Of the many facets that comprise Porter Teleo, a local company that creates custom, luxury hand-painted wallcoverings and fabrics, co-owner Bridgett Cochran cites their process as what makes them unique.
“Our wallcoverings are truly created as works of art,” she says. “Each panel is made one at a time, using the finest materials and with our team making aesthetic judgments at each step. Our process allows for our product to reflect the creative spirit behind it.”
Cochran and co-owner Kelly Porter strive to break new ground with their designs. This commitment to innovation is reflected in feedback from clients, which has mentioned the company’s fresh and new artwork, patterns and colorways.
“We design patterns that add something new and unique to the industry,” Porter says. “We try to steer clear from ideas or themes that are already out there. In cases where we do create versions of ‘typical’ patterns, like a stripe or a floral, we always make sure to present it in a new way.”
They believe wallcoverings add interest, texture, depth and character to a space. Inspiration for their wallcoverings comes from anywhere and everywhere.
“Inspiration comes often and sometimes when I least expect it,” Cochran says. “My camera is full of little moments throughout life that strike me as interesting or beautiful in some way.”
Porter finds that in the high-end, sophisticated arena of interior design, wallcoverings are incorporated into a space like fine art. Their desire to think outside of current trends gives their products a timeless quality.
“They use what they truly love and what they intuitively and inherently respond to,” Porter says. “Our products can move people, shake people and get people talking. It goes beyond a trend when you are working towards this as a goal, as opposed to creating what is selling or ‘what people love right now.’ I think we will be around for a while because of this and will outlast trends. We just follow our instinct as artists, as opposed to the market or industry trends.”
Today, the company has shifted its focus from branding to now designing products for other larger companies. They’re also licensing their patterns, which Porter notes has opened the door to working in different areas such as designing rugs, commercial grade fabrics and hospitality vinyl wallcoverings as well as exploring carpet and tile.
“We are moving from being identified primarily as a hand-painted wallcovering company to an all-encompassing design company,” Porter says. “To be adapting into more and more types of product is super exciting and invigorating. It is the best way to work as well-equipped artists do, in exploring many different types of media simultaneously.”
