The Swedish brand Mr Perswall is releasing a collection of wallpapers based on old roses from the garden of David Carlson, editor-in-chief of David Report. David Carlson is a deeply dedicated gardener – more specifically, of old roses with unmatched aromas. With this collection, that literally grew from his rose garden in Falsterbo, he gives us the opportunity to surround ourselves with something deeply personal of his.
Toward the end of June and the beginning of July, Carlson’s garden turns into a private paradise, his very own realm of glory, to cite the words used by Carl Von Linné when he first set foot in the little coastal town south of Malmö. Today more than 125 bushes, of more than 80 different species, grows there – all contributing in turning the garden into a blossoming oasis. Many of the roses where planted when Carlson and his family first moved into the villa 15 years ago, and have been tenderly nurtured by him ever since.
Says Carlson, “I can’t chose a favourite, it would be like choosing my favourite child. They all have their quirks and what I invest in them I get back in thousandfold. The ones I picked are however very close to me.”
Specifying what makes roses so special is equally difficult: “The rose stands for so many things – it’s a symbol of love but it is also a part of our history, like the War of Roses and the Earl of Lancaster. It’s a lot more than just a pretty flower.”
For his collection, Carlson carefully chose fine specimens of 17 different varieties of roses from the garden and a professional camera was installed in the villa’s dining room to take close up pictures of them, detailed enough to look good on giant scale. Along with every motif, which of course is named after its rose, comes a description of its qualities and character. That way each and every wallpaper becomes an experience that involves many different senses – not just sight and smell but that also evokes our sense of touch and will make you want to stretch your hand out, touch the silkiness of the petals and feel the weight of the flower in your hand.
Says Carlson, “For me this was a golden opportunity to combine my career with one of my big interests, design and roses. In many ways you find a lot of what I search for in design in roses too – sustainability, aesthetics and an indefinable value, because what gives something value? Each rose has its own qualities and its own story, something that makes it unique and valuable. I’d like for my wallpapers to add something to the room where they’re put, of course, but I also hope that people will become interested in old fashioned roses, maybe inspire someone to start growing their own.”
And what might be a better incentive than putting a Boule de Neige on the bedroom wall?
For more info, visit http://www.mrperswall.com