Marthe Armitage

Marthe Armitage is a British wallpaper designer whose work is characterized by unique hand-drawn designs that are hand printed from lino blocks, varying in size. She makes designs for wallpapers, and curtains.

Early life

Armitage graduated from Chelsea School of Art after World War II.

Career

In the 1950s, after she was married and had children, Armitage started designing lino-cut wallpapers. Armitage's designs are hand-drawn, unlike the computer-generated wallpaper that is the current industry trend. After sketching the design, she uses hand-cut lino blocks and a century-old offset lithographic printing press that she has owned for over 40 years to create custom-printed rolls of wallpaper. She works in a studio in her garage, where she keeps her printing press. Her daughter, Joanna Broadhurst, works as her assistant.

In 2004, the historic wallpaper design company Hamilton Weston agreed to represent her work. Sigmar London also sell her work.

She designed a wallpaper she entitled "Alphabet" for The Woman in Black, which was created for the film which is based on Susan Hill’s ghost story. Armitage's designs cover the nursery, which is haunted, with automata. The nursery is featured in the scenes where Daniel Radcliffe's character faces off with the titular character.