GP&J Baker is a British fabric and wallpaper house with a remarkable archive, and many of its best-known designs are more than a century old. Here we pick out some of the key patterns, explain where they come from, and share practical ideas for using them in today's homes.
Designs drawn from the archive
Much of GP&J Baker's appeal lies in its "Originals", designs created by the house's own artists and still produced today. A few stand-outs:
- Gertrude. The Gertrude Wallpaper is a GP&J Baker Original from 1895, based on a 17th-century crewelwork bed hanging that was redrawn in the late 19th century by Gertrude Jekyll at Bosworth Hall, Nuneaton.
- Hydrangea Bird. Painted by William Turner in 1917, Hydrangea Bird Fabric was inspired by a fragment of late 18th-century Chinese wallpaper and shows pheasants perched in a flowering tree, printed on 100% linen.
- Little Magnolia. William Turner also painted Magnolia in 1913, taken from an early 18th-century brocade. Little Magnolia Fabric reimagines one of the brand's best-loved designs as a versatile small-scale print.
- Ferns. First created in 1935 by textile artist Joseph M. Doran, Ferns Embroidery Fabric is now an embroidered linen, based on botanical drawings from Curtis' 'Flora Londinensis'.
- Symington. Taken from a small watercolour in the archive dated 1760–1790, Symington Wallpaper is a delicate leafy coral stripe with miniature flowers, printed in England.
The Historic Royal Palaces collaboration
GP&J Baker has worked with Historic Royal Palaces on designs drawn from Hampton Court Palace. The Royal Maze Wallpaper is a striking geometric inspired by the Great Maze, the UK's oldest surviving hedge maze. Home Park Wallpaper comes from a fragment of early 18th-century wallpaper still preserved behind the scenes at the palace, together with an original document held in the GP&J Baker archive. See the full range in our Royal Court collection.
GP&J Baker x Kit Kemp
For something more playful, the collaboration with designer Kit Kemp is full of colour and personality. Robina's Dinner Party Wallpaper celebrates the hand-painted plates of ceramicist Robina Jack, while Tall Trees Wallpaper is a large-scale mural of birds, rabbits and dragons among bluebells, oak and horse chestnut trees. Wriggle Room, a joyful painterly squiggle, comes as both a wallpaper and a fabric.
Ideas for using GP&J Baker at home
- Let a large pattern breathe. Big-repeat designs such as Gertrude or Tall Trees look best on a wall with few interruptions: a dining room, a stairwell or behind a bed.
- Use small prints for upholstery. Little Magnolia and Alma Fabric, a set of small linen prints inspired by 18th-century hand-printed Indian designs, are easy to use on chairs, blinds and headboards.
- Pair a print with a stripe. A pictorial curtain sits well beside a simple woven stripe on a sofa. Pick up one colour from the print and repeat it in the stripe.
- Try a geometric in a small room. A design like Royal Maze can make a cloakroom or study feel deliberate and characterful.
- Finish with a cushion. If you are not ready for a whole wall, a cushion is an easy first step.
Mixing old and new
One of the pleasures of this brand is that archive florals and modern collaborations can sit in the same house. Try a heritage print in a formal sitting room and something from the Kit Kemp range in a kitchen or child's room. The shared sense of colour keeps the whole home feeling connected.
Explore the range
Browse our GP&J Baker collection to see every wallpaper and fabric we stock, or visit the shop in Somerset to see the designs in person. If you would like help choosing a pattern for a particular room, just get in touch with the team.
