A brand new business born out of the Covid lockdown, aimed at creating one-off walls for people’s homes and businesses, marked its launch with a showcase of its unique work in the heart of Warwick.
Designer Claret is the brainchild of Warwickshire entrepreneur Clare Underwood, who had a complete career change during the lockdown which led to the establishment of her on-trend interiors business.
The business offers a range of luxury wide wallpaper and murals, using designs created by a Warwickshire illustrator as well as another London-based artist. Designer Claret also creates customised wallpaper for customers with their own ideas thanks to its own in-house team of two apprentices from Stratford-upon-Avon College.
The company has already had several commissions for its luxury wide wallpaper, including a statement dining room wall and powder rooms in an independent restaurant and tapas bar, both in the historic town of Warwick. The latter hosted an official launch on March 9th, 2022 where its Prussian Blue Cabbages design was showcased to an array of guests.
Clare said: “We had a fabulous day at our launch with lots of support from people locally and from London and beyond. We’re looking forward to what the spring will bring.”
At the launch, held at Bonito tapas bar in Warwick, guests got the chance to meet the artists whose designs are featured on Designer Claret’s wallpaper. Designer, maker, author and journalist Juliet Bawden, who has had over 70 craft books published and designs, makes and writes for magazines including Coast, Simply Sewing and Reloved as well as the Cath Kidston and Laura Ashley websites travelled to Warwick for the launch, which was also attended by published author and illustrator Diane Maybey, whose work includes writing and illustrating six books for children’s charity Molly Olly’s Wishes and also specialises in designing healing spaces.
Both artists’ designs are printed onto luxury flaxen, non-woven, one-metre wide wallpaper for a high end finish aimed at the luxury prime residential and hospitality markets.
On top of that, Designer Claret can take commissions to work with clients’ own unique designs or images to create the wallpaper of their dreams, such as a recent project to enhance a commercial space for Evera Recruitment at Pure Offices with a 6.7m woodland scene and company logo designed in-house.
“People don’t want their home or business to look the same as other people’s,” said Clare. “They want something unique or bespoke that says something about them and that’s what we create.”
Completed commissions include a single mural on a bedroom wall for one client who wanted it to include a wooded landscape with a potential connection to India that would make them feel “as though I am wandering into a forest”.
After several meetings, Designer Claret produced a unique print that was turned into a giant mural and put in place by a local decorator. Their client was over-the-moon, saying they were “thrilled” by the design. She said: “Nothing could have prepared us for the fabulous effect of the wallcovering. Our bedroom looks absolutely stunning – it’s like waking up on holiday every day!”
