RS Wallpapers land exclusive rights to Tretchikoff

We’ve spoken to Robin Sprong before at VISI. He’s the man driving the massive upsurge in unique wallpaper design throught South Africa. In addition to his own range of designs, and those created in collaboration with a range of local graphic designers, illustrators and photographers, RS Wallpapers have recently secured exclusive rights to print Tretchikoff’s iconic imagery on wallpaper and other fabrics.

How long have you been involved in designing wallpaper?

I started designing wallpaper in 2006 for the Daddy Long Legs hotel. It was actually a progression from working with Lomography and putting up ‘Lomo Walls’. We did a few Lomo Walls for Red Bull’s Downhill Extreme (DHX) and many other events but printing walls made of postcard-sized photographic ‘tiles’ started becoming extremely expensive. Large format digital printing onto wallpapers had just hit Cape Town, and the price was infinitesimally cheaper.

Wallpaper has made a huge resurgence in recent years. A decade ago it was considered very outdated, and then suddenly it cropped up in virtually every décor magazine. Has it reached a peak yet?

Ten years ago you could only get mass produced wallpaper and that world became a bit stoic. The birth of large format digital printing has been carving a new trend in the interior design industry.

What, in your experience, is the current trend with wallpaper designs?

Wall design closely follows all trends, like tattoo and graffiti text, which has become very popular. Also, clever sayings and smart quotations seem to have become quite popular. To take it to the next level, one can now have prints done in gold leaf or black Swarovski Crystals. These days many people subscribe to the ‘50 Cent culture’ and like to impress with unique designs. Most of the requests I get are bespoke commissions. There is a lot more personal value in having something unique and relevant made for the specific needs of your property, or your mood.

Have advancements in printing technology made life easier for you? Are we at a stage where you can basically have any image translated onto wallpaper? What are the limitations? 

Yes, for sure. Technological advancements in the printing industry are revolutionising our work. These days you can be a fairly average photographer, take a photo with a relatively good digital camera, have it printed as wallpaper for your lounge and it will look incredible. Technology is reshaping the industry. Perhaps in the future we will be printing directly onto your walls.

Cost-wise, how does papering a wall or a room compare to re-painting it?

It depends what paint you use, compared of course to the grade of wallpaper. Does it come from France? Does it have gold leafing in it? That might cost a small fortune. Generally speaking, wallpapering a single large wall will cost the same as painting the entire room –  design, printing and labour included.

Your own design seems to have gone through a transition from pattern to landscapes — could you tell me more about this?

My landscapes have always been popular especially when I owned Exposure Gallery. Adding a theme to a room by introducing a landscape has an amazing effect if it is done tastefully. I find it far easier to sell a landscape image than selling a pattern these days. Landscapes have a bigger impact on people. Patterns work very well on walls that have a unique theme though. Personally, I believe patterns remain the future trend.

How did the idea behind creating historic wallpapers come about?

People in Cape Town love their history and rightfully so – we have such a rich past. What I am trying to recreate is old fashioned, simple design; classic stuff that has longevity and isn’t fleeting. Old fashioned photographs of Cape Town (as wallpapers) are also making a bit of a come back. The archives in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg are filled with incredible old imagery and RS Wallpapers offers the service of finding really cool stuff.

Are all the images in this series local? Where do you source the images?

We source most of our stuff online and at the respective archives, but often people will supply their own imagery.

And the Tretchikoff images? His work has also undergone a massive resurgence (in fact we featured a Tretchikoff wallpaper on the cover of VISI 57 – Ed). Is there still a big appetite for Tretchikoff? How did you manage to secure exclusive rights to printing his work as wallpapers?

When I first saw the Tretchikoff wallpaper on the VISI cover I knew this range had possibilities. However, I was not ready to take it on. After building my business for some time, I approached the foundation with a proposal to do wallpapers, stretched canvases and fabric prints. We started discussions a few years ago; they loved my work and expressed an interest in working with me. The foundation was also keen to look into the possibility of creating new Tretchikoff designs that keep the work current. RS Wallpapers would like to see designers who respect the artistic creative spirit of Tretchikoff submit their designs for review. At the same time it is vitally important that people are aware that the reproduction and usage of Tretchikoff must be respected. Everything should be channeled through the foundation.

What type of clients are you starting to attract with these new ranges? Is it more of a corporate market or are people using creations as bold as these in their homes?

People have become bolder in their choices of interior design. Yes I do believe that there is a massive demand for classic, even if you want to call it kitsch, artwork. Tretchikoff represents part of South African history and people are buying into that.

Aside from these two new ranges you’re also creating wallpapers that feature the work of emerging local graphic designers. Who are some of the people you’re working with?

That’s right, I have managed to collaborate with some hot talent recently. I’m working with architect Renée Rossouw, illustrator Carmen Ziervogel, Michael Chandler, Ian Kelynack (designer and founder of Isle of Trees), Fable and Popsiebelle (primarily focused on children’s wallapers), Durban-based designer Victoria Verbaan and her exclusive ranges, illustrators Lauren Fowler and Jade Klara, landscape photographer Liesel Kershoff, designer Rob Tarlton (whose wallapers have been featured on VISI before), and Donna Solovei, who creates wall cut outs inspired by graffiti. And then there is of course myself, creating wallpaper designs from my personal collection of photography.

I suppose it’s great for them, since having one’s work cover an entire wall or entire room is more prestigious than having a single print hanging on the wall, right?

I guess the more you can expose a designer or a photographer’s work the better. But ultimately, it is dictated by design sense and what will look good in a space. Too much of a good thing can have its downside.

Do you have any plans to extend your printing/installation business beyond wallpapers? What else can you print on?

Currently RS Wallpapers is being represented in South Africa, Australia and Germany. But we are planning some new product ranges for the new year. These will include lamp shades and printed fabrics.

See the entire range and find out more at the official RS Wallpapers website