Heather Cohen has channeled her love for wallpaper and the unique, creative homes and neighbors in Phoenix’s Arcadia neighborhood into a business and boutique. The designer launched The Mulberry Project, helping people find and install bold, bright, pattern-driven wallpapers, earlier this year. Cohen sources more than 40 boutique lines from around the world.

“I love to think of wallpaper as a sort of art installation—it can completely transform the feeling of a space and showcase people’s unique style,” Cohen says.

We caught up with Cohen to learn more about The Mulberry Project, where she finds each unique patterned paper and how it’s become a timeless, not trendy, addition to any home.

Get Creative With Wallpaper: A Q&A With Heather Cohen

Tell us about The Mulberry Project and how it got started.

The Mulberry Project is a wallpaper boutique inspired by my love for patterns, textures and pops of color that bring joy to the spaces where we spend our time. I handpick lines designed by artists from around the world, curating a unique collection of specialty wallpaper.

The concept has been an exciting work in progress since 2008 when I moved onto Mulberry Street with my husband and our four kids. When I first stepped foot into our new home, it was love at first sight. After meeting our fun and creative neighbors, I knew we had moved onto the street of our dreams. My Mulberry friends and I are always working on projects to enhance our 1950s ranch-style homes. Wallpaper is a favorite design element to create charming spaces where we relax and unwind or gather with family and friends to make memories.

I am crazy about wallpaper and passionate about helping clients select and install the perfect wallpaper for their homes and businesses to create charming, inspiring and unique spaces where they will enjoy spending their time.

What is the process?

Homeowners and businesses have two options for enhancing a space with wallpaper.

One, they can hire an interior designer who typically works on larger, more comprehensive full-scale design projects. Or, two, they can do it themselves, shopping through endless wallpaper options online or in a store sorting through stacks of wallpaper books.

This process can be daunting and stressful. Samples often arrive looking very different than they appear online and it can be difficult for people to make a decision, then they have to make sure they order the correct amount of wallpaper and seek out a qualified, professional licensed hanger who will properly install their wallpaper.

I’m here to simplify the process. The Mulberry Project offers two packages: a full-service, start-to-finish option that offers complete assistance from the initial consultation to the final installation. I first come for an on-site consultation to understand vision, project goals and styles or colors that flow throughout the home or business and take measurements.

Next is a thoughtful, curated wallpaper search from 40-plus boutique lines and a selection visit to the showroom, complete with wallpaper samples and custom-match paint recommendations.

Finally, I will coordinate and oversee the installation by my team of professional wallpaper hangers. I take care of all the details so clients can enjoy the fun parts of decorating their homes and have a completely stress-free experience. I walk clients through the entire process and make sure the final product is a space they will fall in love with.

For those do-it-yourself clients who already have a good idea of what they want and are not interested in installation services, my second package includes meeting with clients in my showroom to help them select the perfect wallpaper from my collection of thousands of hanging samples.

How did you curate your collection?

I’ve had the opportunity to learn from a true professional in the industry, Batya Stapelman from WallTawk in Denver, Colorado, who guided me to find a comprehensive assortment of wallpaper artists. I adapted a handful of her suggestions and through extensive research curated a collection of over 40 boutique wallpaper lines from around the world.

Tell us about some of the artists who are featured.

Oh goodness, I don’t even know where to begin. I have the most amazing collection of unique and beautiful lines designed by talented artists.

A few that come to mind are Kristy Stafford, a brilliant artist known for bold pops of color, modern twists on botanicals and strong geometrics that often have a retro quality. Walter G is an Australian-owned boutique textile house whose designs are brought to life in India through hand-block printing. And Imogen Heath is a talented British designer who hand-paints the most whimsical designs for her wallpaper, inspired by the beauty of the outdoors.

What is it about wallpaper that you love most, and how does it enhance the design of a space?

I love to think of wallpaper as a sort of art installation—it can completely transform the feeling of a space and showcase people’s unique style. And like art, wallpaper is extremely versatile and can enhance spaces in unique ways.

Wallpaper in your dining room can make the place where you enjoy your family meals feel bright and cheerful, just like the memories you make there. Wallpaper in your office could transform a space that can feel sterile into an inspiring and productive work environment. Textured grasscloth wallcoverings can bring a calming and cozy feel to your bedroom while adding a bit of charm. The possibilities are endless.

What’s been one of your favorite wallpaper applications in your own home?

My breakfast nook. Wallpaper completely transformed this space, and it is honestly what first inspired me to start exploring the idea of The Mulberry Project. It’s by far the space in my home that I am most proud of, and a space where I always want to entertain, work, read and spend time.

Wallpaper has seen a resurgence in popularity, but some still have a hard time looking past memories of, say, wallpaper in their parents’ homes. What tips do you have for using wallpaper to create a timeless room design?

The resurgence of wallpaper and its popularity has a lot to do with people’s desire for self-expression and the incredible variety of patterns and textures that are available today. So many artists and graphic designers are turning their works of art into wallpaper, making the designs more current and appealing than what might have been in grandma’s house. Additionally, there are new and improved techniques for printing and advancements in adhesives that won’t destroy your walls during the removal process, allowing you to easily swap out the paper if your style changes.

What’s next for you?

At some point, I would like to collaborate with artists to create The Mulberry Project’s own line of wallpaper. I would also like to become a resource for interior designers, to take this one element off their plates and hand-select wallpaper options for projects they are working on.

For more on Cohen’s Mulberry Project, go to mulberrywallpaper.com.