JR Artisan Spotlight

Lance Houpt

Principal of Waterhouse Wallhangings

 

How did you get your start in the industry?

In the early 2000s, I acquired Christopher Norman, and then went on to acquire Waterhouse Wallhangings, Thomas Strahan and Inez Croom over the years.

 

Waterhouse Wallhangings was established in the late 1940s, while the sister company, Thomas Strahan, started selling wallpaper in 1866. Today, Thomas Strahan is led by Lance’s partner, Katherine Porter.

 

Describe your BRAND in 5 words or less:

Timeless atelier of wallpaper & fabric

 

 

 

 

What makes your brand stand out?

I think what sets us apart is our timelessness. Our collection features designs that have truly stood the test of time. We donʼt chase trends—every wallpaper originates from our archives, which we carefully reimagine through recoloring, rescaling or adjusting motifs. This approach keeps our work enduring and classic. Another key strength is our incredible team with exceptional capabilities—we specialize in customization, creating bespoke versions of our designs tailored to each client. In addition, because we print on demand, our lead times are short, and we can accommodate rush orders, making us an ideal partner for designers working under tight deadlines.

Any new techniques, mediums, colors, or aesthetics you are experimenting with or working on that you can share?

 
One medium weʼve been exploring more recently is printing on grasscloth. This year, Leta Austin Foster selected our Honeysuckle Treillage design from her collection with us and printed it on grasscloth for the 2025 Kips Bay Palm Beach Showhouse. Since then, printing on grasscloth has become an ongoing part of our work. Alongside continuously expanding our fabric collection, weʼre also preparing to introduce multiple wallpapers and fabrics in our spring 2026 collection and new woven designs in the near future.
 

 

 

Describe your studio or work space

Our office is highly organized, as we manage thousands of archival designs that must be carefully maintained and separated. We also value working in a clean, orderly environment surrounded by beauty—our walls display our wallpapers and murals, along with historic printing blocks from past techniques.

TS 8090-12 Town and Country, Sandstone, featured in Thomas Strahan partner Katherine Porterʼs laundry room.

Kips Bay Palm Beach 2025 – Interior design by Leta Austin Foster & Daughters featuring Waterhouse Wallhangings Honeysuckle Treillage design from our Leta Austin Foster collection on grasscloth