The moment we saw Brook Perdigon’s beloved Tropics and Canopy patterns interpreted as wallpapers, we began dreaming of the perfect coastal escape. Brook, who now lives in LA, is a Florida girl at heart and her home state’s natural beauty always comes through in her work. With her strong Floridian roots and easy breezy point of view we were so excited to quiz her about her favorite spots to visit — both old and new — when she goes back home. Road trip anyone?!
These beach pics were taken at Indian Rocks Beach, the beach that I grew up going to.
Tell us about what it was like growing up in Florida? How has it changed over the years?
I grew up in Florida in the 80’s. Back then the Tampa / Clearwater area was a sleepy small southern town compared to what it is today. Life seemed really simple: my sister and I would spend hours riding our bikes through all of the little neighborhoods, fishing off piers, swimming at the country club, and hanging out at our uncle’s ranch in Brooksville. We spent the summers at my grandparents beach house in Belleair Beach, swam in the Gulf of Mexico, and played night tag with friends.
Now Tampa is one of the fastest growing cities in the US. There are three major sports teams here and that always brings lots of industry and people.
There are lots of plants, flowers, and natural elements in your textiles and wallpaper. What inspires you in your work?
Well the floral designs, Tropics, Bloom, and Hillside are specifically inspired by my grandparents 1970’s beach house. I designed these prints during Covid when I was so homesick for my family and couldn’t travel home to see them. My grandparents beach house was decked out in quintessential 70's prints: yellow, orange and green - with green shag carpeting throughout the whole place! Wild patterns and wallpapers - it was divine!
In general landscape and nature have been such an inspiration to artists since the beginning of time. Coming up with different ways to paint and represent the natural elements that surround us feels like endless subject matter. It is an endless source of inspiration.
I created several collages of the layout for Tropics, hand cutting all of the petals and grass elements, then arranging them in different layouts. I also painted large swatches of paper with watercolors in various shades to use for the collage. When we scanned the artwork to make the files for production we decided to keep the painterly effect.
You recently launched Tropics and Canopy as wallpapers. What made you want to translate these designs from fabric collections to wallpaper?
I have always felt these two designs would be great as wallpapers. Clients have often asked over the years if we offer them and it just seemed like the right time to develop them.
Were there any particular challenges with bringing these fabric designs to wallpaper?
Canopy was a bit challenging as we needed to find a paper width that worked with the existing design layout. I was finally able to find one through a printer in the UK.
For Tropics, both Plum and Seaglass have coordinating fabrics but Garden is new. How did you dream up this new green tone?
The new Garden colorway feels very chic Golden Girls to me. I wanted to do something a little moodier (hence the dark background) with white and soft coral peach colors for the flowers. There are these little shells at the beach called cocina shells. The colors of the petals remind me of the colors of concina shells.
What room or what type of project would you most love to see Tropics installed?
I have been daydreaming of a Bahamas / Jamaica vacation and feel like it would be so fun to see some of these papers installed in a tropical bungalow.
BROOK'S GUIDE TO FLORIDA
MUSEUMS & GARDENS
You recently launched Tropics and Canopy as wallpapers. What made you want to translate these designs from fabric collections to wallpaper?
I have always felt these two designs would be great as wallpapers. Clients have often asked over the years if we offer them and it just seemed like the right time to develop them.
Were there any particular challenges with bringing these fabric designs to wallpaper?
Canopy was a bit challenging as we needed to find a paper width that worked with the existing design layout. I was finally able to find one through a printer in the UK.
For Tropics, both Plum and Seaglass have coordinating fabrics but Garden is new. How did you dream up this new green tone?
The new Garden colorway feels very chic Golden Girls to me. I wanted to do something a little moodier (hence the dark background) with white and soft coral peach colors for the flowers. There are these little shells at the beach called cocina shells. The colors of the petals remind me of the colors of concina shells.
What room or what type of project would you most love to see Tropics installed?
I have been daydreaming of a Bahamas / Jamaica vacation and feel like it would be so fun to see some of these papers installed in a tropical bungalow.
BROOK'S GUIDE TO FLORIDA
MUSEUMS & GARDENS
Marie Selby Garden’s
One of my favorite things about Florida is that it’s so green and so lush. This garden in Sarasota has the most exquisite collection of rare orchids and stunning tropical plants.
Tampa Museum of Art
I grew up visiting this museum.
Ringling Museum of Art
This place is incredible and I grew up going there on field trips with school.
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Dali Museum
This place was so exciting to me as a kid. Being exposed to Surrealist art as a child through such an extensive collection of Dali's work really taught me that art was often about more than the visual work in front of you. It can challenge the way we see things and create a new perception of reality.
FloridaRAMA: Immersive Art Experience
A fun new thing to visit in Florida.
BEACHES & STATE PARKS
Boca Grande
This was my favorite place to go as a kid. Miller's Marina (now Boca Grande Marina) was a classic.
Honeymoon Island
Sugar and sand beaches and such a sweet spot to watch the sunset.
Cabbage Key Island
This spot is amazing. They have a restaurant that you can boat up to. There is literally nothing on the island but the restaurant and the inn. The restaurant is covered in dollar bills stapled to the wall. When I was a kid, that was the biggest thrill for us as we would boat over to the island with dollar bills in hand!
Weeki Wachee
This place is crazy famous because it has actual live mermaids. It is a state park which means that the mermaids are on the state payroll. So Florida is the only state that pays mermaids ;)
BARS, RESTAURANTS & PLACES TO STAY
John’s Pass
I haven’t been here in ages but this is a touristy waterside place with shops and restaurants. We used to go in the summer to hang out and kill time.
Frenchy’s
This is a classic beachside restaurant with fried food and fresh fish.
Oxford Exchange
This is a good spot for a nice brunch. It’s a little more high end and a bit more designer-y.
Crabby Bills
You can actually order gator tail here (tastes like chicken) but their grouper sandwiches and crab plates are a dream (take some antacid in your purse).
The Gasparilla Inn
This is THE place to stay!
BOOKS
Both of these books (below) are AMAZING and just so Florida. You can actually find them at Judy Blume’s bookstore in Key West, Books and Books. Knowing that she was in Key West when I was a child made all of my nine year old dreams come true!
