F. Schumacher & Co Acquires Backdrop

NEW YORK, May 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Known for its style leadership and unrivaled portfolio of textiles, wallpaper, trims, floor coverings and finished goods, the legendary design house F. Schumacher & Co (FSCO) has acquired Backdrop, the 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 $30B 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, the glossy must-read 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," says 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," says co-founder of Backdrop Caleb Ebel. "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," says 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."

About F. Schumacher & Co
Founded in 1889 by Frederic Schumacher, our fifth-generation, family-owned design house has been synonymous with style, taste and innovation— and always ahead of the pack. We're driven by a shared belief that design makes a difference. It transforms life. It challenges convention. It brings a unique point of view into the world. It sets trends, and it leaves a mark. We champion individual style and the collective practice of transformational interior design. We create it. We supply it. We support it. We celebrate it. We also partner with the most brilliant trendsetters in design and fashion to advance it. And we want to bring it to as many people and into as many homes as possible. A passion for luxury and an unwavering commitment to beauty are woven into everything we do. Learn more at fschumacher.com. Follow us on Instagram @schumacher1889 and @fredericmagazine

About Backdrop
Created by husband and wife duo Natalie & Caleb Ebel, Backdrop is The New Way to Paint. We've transformed the whole process of painting from start to finish—from curating the perfect color palette, to sourcing the highest-quality supplies. We offer premium, Green Wise certified and low-VOC paints that come in beautifully redesigned, award-winning paint cans, 12x 12'' removable adhesive samples, the highest quality supplies, and a perfectly curated palette of 50+ colors – all quickly delivered to your door.  Since launch in November 2018, each Backdrop sale has contributed to the International Rescue Committee, which helps displaced families in some of the most challenging places in the world, and in 2020 Backdrop became the first Climate Neutral certified paint company. Learn more at www.backdrophome.com. 

Contact: Jennifer Petrisko
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SOURCE F. Schumacher & Co