Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum Adds to Permanent Collection
Maya Romanoff, the largest premier high-end handmade wallcovering company in North America, is happy to announce that two of their hand-crafted wallcoverings were unanimously voted by the Collections Committee into the permanent collection of the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum.
Inducted was Flexi Mother of Pearl, tiles of genuine seashell, which was presented in the stunning, saturated Garnet colorway, originally developed by Maya Romanoff’s design team as a custom solution for the Cartier brand.
The second product was Ajiro Marquetry, composed of micro-thin wood veneer hand-inlaid in a classic pattern, and hand-finished by artisans in Maya Romanoff’s Chicago studio. The natural beauty of the wood is set off by the intricate inlay and baroque design.
Flexi Mother of Pearl’s patent-pending design allows for wrapping virtually any curved surface. Genuine capiz shells are hand-inlaid in one-inch strips and protected with a stain-resistant topcoat. Thinner and more flexible than Maya Romanoff’s original Mother of Pearl surfacing material, yet just as beautiful and durable.
Ajiro Marquetry is die-cut and hand-inlaid using a traditional marquetry technique. Crafted from micro-thin, sustainably sourced Paulownia wood on paper backing, Ajiro is flexible enough to wrap columns and turn corners. A beautiful, cost-effective and environmentally sound alternative to traditional wood paneling, it’s hand-finished in Maya Romanoff’s Chicago studio.
These products are added to the list of Maya Romanoff products in the Cooper-Hewitt’s collection, including:
- Medici Fresco, hand-applied crushed marble
- Weathered Walls, hand-painted paper
- Beadazzled flexible glass bead wallcovering
- Stitched Puzzle, hand-painted paper with thread by David Rockwell for Maya Romanoff
- Stitched Vertical, hand-painted paper with thread by David Rockwell for Maya Romanoff
- Blanket Zig-Zag, embroidered felt by David Rockwell for Maya Romanoff