Heartwood by Humberto Leon for Calico Wallpaper.

Humberto Leon. Photo: Matthew Johnson.

Rachel Cope of Calico Wallpaper.

Heartwood Silhouettes.

Calico Wallpaper has launched Heartwood —a new collection with fashion designer and creative Humberto Leon, co-founder of Opening Ceremony and former creative director of Kenzo.

The collection’s visually striking pattern is inspired by how one is shaped by ingrained family lines and how they are reshaped throughout one’s life. Heartwood gets its name from a tree’s central core—the strongest part of the wood—and the focal point of the concentric circles that expand outward as the tree grows. The design is offered in eight colourways—Alma, Dulce, Ellipse, Lima, Madera, Maize, Ocho, and Popo.

“We have known Humberto for many years, and we were excited when he approached us to collaborate, after previously working together on an installation at the Opening Ceremony store in New York,” says Nick Cope, co-founder of Calico Wallpaper.

Drawing on the distinctive forms found in wood’s natural grain, Calico Wallpaper’s co-founder and creative director Rachel Cope explored the craft tradition of faux bois to create the Heartwood design, layering paintings to create an altogether different take on the iconic style.

Calico Wallpaper then crafted an immersive mural that blends organic lines with an exaggerated graphic pattern. These contrasting elements are further amplified by juxtaposing a glistening finish with matte, ink-based hues. The result is a textural interplay of iridescent highlights and warm underlying tones that combines the novelty and frisson of contemporary design with the nostalgic comforts of home.

For more information, visit calicowallpaper.com.

Related: Graphic Manifesto Wallpaper by Or.Nami with Terzo Piano.

[Images courtesy Calico Wallpaper. Photography by Matthew Johnson.]