Whimsical wallpaper with a magnetic twist

Colourful illustrated elements can be added to Sian Zeng’s intricate magnetic murals

Spring has most certainly sprung in the world of wallpaper designer Sian Zeng since she launched her new Clematis range. The result of eight months of meticulous hand-painting, the mural wallpaper (£185 a roll to cover 320cm x 210cm) comes on a pale-blue, pink or white background and “presents the simple beauty of the clematis flower, spilling over the side of a garden wall and shimmering in the sun”, says the London-based Chinese designer. “At the same time, it encapsulates the magic of a fairytale, like a scene from Sleeping Beauty; you can escape for a while into a made-up realm.”

Hand-drawn butterflies can be added to the magnetic version of Clematis, £440 a roll

This kind of whimsical narrative is typical of Zeng’s creations, which, she says, “walk the line between the imaginative and the everyday”. Take her most popular Hua Trees design (£175 a roll), an intricate and enchanting monochrome forest landscape, in grey or pink, while the bold and bright, lushly floral Summer Tropical Bloom wallpaper (£195 a roll) features insects hidden among the the leaves and flowers. Each pattern is faithfully reproduced on a luxurious fibrous non-woven material so that “the tonal qualities look almost indistinguishable from hand-painted wallpaper”, and can be bought on Zeng’s website in both traditional rolls and individual panels.

Sian Zeng grey Hua Trees wallpaper, £175 a roll

Sian Zeng Summer Tropical Bloom wallpaper, £195 a roll

Adding to the playful, storytelling aspect, her designs are also available to buy with a magnetic backing so that homeowners – and their children – can populate their walls with Zeng’s colourful, characterful magnets (£3.95). A host of hand-drawn butterflies, for example, can be added to the magnetic version of the Clematis (£443.50 a roll), or even the odd flying pig or two.

Sian Zeng khaki Woodlands wallpaper with flying-pig magnet, £264.50 a roll