In celebration of its fifth anniversary, Transylvanian design brand MINDTHEGAP launches Transylvanian Roots, a collection of wallpapers, fabrics, furniture and homewares inspired by its evocative homeland. Once an independent country, for centuries Transylvania was a melting pot of peoples, cultures and religions, from Saxons, Hungarians and Romanians to Szekely, Ashkenazi Jews, Armenians and Gypsies. Surrounded by mountains and forests, villagers were united in their communion with nature. Poor in resources but rich in ideas and inspiration, traditional countryside homes were dressed with jubilantly embroidered textiles to soften wooden furniture, and trimmed and tasseled lamps to brighten dark winter nights.
“A tribute to our ancestors and to who we are today, Transylvanian Roots is an homage to the history and heritage of our birthplace, ” explains founder Stefan Ormenisan. Marking five years of Transylvanian design and manufacturing, Transylvanian Roots includes eighteen wallpapers and thirteen fabrics as well as upholstered furniture, block-printed pleated lamp shades, embroidered cushions and framed wall art, with influences ranging from Mother Nature to local crafts including woodcutting and tapestry. Unique and distinguished, wallcoverings combine the impact of a mural with traditional wallpaper repeats, featuring hand-drawn folk-inspired patterns and motifs. “MINDTHEGAP is a world of intriguing combinations, creativity and free spirit, with inspiration drawn from all four corners of the globe. For our fifth anniversary, we have returned to our roots and are proud to present an authentic representation of our people and our history, a uniquely romantic time and place when wild animals wandered undisturbed through picturesque forests and cultures and communities lived in harmony,” finishes Ormenisan.
