de Gournay recently opened a new shop on East 59th Street to showcase their bespoke wall coverings. Since I'm so smitten with their product, I high-tailed it over there for a few photos and to discover what's new.

For starters, these are hand-painted panels on silk, gold leaf, pearlescent glazes or paper. They're created in China by painters who've been trained in these techniques for generations. Each project is completely custom — before painting even begins, they'll make an elevation sketch of your wall or room so you don't wind up with a bird's head behind a switch plate, and so they can plan around windows and doorways accordingly.

You may think this looks a bit too mumsy or Marie Antoinette for the pages of Apartment Therapy, but look again. Some of the Korean and Japanese collections look lean and contemporary (I'm smitten with Matsushima waves, which is especially graphic), and some of the brighter colorways like green apple or black lacquer lend a feeling of being au courant. Also, look to the Eclectic collection for new ideas: Art Deco monkeys, Rothko-esque color washing and tortoise shell.

I asked if there was a signature color or most-popular set of colors at de Gournay, but it seems there isn't. Because everything is custom, the sky's the limit, though I sense retailers are a bit more daring then the average consumer. Above are a few installation shots from the show room, as well as details. Enjoy!

(Images: Mark Chamberlain)

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degournay.com