Behind the Scenes at Maya Romanoff
This post is brought to you by Maya Romanoff and Architectural Digest Marketing. Our partners are hand picked by the Design Milk team because they represent the best in design.
While in Chicago recently, we spent some time at Maya Romanoff, a family-owned company making handmade wallcoverings since 1969. For 45 years, the brand has been crafting innovative designs, incorporating fine glass beads, gold leaf, seashells, inlaid wood, hand painting, and stitching into its luxury line of surface materials. Continually pushing the envelope, Maya Romanoff remains on the forefront of original, covet-worthy ideas while staying true to its handcrafted roots that would definitely make the founder, Maya, proud.
First, a quick tour of the Maya Romanoff offices, which are just outside of Chicago in a 40,000-square-foot facility. The brand’s textiles and artwork are featured throughout and near the front door is a photo of Maya who started it all.
Barn-style sliding doors on private offices feature various Maya Romanoff wallcoverings adding character to the office-side of the building.
Maya Romanoff is a dog-friendly office so it’s pretty common to see wagging tails popping in and out of the offices. This is Jelly, the adorable dog of Laura Romanoff, the company’s Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing who happens to be Maya and Joyce’s (Maya’s widow) niece.
A dyed textile that Maya made in the ’70s hangs in one of the offices.
This portrait of David Bowie, by photographer Bob Gruen, was finished with Maya’s signature glass beads, adding an opulent layer to the famed photo, which hangs in the company’s offices.
The break room walls are clad with Maya Romanoff’s vinyl Weathered Metals II design.
Each of the employees has an apron to wear while they work on the wallpapers.
Rolls of paper waiting for the next step in the handmade production process.
The company’s attention to detail shows up everywhere, including the mixing of pigments. They make sure the colors are perfect and consistent every time.
These two men were hand painting rolls of Ajiro Fanfare, which is a wood veneer that was just launched in black as part of Maya Romanoff’s Ebony collection.
Most of the employees that work for the company have been there for many years, and a number of them have other family members working there, also. It’s truly a family business.
A peek at the production process of the Beadazzled Geode™ wallcovering:
They begin with the largest size of the glass beads, which are shaken onto tacky paper.
The largest size beads are added.
Smaller beads are added and begin to fill in the spaces.
A closeup of the Beadazzled Geode wallcovering
Install shot of the Beadazzled Geode wallcovering, courtesy of Maya Romanoff
A peek at the production process of the River Bed™ wallpaper:
Two employees hand painting the white paper
The pigment starts to separate from itself, leaving a pattern of organic shapes.
A closeup of the pattern
Clean rolls of paper towels are lightly pulled over the top to remove excess pigment.
A closeup after the excess pigment is removed and it starts to dry
Install shot of River Bed, image courtesy of Maya Romanoff
While I was visiting, I got to see some of the new wallcoverings Maya Romanoff is launching this month. All of them are handmade at the studio. Take a peek:
True Metals Basketweave – Copper Tiles
Weathered Walls
Can’t get enough? We can’t either – watch the video below for an insider view into the factory:
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