A Natural for Wright Stuff

Architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s personal life was so full of scandal, chaos and high drama that it’s remarkable how peaceful his creations could be. The design team from Schumacher, the wallpaper and textile company, sought to capture the sense of serenity and love of nature evident at Wright’s last home and architectural laboratory, Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Ariz., in the company’s 1999 Frank Lloyd Wright Collection. The choice led them to focus on botanical designs rather than the abstract geometric patterns more commonly associated with Wright.

Although Wright didn’t design the 30 patterns in his namesake collection, they are based on works of art he owned. They reflect his passion for Asian motifs and his attraction to natural forms, such as leaves, vines, bark and blades of grass. Early in his career, Wright began collecting woodblock prints, then expanded his collection of Japanese art to include folding screens, hanging scrolls, sculpture, lacquer and ceramics, textiles, decorative papers and stencils used to create patterned fabrics. He collected until his death in 1959.

The Wright collection is available through the Schumacher Showroom in the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood.