At the heart of the NHBK collection is a fascination with historic pattern—how ancient motifs, once part of daily life, can be reinterpreted for modern interior design. From Tunisian tile and doors to Roman frescoes and mosaics, each design begins with observation and drawing, guided by a belief that timeless patterns still belong in contemporary homes.
These five wallpaper designs represent that approach: thoughtful, rooted in place, and designed to live beautifully on today’s walls.
Flappers and Philosophers
Originally created for a Spoonflower artist design challenge centered on 1920s wallpaper, Flappers and Philosophers pushed me to merge multiple influences into a single repeating pattern. The diamond motif draws from Berber carpets, while the structure and rhythm reference architectural details found in Tunisian doors.
Set against a deep forest green background, the design feels playful yet elegant. I imagine it most clearly in a bathroom, where bathtub bubbles soften the geometry and the pattern becomes part of a relaxed, slightly glamorous ritual.
Sofien — Soft Blue and White Star Vintage Tunisian Tile
This design is a direct homage to traditional Tunisian tile—simple, graphic, and endlessly versatile. This blue-and-white star tile pattern appears throughout Tunisia, and its geometry gives a timeless feeling.
Seeing a nearly identical tile recently featured in Architectural Digests’ Open Door video series (Inside Jon Batiste & Suleika Jaouad’s Soul-Filled Brooklyn Home) was especially meaningful. Jaouad, who has Tunisian heritage, had the tiles hand-painted and installed in a kitchen with soft pink walls—a reminder of how traditional patterns can feel fresh, personal, and alive in modern spaces.
Lotus of Djerba — Vintage Tunisian Tile (Green, Black, Yellow)
This pattern began with a visit to the island of Djerba and a discovery of early 1900s black-and-white photograph showing the design on the tiled walls. Using that image as a guide, I re-drew the pattern and introduced color inspired by other regional tiles.
The result feels calm but visually engaging—equally at home in a bedroom, living space, or hallway. It carries a quiet confidence that feels reminiscent of brands like Anthropologie or West Elm, while still being deeply tied to place.
Kerkennah Island Mosaic
This was the first mosaic that inspired me to begin drawing and digitizing ancient mosaic patterns. Walking through the sandy ruins of Kerkennah, I was struck by the warmth and simplicity of the stonework—interlocking circles punctuated by subtle geometric bursts.
Rendered as wallpaper, the pattern evokes marble mosaic without feeling heavy. It works beautifully in kitchens, bedrooms, or living spaces, bringing a sense of texture and history without overpowering the room.
Heartstrings — Decorative Fresco Column, Pompeii
Inspired by a decorative fresco from Pompeii, this design grew out of a recent visit to the Getty Villa and a long-standing interest in Roman interior decoration. The original fresco once adorned a bedroom in the Villa of Numerius Popidius Florus at Boscoreale, and that intimacy guided how I reimagined it as a repeating pattern.
Like many ancient fresco details, the motif is deceptively simple—ornamental without being ornate. I see it most naturally in bedrooms or culinary spaces where a sense of ancient splendor can gently shape the atmosphere.
A Continuing Exploration
Each of these designs reflects an ongoing exploration of how historic patterns can be translated into modern environments—spaces meant not just to be admired, but lived in. The NHBK collection continues to grow from museum visits, travel, photographs, and careful drawing, always returning to the idea that the past still has a place on our walls.
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