For more than 150 years, the Cole & Son archive has served as both a record of decoration and a source of continual reinvention. Within its shelves sits thousands of fragments of design history: printer's proofs, pattern books, hand-painted artworks and wood blocks, each offering a glimpse into the tastes, technologies and craftsmanship of their time.
Archival Cole & Son pattern books showing the trellis designs that inspired Fresco Trellis
With Formations, these archival references become the starting point for a new exploration of geometric pattern. Rather than simply reproducing historic designs, the collection returns to the foundations of decoration itself, examining the grids, stripes, diamonds, trellises and repeated marks that have shaped interiors for generations. Through drawing, painting, etching and printmaking, familiar motifs are reworked into something softer, more tactile, and distinctly contemporary.
Archival inspiration alongside designs in development on the studio wall
Central to the collection is an appreciation of making. Throughout the development process, original archive documents were studied for more than their visual appeal. The subtle irregularities of wood block printing, the layering of historic inks, and the evidence of the maker's hand became as important as the patterns themselves. These qualities were then reinterpreted using a combination of analogue and contemporary print techniques, ensuring that every design retains a sense of depth, texture, and materiality.
The result is a collection that balances precision with expression, structure with softness, and heritage with modernity.
Cole & Son artists developing designs at an analogue print studio
Formations reflects a return to what has always made Cole & Son distinctive. Drawing on the richness of our archive, the collection celebrates handcrafted geometry, artistic expression and the enduring appeal of pattern reimagined for contemporary living. These are designs created to sit in dialogue with the spaces around them; layered, combined and lived with over time. Both expressive and versatile, Formations offers a backdrop that brings depth, atmosphere and character to a room while remaining deeply rooted in the creative heritage that continues to define our brand.
The collection grew out of a deep immersion in the Cole & Son archive. We were drawn to original sketches, studies and fragments, but also to the craft processes behind them. By revisiting traditional techniques such as etching and aquatint, we were able to give geometry a new sense of depth and movement, creating designs that feel tactile and beautifully suited to modern interiors.
All Designs
Painted Prism
An iconic Cole & Son geometric reimagined through a painterly lens, Painted Prism transforms the crisp architecture of the original design into something more fluid and expressive. Inspired by the colours of an archival paint card, its bright palette is a kaleidoscope of forms, whilst hand-rendered brushwork introduces texture and movement. The effect is reminiscent of a contemporary mural, where geometry is enlivened by gesture and colour.
Inlay
Drawing inspiration from archival wood block prints and the craftsmanship of decorative marquetry, Inlay explores the beauty of hand-printed design. Small-scale hexagonal forms appear embedded within the wallpaper surface, their subtle tonal shifts and metallic accents suggesting precious minerals set within finely worked materials. Retaining the character of historic printing methods, slight variations and layered inks lend warmth and authenticity to this understated design.
Diamond Maze
Diamond Maze demonstrates how geometry can create atmosphere. Enlarged from an archival source and developed through gravure printing techniques, its interlocking forms produce a softly quilted appearance across the wall. Tonal transitions introduce a sense of movement and depth, creating a design that feels architectural without becoming rigid.
Tesserae
Named after the small tiles used to construct decorative mosaics, Tesserae translates an ancient craft tradition into a contemporary wallcovering. Layers of softly imperfect squares create a richly textured surface, with delicate archival spot details introducing additional depth and visual softness. The result is a pattern that feels simultaneously precise and organic, simple yet full of detail.
Scattered Ink
At first glance, Scattered Ink appears restrained and orderly. Closer inspection reveals a more expressive side. Combining precise gravure-etched outlines with freehand painted applications, the design explores the relationship between control and spontaneity. Delicate marks drift across the pattern, preserving evidence of the artist's hand and creating a subtle all-over print.
Fretwork
Based on the long-held archival pattern Frette, Fretwork demonstrates the enduring appeal of a well-balanced trellis. Preserving the distinctive character of the original whilst introducing greater tonal depth and colour variation, the design reveals a subtle honeycomb-like grid across the wall. Layered colour and an analogue print method emphasise its tactile quality, transforming a modest historic repeat into a design of contemporary elegance.
Coles' Colour Card
An iconic Cole & Son geometric reimagined through a painterly lens, Painted Prism transforms the crisp architecture of the original design into something more fluid and expressive. Inspired by the colours of an archival paint card, its bright palette is a kaleidoscope of forms, whilst hand-rendered brushwork introduces texture and movement. The effect is reminiscent of a contemporary mural, where geometry is enlivened by gesture and colour.
Fresco Trellis
Fresco Trellis takes one of decoration's most enduring motifs and softens it through texture. Inspired by traditional fresco surfaces, stippled layers of colour create the impression of pigment worked directly into plaster. The interplay between structured geometry and gently weathered texture gives the design an effortless quality, with contemporary colour combinations, including Hyacinth Blue with Ochre and Tea Rose on Coral, bringing a fresh perspective to this historic decorative form.
Angled Planes
Bold in scale and confident in its simplicity, Angled Planes exemplifies the collection's exploration of pure geometric form. Vast harlequin diamonds unfold across this wide-width wallpaper, creating a striking architectural backdrop. Produced using rotary screen printing to preserve crisp linear definition, the design demonstrates how proportion, repetition, and colour alone can transform a space.
Wavelet
Among the collection's most fluid designs, Wavelet translates the flow of Bargello embroidery into a wallcovering. Characterised by flame-like patterns, this historic needlework technique inspired the design's scalloped bands of colour, which undulate gently across the surface. Layered inks and intentionally offset printing bring a hand-crafted quality to the repeat, whilst references to Florentine marbled papers lend further richness and movement.
Archival Marble
Completing the collection, Archival Marble draws upon Cole & Son's historic Marbles and Scrumbles patterns. Popular throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, these decorative finishes were developed to imitate organic materials such as marble and stone, with scrumbling techniques introducing layered glazes and textured effects. Combining multiple archival references into a sweeping striped composition, Archival Marble brings together mineral veining, rich pigments, and painterly movement, reinterpreting a traditional decorative art for today’s interiors.
Formations is a collection about the enduring power of pattern: how simple marks – repeated, layered and refined over time – can shape the spaces we inhabit today.
