The History of Superfresco Easy: A Revolution in Wallpaper Design and Application

Wallpaper adds character and warmth to homes everywhere and has long been a staple in interior design. Decor trends come and go, but few brands have left such a lasting impact on the industry as Superfresco. Here, we explore how this innovative product transformed the world of wallpaper by making decorating simpler and more accessible for everyone.

The Birth of Superfresco: 1984

On September 9th, 1984, the first Superfresco design rolled off the production line, coinciding with a year marked by many memorable events, including the inaugural Band Aid concert and the Winter Olympics triumph of Torvill and Dean. Amidst these important events, Superfresco brought a vibrant splash of colour and design to the British wallpaper market.

Created by David Brown and Roger Graham, Superfresco introduced the idea of wallpaper that’s easy to hang and remove just when DIY was enjoying a boom in popularity. The rise of DIY supercenters like B&Q and Wickes and the launch of the UK’s first IKEA helped fuel the demand for cost-effective, user-friendly home improvement products. Superfresco met this demand with a new, innovative wallpaper design that was stylish and highly practical for those without DIY know-how.

The Early Years: Bold Colours and Coordination

Bold, coordinated designs dominated interior design in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Consumers wanted daring designs complemented by matching stripes, and no room was considered complete without a dado rail or a wallpaper border – a hallmark of the era’s split wall trend. The Superfresco Colors range became synonymous with these bold design choices, featuring deep shades of Royal Blue, Burgundy, terracotta, and Emerald Green on neutral textured backgrounds.

Superfresco’s marketing efforts played a significant role in its early success. The brand’s catchy jingle, “What goes up, must come down,” captured public attention and contributed to unprecedented sales, necessitating stock rationing to meet demand. Superfresco was also the first wallpaper brand to advertise nationwide on billboards across major UK cities, further solidifying its presence in the market.

The Mid-90s Shift: Embracing Neutrals and Texture

As the 1990s progressed, the trend toward bold, coordinated interiors started to wane. With the rise of DIY renovation shows like Changing Rooms, consumer preferences shifted toward neutral walls, which offered a blank canvas for changeable accessories. Responding to this new trend, Superfresco launched its first batchless range of wallcoverings in the mid-90s: the Superfresco Texture collection.

The Texture collection featured fabric-effect wallpapers in neutral tones like mocha and grasscloth, as well as subtle weaves. These natural textures provided a superior finish compared to paint alone, offering a refined and sophisticated look that appealed to consumers who wanted an understated aesthetic in their homes.

The Wallpaper Revival: 2000s Glamour and Opulence

By the early 2000s, the public had grown weary of neutral, sterile walls, and wallpaper experienced a resurgence in popularity. Superfresco capitalised on this trend with a new advertising campaign and partnerships with high-profile interior designers and TV personalities, including Linda Barker, Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen, and Wayne Hemingway.

2007 saw the launch of the Superfresco Easy range, a groundbreaking product that revolutionised wallpaper applications. The innovative backing paper allowed decorators to paste the wall instead of the paper, speeding up the process of putting up wallpaper and making it cleaner and more efficient. This development not only cut decorating time in half but also made wallpaper removal easier, eliminating the need for steamers, scrapers, and other cumbersome tools that amateur decorators don’t want to pay for.

During this same period, Superfresco started to embrace opulence and glamour in its designs. Shimmering metallics, vibrant flock effects, and bold colour combinations dominated the late noughties. This trend for maximalism was reflected in wallpapers featuring bright pinks, silvers, golds, and purples, often combined with soft, fibrous textures that added a touch of luxury.

2010s: A Return to Nature

As we moved into the 2010s, interior design trends began to shift back towards a more natural and serene aesthetic: the luxury of the previous decade gave way to designs inspired by the natural world. Superfresco responded with wallpapers that featured woodland scenes, leaf motifs, and tree silhouettes, mostly with a neutral palette. These nature-inspired designs helped create a calming, cosy atmosphere in British homes.

Geometrics and the Future: 2020s and Beyond

Entering the 2020s, Superfresco began to embrace the surging popularity of geometric patterns. Whether through wavy, feminine lines, masculine block designs or retro-inspired motifs, geometrics became a key feature in the brand’s offerings. These designs often incorporated subtle metallic highlights and a tonal colour palette, reflecting the influence of Art Deco and mid-century modern styles.

In keeping with the trend towards geometric designs, the 2020s also saw a renewed demand for florals and soft, multi-toned colour schemes. Superfresco’s collections increasingly featured leaf trails and overlaid silhouettes, offering a more modern take on classic floral wallpapers.

A Legacy of Innovation

The history of Superfresco Easy is a testament to the brand’s ability to adapt to changing trends while staying true to its core values of quality, ease of use, and innovative design. From its bold beginnings in the 1980s to its current status as a leader in the wallpaper industry, Superfresco has consistently pushed the boundaries of what wallpaper can achieve.

And now, as Superfresco celebrates 40 years of innovation and design excellence, the brand remains committed to enhancing homes and creating the perfect backdrop for family life. Whether through bold geometric patterns, serene nature-inspired designs, or the latest innovations in wallpaper technology, Superfresco continues to help shape the future of interior design.

As we’ve looked back on Superfresco’s evolution, it’s clear that the brand has played a pivotal role in making wallpaper more accessible and enjoyable for everyone. So whether you’re a seasoned decorator or a DIY novice, Superfresco’s range of products offers something for every taste and style, ensuring that your home reflects your unique personality.