· By Studio
COLOUR NOTES 17
We're excited about our new collection of wallpapers, borders and fabrics, Mochaware, by artist Kate Hawkins. It's a collection based on the style of pottery from Staffordshire in the 1770s, romantically coined 'mochaware' because its decoration resembled the patterns found in 'mocha stone', a semi-precious gemstone exported from the far-flung city of Mocha in Yemen. By contrast, the mochaware items themselves included mugs, tankards, cups and pots - everyday items found across the UK.
We wanted to spend some time considering paint colours to match our Mochaware wallpaper in the Clay colourway, and to delve a little deeper into this design and the significance of ceramics not only in the home but in art itself. Autumn is a time of cosy pints in pubs and cups of hot tea after brisk walks - the very reason mochaware was invented. We're hoping this collection could be the answer to our collective instinct for nesting that always comes about this time of year. So pop the kettle on, and read on for some autumnal inspiration...
Kate was drawn to mochaware, she says, 'not just because of its glorious decorative possibilities but also because of what it represented. The pottery was mass-produced, utilitarian and by 1814 inexpensive to make: it was democratic. There was nothing elite about it and as such it was ubiquitous in pubs and taverns across the country. It was made to be used, and in many cases abused, which is why much of today's mochaware has chips and cracks and oh-so-many stories to tell.'
The unusual patterns found on mochaware pieces - created at random from the in-kiln reactions of acid and alkaline - plus the individuality of the items themselves results in a style that is undeniably characterful. And there's something lovely about the sense that an object - functional and commonplace - can be valuable in its own special way. Artist Ben Nicholson saw the untapped potential in the everyday mug or jug, making these inanimate objects the stars of his famous still-life paintings. As Pallant House Gallery writes, 'By turning to the simple jugs and mugs in his studio, [Nicholson] could interpret them over and over again, using their forms and patterns to create works that moved between straightforward representation and abstraction.'
It's quite remarkable to see one of his paintings - Striped Jug and Flowers, 1928 - beside the actual piece of mochaware that inspired it, an early 19th century branded jug from Nicholson's own studio. It's a heartening idea, that we need not look further for inspiration than those oft-forgotten pieces that sit on our table or shelf. We could all probably do with focussing on what we have right before us, mindfully taking in our surroundings and discovering new beauty and potential looking us right in the eye. It's an ethos that makes sense to us at CommonRoom: decorating your walls with art that will stand the test of time; wallpaper or fabric that might initially seem like a backdrop, but when you look a little closer, stirs something in us creatively.
The unusual patterns found on mochaware pieces - created at random from the in-kiln reactions of acid and alkaline - plus the individuality of the items themselves results in a style that is undeniably characterful. And there's something lovely about the sense that an object - functional and commonplace - can be valuable in its own special way. Artist Ben Nicholson saw the untapped potential in the everyday mug or jug, making these inanimate objects the stars of his famous still-life paintings. As Pallant House Gallery writes, 'By turning to the simple jugs and mugs in his studio, [Nicholson] could interpret them over and over again, using their forms and patterns to create works that moved between straightforward representation and abstraction.'
It's quite remarkable to see one of his paintings - Striped Jug and Flowers, 1928 - beside the actual piece of mochaware that inspired it, an early 19th century branded jug from Nicholson's own studio. It's a heartening idea, that we need not look further for inspiration than those oft-forgotten pieces that sit on our table or shelf. We could all probably do with focussing on what we have right before us, mindfully taking in our surroundings and discovering new beauty and potential looking us right in the eye. It's an ethos that makes sense to us at CommonRoom: decorating your walls with art that will stand the test of time; wallpaper or fabric that might initially seem like a backdrop, but when you look a little closer, stirs something in us creatively.
Staffordshire Mochaware Jug with Banded Decoration from Ben Nicholson’s Studio, early 19th century
THE NUDES
In a similar vein to mochaware - or indeed, any of our most beloved functional items - paint can serve both a practical purpose and can also be a life-giving point of difference, a way to uplift a room from the mundane into the magical. Even the simplest of colours - in this instance, nudes, browns and taupes - when used effectively can enhance a space, play with light, and offset any choice of wallpaper, fabric or other decorative feature.
We've identified three nude tones that pair well with our Mochaware ~ Clay wallpaper. But first, a little background on the history of clay itself...
Pottery is one of the very oldest handicrafts: in prehistoric times, clay was used to line baskets of reeds for transporting water, and was easily utilised by simply placing into a fire or the hot sun, and thus transforming from sludgy brown matter to a sturdy, useable container. The Ancient Egyptians are said to have invented the first kiln and to have discovered the decorative potential of clay, whilst in ancient Mesopotamia clay was moulded into bricks and used to construct buildings like temples and city walls. Clay is a truly versatile material with which to work, and a key player in human development, as the first words are said to have been inscribed on clay tablets, including the first love poem from a Sumerian bride to her king more than 4000 years ago. Clay marries the functional with the creative, the lofty with the low. It is, literally, the foundation upon which societies have been built.
So, what of the colour itself? Its textural quality, its sense of pureness and plainness speaks to its natural origins and a feeling of returning to an organic order of things. It's not an intense muddy brown, nor an insipid white. It's a brilliant choice for an easy-on-the-eye but equally interesting colour. There's nothing boring about brown, but neither is it crying out for attention or stealing focus in a space.
Our choices to work alongside our Mochaware ~ Clay wallpaper are Archive by Farrow & Ball, and two lovely options from Papers & Paints: Stone 4A and Accent White.
We've identified three nude tones that pair well with our Mochaware ~ Clay wallpaper. But first, a little background on the history of clay itself...
Pottery is one of the very oldest handicrafts: in prehistoric times, clay was used to line baskets of reeds for transporting water, and was easily utilised by simply placing into a fire or the hot sun, and thus transforming from sludgy brown matter to a sturdy, useable container. The Ancient Egyptians are said to have invented the first kiln and to have discovered the decorative potential of clay, whilst in ancient Mesopotamia clay was moulded into bricks and used to construct buildings like temples and city walls. Clay is a truly versatile material with which to work, and a key player in human development, as the first words are said to have been inscribed on clay tablets, including the first love poem from a Sumerian bride to her king more than 4000 years ago. Clay marries the functional with the creative, the lofty with the low. It is, literally, the foundation upon which societies have been built.
So, what of the colour itself? Its textural quality, its sense of pureness and plainness speaks to its natural origins and a feeling of returning to an organic order of things. It's not an intense muddy brown, nor an insipid white. It's a brilliant choice for an easy-on-the-eye but equally interesting colour. There's nothing boring about brown, but neither is it crying out for attention or stealing focus in a space.
Our choices to work alongside our Mochaware ~ Clay wallpaper are Archive by Farrow & Ball, and two lovely options from Papers & Paints: Stone 4A and Accent White.
THE BLUES
THE GREENS
Lastly, to complete our earthy, autumnal colour scheme, we turned to green as a lovely option to pair with our
Words by Alice Hodgson