Kuboaa is proud to present its new collection, 'Barton'. Line your walls with the sumptuous wallpaper and dress your windows in the funky matching fabric. The Barton collection adds new depth and dimension to your walls and will create a striking transformation to any room. The new fabric and wallpaper collection will be showcased at 100% Design.

Now in our fifth year, we have continued to build our range of papers and have been happy to receive international praise and commissions. Whilst other companies re-colour or re-design existing papers, Kuboaa pushes pattern design forward. Always creating unique, head turning designs, the latest collection, 'Barton', will not disappoint.

The collection, designed by Andrew Hardiman, consists of 6 designs from classical to quirky. Inspiration is taken from nature and captures original elements of everyday surroundings. Each design features its own unique style that will transform any room into a stylish haven. All patterns will also be available on a medium weight cotton fabric.

On this page

Recent press release
Magazine features
About designer Andrew Hardiman
A little history of Kuboaa
A brief history of wallpaper

Magazine features

We regularly feature in press/tv and film, below is a sample of some, but please keep a look out.

Andrew Hardiman was born in Bath in 1977 and lived there until aged 18, when he started reading Graphic Arts at Liverpool John Moores University.

At John Moores, Andrew combined illustration, graphics and moving image within his work.
With his first class honours degree he was accepted into the Royal College of Art in 2000 to study for his Master of Arts. His work at the RCA was varied and included painting, film, graphics and illustration; he won several awards for illustration, photography and film, before graduating in 2002.

After his Masters, Andrew worked as a freelance illustrator and director before establishing Kuboaa in 2003.

When Kuboaa was born in 2003, the ideology was to produce modern papers, but often with a traditional twist. The mood of the paper was to be largely determined by the colour palette used.

All of the papers were hand-silk screen printed to order and a revolutionary online colouring system was used, where the public could colour designs online.

The 'Siecle' Collection was launched in 2004, housing 6 designs in up to 3 set colourways. Siecle received international praise and established Kuboaa as an exciting, new wallpaper company with something different to offer. Wistaria was short listed by Elle Deco for Wallpaper of the year and founder, Andrew Hardiman, was a finalist in the Telegraph young designer of the year.

Following on from the success of "Siecle", the "Sofine" collection was launched in 2005. In 2006 Sarah Hardiman (Andrews' sister) joined the company in a sales and marketing capacity.

The long history of wallpaper originates at the end of the 15th century, when it began as a single sheet of paper, used either on its own or joined to become a continuous pattern. Paper was used to cover ceilings as well as walls. As the techniques and materials developed, more complicated papers were introduced and embraced. Borders were initially used to hide frayed edges but became a popular detail even when manufacturing techniques produced the modern smooth edge.

Wallpaper become so popular that eminent contemporary artists such as Albert Durer, produced some wonderful designs.

The range of wallpaper designs burgeoned in the 18th century, with imitation effects such as marble, wood and drapery becoming popular. This period marked the beginnings of wallpaper as we know it today, as manufacturers multiplied and techniques for increased production were developed.

Wallpaper was a sign of opulence and wealth, and far beyond the means of most people. New technology introduced in the early 20th century brought prices down such that it became a very popular commodity in houses throughout Britain. As often is the case with mass production and lower prices, so the quality of these popular wallpapers was to suffer. In 1962 The Swedish Handicraft Union, judged that only 10 per cent of all papers were of good quality.

Since then wallpaper has seen various ups and downs, with methods changing little since the 1960s. To this day most paper is still printed in a traditional way.