New from KnollTextiles: The Fields Collection by Rachel & Nicholas Cope
A dynamic visual study of color with repetitive linework and shapes inspired by original artworks
KnollTextiles kicks off 2021 with The Fields Collection, a trio of painterly, graphic wallcoverings with guest designers Rachel & Nicholas Cope.
As the founders of New York-based Calico Wallpaper, Rachel and Nicholas specialize in unique custom murals offering a contemporary point of view on design by pushing the boundaries of traditional techniques.
“Their custom murals are rooted in a sense of timelessness, with a modern minimalist approach – the same spirit as KnollTextiles.” – Creative Director Dorothy Cosonas, KnollTextiles.
A lifelong artist, Rachel describes art-making as her “way of communicating.” Although she is formally trained in sculpture and has a mixed-media approach to surface design, painting is Rachel’s first love and the method she turns to first. “Painting gives me a sense of peace and calm; it’s easy to get lost in it. I love that the methods and variables are limitless and wanted to bring that spirit of exploration to our new collection for KnollTextiles,” said designer Rachel Cope.
Rachel used watercolors and ink to create the initial artwork for the collection. As KnollTextiles translated the pieces into a digital format, the layering of color played a crucial role in successfully bringing these designs to life while retaining the original artwork’s spontaneity.
The Fields Collection has three connected but unique designs. Inspired by the luminosity and variation of a simple watercolor chart, Expanse’s staggered rows of rectangles appear to dance across the wall, reading more like a mural than a patterned wallcovering.
Merging two distinct pieces of artwork gives Traverse – a stylized plaid – great depth, dimensionality and intriguing color-play. For the quietest pattern in the collection, Rachel developed a series of simple handcrafted ink stamps as Ascent’s jumping-off point. The all-over design comes from staggering the repetitive shapes for a soft, nuanced geometry on the wall.
Expanse, Traverse and Ascent are digitally printed on Type II non-phthalate 20-ounce vinyl. They are washable and scrubbable. All sell for $46 per yard and are made in the USA.
Expanse WC2393
Inspired by the luminosity and variation of a simple watercolor chart, Expanse’s staggered rows of rectangles appear to dance across the wall, reading more like a mural than a patterned wallcovering. Within each individual shape is a careful study of color weight, tone and placement, providing an intimate experience with the design’s complexity and depth. As watercolor for the wall, Expanse is a true palette builder.
Colors: 5
Content: 100% Non-Phthalate Vinyl
Width: 52”
Repeat: V:41.5”, H: 50”
Cleaning Code: W
Environmental: Clean Air Gold Certified
Traverse WC2394
The structure of a traditional woven plaid was the basis for Traverse. The design was created by overlaying two distinct pieces of artwork: a hand-painted plaid on top of watercolor stripes of varying opacities. In merging the two patterns, we gave special attention to preserving the original artwork’s dimensionality. The addition of a stipple effect with organic flecks to specific areas of the plaid enhances the pattern’s depth. Rachel and Nicholas’s work is an examination of color behavior. Traverse explores how the characteristics of color remain true across different mediums. Traverse is an excellent example of the power of color and how it can change the mood of an interior.
Colors: 5
Content: 100% Non-Phthalate Vinyl,
Width: 52”
Repeat: V: 72, H:50
Cleaning Code: W
Environmental: Clean Air Gold Certified
Ascent WC2395
Rachel developed a series of simple hand-crafted ink stamps, which she describes as small sculptures, as Ascent’s jumping-off point. The stamping technique allowed her to explore line weights and pigment saturation. The repetitive shapes were staggered to create an all-over pattern allowing your eye to appreciate the design’s nuances while creating the notion of soft geometry on the wall. The palette incorporates a range of shifting levels of color to mimic the original artwork.
Colors: 5
Content: 100% Non-Phthalate Vinyl,
Width: 52”
Repeat: V: 116, H:50
Cleaning Code: W
Environmental: Clean Air Gold Certified
About KnollTextiles
KnollTextiles is currently under the creative direction of Dorothy Cosonas, who combines clean, clear color with modern, elegant patterns and textures. In 2005 Cosonas was named the 11th Creative Director of KnollTextiles. Her inaugural collection won a Best of NeoCon Gold award – her first of 9 along with 7 Silver awards for Knoll. In 2008, she founded Knoll Luxe as the fashion forward luxury component of KnollTextiles where she has contributed her own work along with collaborating fashion designers such as Proenza Schouler, Rodarte and Maria Cornejo. Her work was a major part of KnollTextiles 2011 retrospective exhibition at the Bard Graduate Center and has been accepted into the permanent collection of Cooper-Hewitt, Smithsonian National Design Museum. Cosonas also received the 2016 IIDA Titan Award. Founded by Florence Knoll in 1947, KnollTextiles is a division of Knoll, Inc., and maintains a marketing and design studio at 1330 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019.
