Laura Cheung Wolf is the founder of Lala Curio, a lifestyle and home décor brand specialising in hand-painted and embroidered chinoiserie wallpaper, Cloisonné tiles, and bespoke hand-crafted furnishings. Born in Sydney and raised in Hong Kong and England, Wolf comes from a family rooted in imperial crafts and is committed to making traditional artisanship relevant for contemporary living.
How did you get into home décor and wallpaper design, and what did you do before becoming a designer?
I have been living and breathing decorative arts since I was a kid. I have photos of me, at my kids' age, playing in my grandmother’s Cloisonné atelier. I did not know it would be wallpaper, but it all seems to make sense; it's strangely a powerful transformative tool for the interior that blends in fine arts, graphic design and couture fashion all in one product. Design is all that I can do, the one thing that is consistent about me. Everything before was a process working towards becoming one. Drawing on three generations of my family’s expertise in the imperial crafts, I studied at New York’s Parsons School of Design and Sotheby’s Institute of Art before producing events for top fashion brands, Tom Ford, Estée Lauder, and more. Prior to launching Lala Curio, I spent three years in rural China working alongside artisans to create our collections. For over a decade, Lala Curio has been reviving and reinventing lost Asian artisanship with an international design perspective and a sense of humour.
What's the design philosophy of your firm and how is it reflected in your designs?
Our mission is to make a chapter in chinoiserie for the 21st century. I feel so blessed to have the keys to the secret of these ancient crafts that I work with, and I am committed to preserving them and fostering the next generations to continue their family legacy. The excitement through our work entices a new generation of decorative arts lovers and artisans. We do not wish to be stuck in old times, we are constantly evolving and pushing limits, making what we do relevant for today's interiors. Our passion and fun show through our work, and when we make our clients happy, there's nothing in the world that drives us more! The sheer joy and excitement we bring to clients ... it’s always so gratifying to watch them first step into a transformed room!
What is your proudest project(s) of the year?
Designing my own home was so gratifying! Having the full creative freedom to be completely outlandish with our wallpaper and creating different moments specific for our family ... telling our story was so rewarding.
What does sustainability truly mean to you when it comes to handmade wallpaper?
Our definition of sustainability is to make creations that last for future generations. We believe quality products and intricate craftsmanship of thousands of hours is worthy of being enjoyed for families to come. The choice of materials for our wallpaper are silk, water soluble adhesive and paper. Artwork is hand-painted and hand-embroidered thread work.
What's your greatest source of inspiration in life?
I like to keep moving because the best ideas come from being in transit from point A to point B, travelling is great and when I'm not travelling I still need to stay active for creative juice.
What's next for your company?
Opening our showroom at The Peninsula in March next year. This will be our biggest showroom yet, showing a full experience of the world of Lala Curio through curated spaces of our wallpaper, furnishings, decorative objects, pillows and tabletops. Super excited for the launch!
