Design Tastemaker: Catalina Estrada's Fantastical Backgrounds
November 13, 2018
Item designer Catalina Estrada considers herself an artist first — probably why her Current wallpaper collection for Coordonné has Got the artistic gravitas of a mural. ” [Product design] was something I started discovering on the way. I started receiving proposals from different customers, and I thought it’d be a wonderful idea to give it a try. But when I got the pre-samples, I fell in love with everything; it is very amazing to see the way my examples fit in different goods,” says Estrada.
Catalina Estrada
Catalina Estrada
A home office (first photo) is changed to a stunning night scene in the forests. In this photo, a rustic midcentury living room turns to an almost psychedelic setup.
What and who are your design inspirations?
I’d say the Arts and Crafts artists, using their obsession for details and ornaments.
Catalina Estrada
What projects are you working on today?
I am working on a lot of projects at precisely the same time: bed covers, handbag lines, travel bags and more — all of them very exciting projects. I am also fairly focused on building my own brand.
Catalina Estrada
Estrada’s fantastic interpretation of Little Red Riding Hood.
What inspires your work?
I have been very lucky to travel a lot, and this was a great source of inspiration for all I do. I take inspiration from many sorts of music, art — notably folk art — design, movies and style. I especially enjoy Latin American musicians, musicians and writers. Virtually anything or anyone that touches my emotions can easily inspire me.
Catalina Estrada
“I have always been attracted to character, dating back to my early youth in Colombia’s countryside,” says Estrada. The elements of her upbringing — critters, blossoms, gardens and colour — are all a part of her favourite images, which explains why the Coordonné collection is such a special selection and assortment for Estrada.
Catalina Estrada
This wallpaper pattern in an Easter egg palette is less stimulating than the remaining scenes and patterns from Estrada’s Coordonné collection, which makes it a fantastic choice for the bedroom.
Can you still draw by hand, or is everything in your workplace electronic?
I draw hand my own artwork projects.
Catalina Estrada
Here, the dining table’s foundation is converted into a striking work of art.
Estrada dedicates her first blog post to her mother, from whom she “inherited [her] love for colors.” Estrada also credits her mother’s house for a website of inspiration, “a place of dreams, vibrant and stunning colors … lovely memories,” she states.
Catalina Estrada
The most significant thing in your work desk is …
I want some sort of visual order, so aside from my pc, I try to maintain as few things on the desk as I can, otherwise I can’t work very well.
Q: If you could pick one colour to live with for the rest of your life, which is it and why?
For me personally, one color only is simply not an alternative.
More:
Wallpaper: The Bold and the Gorgeous
DIY Project: Wallpaper Goes Mobile
Turn a Wall to a Window With the Magic of Allergic Wallpaper