The founder of Woodmancote-based F&P Interiors, Emma Vans Agnew, looks at design fabrics stepping off the fashion show runways
The links between fashion and interior design industries are as powerful as ever with inspiration striding from the haute couture runways to the fabric books of the leading design houses in double quick time. Just as we see all the pretty floral dresses in the shops, we are seeing a mass of blooms in the interior design showrooms, giving us all a much-needed lift from the dreary days of lockdown.
Sanderson, the home of florals and a warrant holder since 1923, has “blown the doors off its design library” with its Watergarden collection highlighting beautiful floral designs brimming with new and exotic plants with Eastern influences. Peony blooms, Fusang Trees together with Chinese Dragon and Water Gardens make for a vibrant collection charting the appeal of Eastern inspired design in English interiors. Imagine garden scenes but in vibrant, almost acidic tones that spice up the flower beds and move, boldly, from the classic greens and pinks, to Chinese yellows and lacquer reds, mixed on otherworldly backdrops of inky skies, and ebony grounds.
Baker Lifestyle is offering something a bit more relaxed and fresh. Its Bridport collection combines illustrative, printed designs with smart checks and stripes, perfect for creating informal, contemporary rooms. Bridport has been shaded to match colour themes of classic blue and white, infused with indigo and red, pretty pink and chalky aqua, soft blue and delicate leaf green, all a little muted, giving a wonderful relaxed feeling, perfect for today’s hectic lifestyle.
Closer to home, Sussex-based Design Archives launched its Shala collection, which draws inspiration from ancient mythology and is named after the ancient Sumerian goddess of both grain and compassion – so now you know! Each design incorporates an element from the natural world in each fabric, such as a head of grain in Albertina, rich botanical fruit motifs in Exotic Fruits, and an intricate Indian flower pattern in Shala.
You don’t need to keep your floral fabrics in the home, with the ever-expanding collection of indoor/outdoor fabrics on the market, there are the exciting new collections from Osborne & Little, Designers Guild and Liberty. Osborne & Little’s Beach House collection includes vibrant Peonia floral, Malabar Palms and beautiful Magnolia branches with exotic birds. Designers Guild has included Tulip Garden design, a bamboo print and a more contemporary Shaqui design in ever popular blues and green. Liberty has expanded their fabric and wallpaper collection with the addition of The Liberty Garden collection of 13 designs, many inspired by a collection of archival hand-painted shawl designs dating from the mid-19th century, Persian Voyage is the latest interpretation of a much-beloved Liberty classic. This striking version is re-engineered as a sumptuous heavyweight weave – woven in Italy using the highest quality yarns, to bring sumptuous texture and surface effect to the collection.
These colourful indoor/outdoor collections bring you infinite possibilities for stylish conservatories, summer houses, gardens and pool sides, combining beautiful designs with extreme practicality. The outside can now be every bit as beautiful as the inside.
