NEW YORK CITY — May 12, 2021 — Known for its style leadership and unrivaled portfolio of textiles, wallpaper, trims, floor coverings and finished goods, the design house F. Schumacher & Co. (FSCO) has acquired Backdrop, a fast-growing, digitally native paint and design brand founded in 2018 by husband/wife team Natalie and Caleb Ebel. This acquisition represents FSCO’s inaugural entry into the $30 billion per year architectural paint market and augments the company’s stable of global design brands, which includes Schumacher, the legendary textile and wallpaper brand founded in 1889; Patterson Flynn Martin, the luxury rug and carpet brand; and Frederic, a lifestyle magazine led by editor-in-chief Dara Caponigro.
“Backdrop has quickly proven disruptive in the U.S. paint market and has demonstrated a unique ability to engage with the next generation of consumers,” said Timur Yumusaklar, president & CEO of F. Schumacher & Co. “Backdrop represents a very exciting expansion into the paint market for FSCO, which is a natural complement to our existing wall and floor covering brands. We couldn’t be more delighted to welcome them to the FSCO family.”
Backdrop’s fresh brand approach, reimagined shopping experience, and outstanding product quality quickly resonated with the growing cohort of next-generation consumers investing in their home spaces since the brand’s launch, with 2020 bringing a 7x increase in sales. FSCO, alongside its heritage and longevity, maintains an entrepreneurial focus on future growth and innovation in the home design category. This combination will allow Backdrop to leverage FSCO’s leading global production and distribution platform as well as more than a century of color and design expertise, while retaining its unique identity. The Backdrop team will continue on with the company, with Natalie and Caleb Ebel assuming the roles of Co-Presidents of Backdrop as part of FSCO.
“We’re incredibly proud to be joining the FSCO family of brands,” Caleb Ebel said. “FSCO’s combination of a century of expertise and the team’s unique entrepreneurial perspective on innovation and growth in the home design market make them an ideal partner for the next chapter of Backdrop.”
This transaction is also an exciting strategic opportunity to align the brands’ distinct expertise in two complementary categories — wallcoverings and paint — to bring unparalleled options to the market and further expand the range of choices for designers and consumers alike.
“I’m excited to bring Backdrop into the fold along with our other iconic brands,” said Dara Caponigro, chief creative officer of F. Schumacher & Co. “Backdrop’s singular sensibility will add a new note to F. Schumacher & Co. and will provide another exciting take on how walls can come to life, whether through its top-notch paint in fresh contemporary colors, or through its always on-trend wallpapers.”
Posted May 17, 2021
Source: F. Schumacher & Co
