and unveils the fantastical universe we’ve imagined, deeply connected to the history of astrology but also the artistry of those who have reinterpreted it before us,” says Britt Zunino, who co-founded Studio DB with her husband, Damian. They went on to install it on the ceiling of their personal library—an ideal place to be transported into another universe.

Soon after Rachel Cope befriended New York lighting designer and artist Lindsey Adelman, the cofounder and creative director of Calico Wallpaper was struck by Adelman’s passion for fine art and nature. “She was painting watercolors of flowers, and I found them to be unique and beautiful,” recalls Cope.

The enchanting motifs aligned with the Calico aesthetic, and Cope sent Adelman a message with her idea to turn them into wallcoverings. The timing was fortuitous. Visiting Belle-Île, an island off the coast of Brittany, France, Adelman was surrounded by inspiring foliage that spawned Eden, her mural-style collection for Calico that launched in 2020.

Amid the rugged landscape, Adelman and a friend explored mediums outside their main practices. “It was only one week but seemed like such a radical and rebellious move to commit to work with different intentions,” she says. “We felt so connected to the land and went foraging for plant material each morning. I ended up painting what I found.”

Ultimately, Calico collaged those paintings into botanical portraits and then digitally printed the images, showcasing grounding, hand-applied metallic accents that lend the wallcoverings an organic sheen. Whether it’s a light sculpture like the handblown Branching Bubble chandelier that put her on the map or an experimental painting, “I tend to follow a craving or yearning and then begin to make shapes to understand what is drawing me in,” Adelman explains.

Just weeks ago I ventured upstate to visit Rachel Cope of Calico Wallpaper at her new studio in New York’s Hudson Valley, where the artist dreams up bespoke collections for the coveted wallpaper company. On display was Ensemble, a series inspired by creativity and the boundless imagination (a.k.a. our inner child).

Pulled directly from Rachel’s own artwork, which was scanned and enlarged in dramatic scale, it features massive brushstrokes in unexpected tones, full of visible texture for a mural-style effect that we continue to see in the latest wallpaper trends. Sure to make a statement, the print isn’t for those who simply dabble in pattern — the stylish strokes are oversized and expressive as if a gentle giant painted your walls with an enormous paintbrush. How’s that for using your imagination?