Iksel Decorative Arts

Mehmet & Dimonah Iksel founded Iksel Decorative Arts in 1988; they started their company in NY then moved to Paris for over 20 years and are now based in London. Commuting to India where they had a home for over 10 years, they created and continued to run a studio which hand-paints their own designs for interior decoration. Their inspiration comes mostly from a pre-industrial world which produced high periods of style in the decorative arts. Encompassing many cultures and periods, their collections include architectural, botanical, ornamental and scenic decors. These decors are all edited to fit into a modern lifestyle. Their reference to a particular period is also an obvious admission that we are in a modern world where the imagery should invite us into re-visiting the cultures we are most attached to. Whether we are in love with Bauhaus or Regency furniture, nothing tasteful contradicts an Iksel decor.

The Iksels were the first in the design industry to recognize the exciting potential of the digital revolution. In 2001 they digitalized their vast archives of hand-painted panels and decors and became the inventors of a new art form which derives the highest resolution printing from decorative painting. Combining practicality with ultimate luxury, they have transformed wallpaper into custom frescoes. Their work is easily recognizable by its elaborate painting and finely textured backgrounds. Both technically and artistically, Iksel delivers the most sophisticated wallcoverings on the market. In 2004 Iksel exhibited their first digitally printed collection in Paris at Maison & Objet ‘Editeurs’ and in 2006 the New York Times ran a two-page article in the ‘Home’ section. This article gave them enormous exposure and credit for their ingenious fusion of hand painting and state-ofthe-art technology. That article was picked up by the Sunday Telegraph, Le Monde, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Chicago Tribune, La Repubblica, El País and many other newspapers affiliated with the NY Times. This launched Iksel from being a confidential source for top design firms, into the eye of the public.