A few years ago I had the pleasure of interviewing Given Campbell, Tampa’s own eclectic wallpaper designer, for a piece on Examiner. Examiner recently shut down their website and I couldn’t let a great piece go by the wayside. So, I am reprinting it. I have to admit I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Given.
The use of wallpaper in interior decorating is making a comeback. Decorators understand the visual interest that a well-designed, colorful wall paper will add to a space and often times they turn to the big brand names such as Waverly, Schumacher and Thibaut. For a more unique look, designers may turn to a smaller boutique line such as Given Campbell, located right here in the Tampa Bay area.
Given Campbell, a modern eclectic wallpaper design firm that is conceptualized and printed right here in the Bay area. It may seem like an unusual business to have launched here, but it is thriving with designer and owner Given Campbell at the helm.
Given is an artist at heart and she had a passion for interior design. She knew she wanted to do something artistic within the home goods industry but hadn’t found a niche until a random conversation when the idea of designing wallpaper came up. She noticed the wall paper trend taking off again and with the advancement in technology it seemed like a prosperous niche worth exploring.
After a few years of product development she began to market her designs to consumers. Soon designers were discovering her line and using them in their projects. Then the recognition and awards began. “Working in a bubble,” she says, “it’s hard to know if I am doing the right thing. Winning lets me know I am doing the right thing.”
Seven years later she has been featured nationally, won numerous awards and had her designs chosen for the walls of MTV’s corporate headquarters. She now designs and markets several collections, including a Couture & Custom line.
She designs to her taste and not to trends but will build around Pantone’s seasonal color forecast. She favors classic lines and timeless designs with a modern twist. Most of her collections will compliment a variety of design styles. She will also create custom patterns.
Any good artist finds inspiration in the world around them and Given is no exception. She considers herself a conceptual thinker and can be inspired by an idea, a conversation, or a song that she will build an idea around. She derives inspiration from the great design of others too. She said, “I kept an old magazine with a collection of student art in it. It was ragged and old but inside it had a stair armoire that was curved and seemed to dance to one side.”
Her inspirations lend themselves to eclectic wallpaper designs that are graphic, vibrant, bold and colorful. There is nothing meek or demure about them, yet they are works of art fit for any modern home.
