Zoffany is one of the great names in British wallpaper and fabric, with a strong link to archive designs and historical documents. Here we look at what makes the brand distinctive, pick out some favourite wallpapers and fabrics, and share practical ideas for using them at home.
A Brand Built on the Archive
Zoffany was founded in the early 1980s as a brand dedicated to restoring historical wallpapers, bringing forgotten patterns back to life. That heritage still runs through the collections: many designs are adapted from archive documents, antique textiles and fine art, then reworked in colourways that suit today's homes. Browse the full range in our Zoffany collection.
A good example is Arden Velvet Fabric, a scenic forest design studded with clusters of small flowers, with rabbits, hedgehogs, squirrels, deer and a handsome unicorn among the trees. It is a mid-15th-century design discovered in a house in Halifax in 1901.
Wallpapers With Texture and Depth
What sets Zoffany wallpapers apart is surface. Many are embossed, woven or finished with metallics, so they change with the light through the day.
- Ajanta Wallpaper is named after the paintings in India's Ajanta Caves and created to emulate a plastered wall. Soft twists of colour meander across the embossed surface for a natural, time-worn look, ideal where you want texture rather than pattern.
- Akaishi Wallpaper has an abstract pattern of mountains, inspired by the Southern Japanese Alps, woven into a textural wallcovering. As a natural woven product, each drop may differ slightly for a panelled effect.
- Oblique Wallpaper is a geometric chevron printed on non-woven paper, with some colourways in a metallic or grit finish.
For something more pictorial, Arcadian Thames Wallpaper is a bespoke artwork by muralist Melissa White, commissioned by Zoffany and hand drawn in traditional chalk paints. It frames a vista of riverside life including London's Syon House and Strawberry Hill House, and makes a wonderful dining room feature. See more in our Zoffany wallpapers.
Fabrics for Upholstery, Curtains and Cushions
When choosing a Zoffany fabric, check what it is made for. Several list a rub count, which tells you how well a fabric copes with everyday wear on upholstery.
Aldwych Fabric is a textural plain velvet with a soft sheen, rated to 100,000 rubs and suited to upholstery, curtains and cushions. Arion Fabric is a smart satin weave, also rated to 100,000 rubs, with a freehand design originally drawn in charcoal and inspired by the horses of London's Hyde Park. For a silky sheen on curtains or blinds, Amoret Fabric is a linen-blend rated to 32,000 rubs with a beautiful drape.
Pattern lovers should look at Anar Trellis Fabric, a large-scale embroidery of stylised pomegranate seeds within a decorative trellis on a fine Ottoman base. There is more in our Zoffany fabric range.
How to Use Zoffany at Home
Pair a patterned wall with a plain fabric
A plain velvet like Aldwych teams beautifully with patterned wallpapers and fabrics. Choose a shade taken from your wallpaper for a sofa, headboard or pair of cushions and the room will feel pulled together.
Repeat one design across wall and window
Some Zoffany designs come as both wallpaper and fabric. Bauhaus-influenced Abstract 1928 is available as Abstract 1928 Wallpaper, printed in soft metallics with embossed elements, and as Abstract 1928 Fabric, screen printed on 100% linen. Using both in one room gives a confident, tailored look; keep the rest of the scheme simple.
Take it outside
The Zoffany x Michael S. Smith Indoor Outdoor Fabrics include the Apron Stripe Indoor Outdoor Fabric, a dainty pinstripe designed to be used alone or layered with the collection's other stripes, which makes it handy for garden room cushions.
See Zoffany in Person
Texture, sheen and embossing are much easier to judge in person than on screen. Visit our shop in Somerset or contact the team for advice on choosing Zoffany wallpapers and fabrics for your project.
