the birds
Louise Swarbrick Design

The Birds

Unlike the scary crows in Hitchcock’s film “The Birds”, bird images provide a rich source of inspiration for a wide range of wallpapers in interior design.

One of the most stunning wall coverings is produce by De Gourney. This luxury wallcoverings firm owes its development to the founder – one Claud Cecil Gurney who was enchanted by the art forms of the Far East and who developed a love of Chinoiserie. The trailing blossoms dotted with oriental birds of all descriptions are a high art form and worth the cost as they are stunning and exotic. Peacocks and humming birds fly and perch among the branches of this fabulous setting created in panels.

For a more edgy take on the look, try the designs of Timorous Beasties. Their Fruit Looters wallpaper depicts a bower of flowers in vertical sections. Nesting amongst these plants are colourful birds. Yellow feathered creatures and others with bright blue plumage peck at the fruit in the scene.

A traditional wallpaper and fabric with a bird image is the old stalwart by William Morris, the strawberry thief.

This bold image endures and is still a great choice particularly in the red colourway where the speckled breasts of the song thrush really stand out against the scarlet background.

Lastly looking for fun we can go to Obsborne and Little who have teamed up with Quentin Blake to produce the perky and delightful Cockatoo wallpaper. These bright little birds are sitting on jungle leaves. Their multi coloured plumage and beaks are fun and just perfect for any child’s bedroom.

Strictly for the birds these images are not, just as in nature the beauty and variety of avian design cannot fail to satisfy.