Designer Annie Downing is starting the new year with a bang, introducing her first line of wallcoverings through her latest venture: ADI Wallpaper. Collection I features five spirited designs in an array of subtly retro colorways inspired by Annie’s travels.
Annie joins us for this week’s Anatomy of a Design to discuss how the collection came to be.
Raymond Paul Schneider: When did you first start developing this new collection?
Annie Downing: This wallpaper collection was a dream for a while — one of those “someday” ideas. But at some point, with the encouragement of a business and life coach, I just decided to prioritize it. Both the calendar and our workflow had to make space for it. We began working on it last January of 2024.
RPS: What was the overall timeline from conception to final design?
AD: From the initial ideas to holding the final designs in my hands, it was about 10 months. We went through multiple color options and designs which we then decided to edit to create our first cohesive collection of 25 skus (down from 40). We have other colorways and patterns already in the works!
RPS: What was your initial inspiration, and where did the idea(s) come from?
AD: Travel has always been my biggest inspiration. This collection draws heavily from experiences of wandering through markets in India, Turkey, and Mexico — textures, colors, and those small details that seem insignificant until they suddenly become the star of the show.
RPS: Describe your overall creative and design process.
AD: It’s equal parts organized chaos and thoughtful curation. I gather many ideas at first — sketches, photos, random fabric swatches, books I purchased on my travels — and then slowly edit down. I let the designs live for a while before finalizing anything.
RPS: Did you have a specific audience or theme in mind?
AD: Yes, me! My interiors work is full of color, and I love applying wallpaper where possible. I envisioned these designs in homes where the stories behind the objects matter as much as the objects themselves. I wanted it to feel layered, a little nostalgic, but still fresh, relevant and youthful. The collection aims to infuse more color into the design world with spirited patterns that inspire joy and serendipity.
RPS: What methods, tools, and materials did you use to develop and prototype this design?
AD: We went old school with hand drawings, but I also leaned into digital tools for refining. I wanted the hand-touched feeling to stay intact, so there’s a balance of both in the final product and the paper selection is very intentional.
RPS: Did you use any new techniques or technologies to conceptualize or create this product?
AD: Yes! We experimented with some digital patterning software that helped translate hand-drawn motifs into repeat patterns. It made the process faster but still kept the integrity of the original designs.
RPS: Were there any challenges that influenced or changed the final design?
AD: Absolutely. Some designs looked incredible on paper but didn’t translate well to wallpaper. Adjusting scale, reworking colors — those were ongoing conversations. The biggest challenge was probably knowing when to stop tweaking the scale and colors and let the design be. We really had to be disciplined; we could come up with 100’s if not 1000’s of color combinations.
RPS: Describe your brand’s overall DNA and ethos.
AD: At its heart, the brand is about storied living. I believe the best spaces feel like they’ve been collected over time, with pieces that speak to personal experiences. Design should feel lived-in, a little imperfect, but always intentional. It’s about creating spaces (and products) that feel like home — whether you’re in Austin, Marrakech, Jaipur or Mexico City.
Product photos by Cydney Cosette.
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