33 minute read
FABRIC, WALLS & FLOORS
Beauty, statement and timeless appeal – these designers have them spades
ARCHIVE
A bold new maximalist brand from the Sanderson Design Group
The Sanderson Design Group has long been known as a home emporium of pattern, colour, and print. Now, it has opened up its vault of design treasures to launch a new brand, Archive. Smashing the barriers between heritage and modernity, Archive exists to reignite a love for timeless designs by the likes of Pat Etheridge, C.F.A. Voysey and William Morris, and make them relevant for interiors today. Embracing maximalism is in the brand’s very being: a bold exploration of prints and patterns, it pushes boundaries and goes beyond the expected, channelling British eccentricity with self-expression at the fore.
With its first releases, the Archive team had the glorious task of cherry-picking some of the most memorable designs from Sanderson Design Group’s past, ranging from the Arts & Crafts era to the swinging Sixties. They put together an eclectic mix of patterns, giving each one a new lease of life through vibrant colourways. Take the iconic ‘Golden Lily’, perhaps the most enduring design by William Morris’ protégé John Henry Dearle. The new fantastical reworking sees the design available as a printed velvet and matching wallpaper. It comes in four colourways including ‘Espresso’, which pairs muted tones with the daring swirling tendrils of the print, and the far more flamboyant ‘Serotonin Pink’. The latter shouts freedom of expression, and, when the fabric and wallpaper are put together, has the ultimate rock and roll feel.
Other stand-out designs include two wallpapers by William Morris: the recoloured 1864 ‘Fruit’ design with its twisting, diagonal stems of fruit and flowers that evokes the symbolism of the Mediterranean, and his ‘Daisy’ strewn pattern that still feels delightfully fresh now. Both prints have a gorgeous Arts & Crafts feel, ensuring they are charming and cohesive without being too overbearing in a scheme. One of the most daring designs from the collection is ‘Forbidden Fruit’. An energetic reimagination of Pat Etheridge’s 1968 ‘Nana’, it celebrates the vision of her original botanic print, featuring poison greens prickling under petals of copper and an entangled orchard of deep tones and natural hues. Once considered too risqué for the design world, her trademark bohemian energy lends itself brilliantly to a more liberal time.
Maximalism through the Archive lens is a heady mix of energetic and enigmatic prints. Aimed at the design curious non-conformist, more is more and scale is queen. It is about creating interiors that inspire others to be brave. Stripes combine with print patterns in evocative spaces; matching curtains and wallpaper can be paired up for a no holds barred commitment to colour and pattern. There is artistic bedding to anchor a room, from the steely blue hues of ‘Strawberry Thief Beetle Mania’ to ‘Palmetto’, with its exotic rubber plants and passion flowers that bring to mind an orangery. And plush velvet colourful cushions finished with extravagant trims – one highlight is the superbly symmetrical 1895 tulip and bird print by C.F.A. Voysey. This is a brand that marches to its own dynamic beat, where difference is encouraged and there are no home design rules to follow.
Archive
Sanderson Design Group Chalfont House, Oxford Road Denham UB9 4DX archive.sandersondesigngroup.com archive_sdg
COLE & SON
The revered design house ushers in a new chapter with The Gardens collection
Cole & Son was first established in 1875 in the north London borough of Islington, an area renowned for its many hand block printing businesses at the time. Today, the company’s archive is a beautiful and inspiring chronicle of artistic styles and expressions spanning three centuries. It consists of approximately 2,000 block print designs, 500 screen print patterns and a vast quantity of original drawings and wallpapers.
This archive and log of commissions attest to some of the most important decorating schemes of the 19th and 20th centuries, from stately homes such as Chatsworth House, Blickling Hall and Audley End, to Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and the wallpaper designs of AW Pugin, which featured in the Palace of Westminster.
On occasion, this extensive archive is a source of inspiration for new designs within collections. Elements from historic prints and patterns are carefully selected, adapted and coloured by the brand’s artists and printed by craftsmen to produce wallpapers faithful to the character of the original document, yet contemporary in feel.
Some of Cole & Son’s most beloved prints have inspired a fabric collection. The ‘Contemporary Collection – Fabrics’ is a curated range of textiles, including the lusciously leafed ‘Palm Jungle’, which is offered as a linen union and velvet, as well as the contemporary classic ‘Woods’.
Launched at Salone del Mobile 2022 was an exciting new collaboration with Stella McCartney. ‘Fungi Forest’ – based on the designer’s summer 2022 toile de Jouy print – is reimagined as a wallcovering on the company’s most sustainable base to date: a new eco substrate derived from 79 per cent renewable fibres with a manufacturing process that produces 30 per cent less greenhouse gases than traditional non-woven wallcoverings.
Summer 2022 also sees the company pay homage to its roots with a collection of wallpapers titled ‘The Gardens’. Emanating from the world of art, ‘The Gardens’ tells the enduring story of nature’s vistas, as rendered through the artist’s brush. Hand-drawn and handpainted over countless hours, the ever-changing light, colour palette, and organic movement witnessed in gardens and outside spaces is delicately captured with every stroke.
‘The Gardens: Vol. I’, wallpapers are a series of epic design stories each containing their own extraordinary chapters. Three distinct panoramas make up the collection: the romance of the sweeping English garden is met with the fanciful whimsy of flora and foliage of a sun-drenched land, with the narrative complete in the understated natural beauty of a woodland through the seasons. These expansive landscapes are complemented by two foliage designs of petite petals and a lush patchwork of inflorescence bursts that can either be used in isolation as an all-over print or as a coordinate to break up the panels.
‘The Gardens: Vol. I’ will be followed by ‘The Gardens: Vol. II’, Cole & Son’s second fabric collection. The latter offers an exquisite selection of fabric complements in rich jacquards, crisp poplin and lustred velvet, enhancing the home with an elegance that is uniquely yours.
With a commitment to, and passion for, excellence, Cole & Son is dedicated to creating unique and distinctive designs that help shape inviting interiors through colour and pattern.
Cole & Son
3 Jubilee Place London SW3 3TD +44 (0)20 8442 8844 cole-and-son.com cole_and_son_wallpapers
‘The Gardens: Vol. I’, wallpapers are a series of epic botanical design stories
COLEFAX & FOWLER
A diverse design group with a portfolio of luxury interior brands
The Colefax & Fowler brand name has represented quintessential English style ever since the 1930s, when Lady Colefax began creating interiors for her wellconnected circle of friends. Today, the company consists of a diverse range of textile, furniture and interior design brands including contemporary Larsen, Parisian studio Manuel Canovas, Jane Churchill, Cowtan and Tout, and Devon-made Kingcome sofas. Not to mention the interior decorating firm, Sibyl Colefax and John Fowler, which continues the company’s heritage, delivering interiors to a resolutely confidential clientele with uncompromising attention to detail.
It is the diverse offering of the brands within the group that allows it to offer luxurious comfort all-round, from high quality fabrics to sumptuous sofas. Colefax & Fowler (as well as its partner brands) launch collections internationally every six months, most recently adding a selection of embroidered trimmings. A series of nine decorative braids that celebrate craftsmanship and embellishment, ‘Mirador Trimmings’ are classically tasteful with a subtle maximalist feel. Each design has also been curated to sit alongside the entire range of fabrics and wallpapers. When it comes to upholstered furniture, a key brand in the Colefax Group stable is Kingcome. The company was founded in 1971 in Totnes, Devon, by charismatic WWII flying ace Group Captain Brian Kingcome and his wife Lesley, a former Vogue model. It soon cemented its place as a British institution known for manufacturing the highest quality furniture from the best materials. The timeless collection is designed to complement any interior, whether traditional or contemporary,
It is the diverse o ering of the brands within the group that allows it to o er luxurious comfort all-round, from high quality fabrics to sumptuous sofas
and includes numerous sofa and chair styles, stools, ottomans and dining chairs.
The team believes in the life-enhancing value of fine furniture, handmade in the English tradition. Many of the expert craftsmen and women at Kingcome have been working there for decades, proud to pass on skills to a new generation of young artisans. They pride themselves on their personalised service, meticulous care and attention to detail, quality and longevity. Specialist disciplines within the company range from cabinet making, carpentry, wood turning and polishing, to pattern cutting, upholstery, machine sewing, and hand sewing. All of which can be used to meet specific customer requirements, creating customised and bespoke furniture that reflects an individual’s taste and personality.
Every piece of furniture is built to stand the test of time. The classic sofas and chairs, often realised with a modern twist, are designed to become treasured heirlooms. Frames are crafted to order from sustainable hardwood timber and the company has a reputation for its excellent fabric cutting, pattern matching, as well for handstitched buttons, skirts, and finishes.
Alongside the showroom in London’s Chelsea, which serves both private customers and interior designers, Kingcome has recently launched an ecommerce platform featuring an edited range of pieces from its extensive catalogue. Here, customers can view the collection and make customisations to the style of fabric and size of the piece. An integral part of the Colefax Group, Kingcome is the go-to for the finest handmade furniture.
Colefax & Fowler
Design Centre Chelsea Harbour, London SW10 0XE
Kingcome
110 Fulham Road London SW3 6HU
+44(0) 20 8877 6400 colefax.com colefaxandfowler
DEIRDRE DYSON
Bespoke hand-knotted rugs that transcend trends
Atrailblazer in combining contemporary designs with traditional techniques, artist and designer Deirdre Dyson has been producing painterly rugs and carpets for over 20 years. Although they have evolved over time (and are entirely independent of trends), one thing remains: they are all of heirloom quality and primarily hand-knotted by Nepalese artisans in wool and silk.
‘The inspiration comes from the same things that inspire my paintings; they are just in a more graphic form,’ explains Deirdre, citing refracted light through a vase, bulrushes reflected in a lake and a folded piece of paper as simple moments that have been the starting point for her past creations.
Deirdre sketches each design, colour matching from a selection of over 5,000 wools and silks. It is then translated digitally by a design technician, who traces the lines precisely, ready for mapping and weaving (it allows her to visualise the designs before they are produced and ensure that the carpets are as close to the original artwork as possible).
This hand-wrought element is what makes each floor covering unique. A Deirdre Dyson rug could never be described as ‘patterned’ – with her designs, there’s an artist’s eye at work and each composition fully utilises the talents of the weavers to create something incredibly special.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: ‘Falling Ribbons’ rug in a home designed by Charlotte Lane Fox; the ‘Sea Shell’ rug in situ; the ‘Shallows’ rug design
Alongside the annual themed collection that is launched at her London and Paris galleries, Deirdre produces individual designs to suit each of her clients’ exact requirements – haute couture for your floor, as it were. Size, shape, and colourway are all customisable.
‘A beautiful hand-knotted carpet can be a backdrop or the star of an interior design setting. It can work to tie every component of the overall design together for a harmonious result that appeals to all the senses,’ she says.
Deirdre is seeing a trend for large-scale carpets that form the centre piece for an interior and pairs of carpets which create a connection in a larger space. As a case in point, take the ‘Falling Ribbons’ rugs, commissioned by interior designer Charlotte Lane Fox for either end of a double drawing room (left). Ribbons are one of Deirdre’s classic motifs and allow the gentle yet impactful introduction of colour in the alternating silks.
Another client recently commissioned two versions of ‘Unravel’ – the same design in alternative grades – for a study and facing sitting room. Meanwhile, for a Manhattan penthouse, Deirdre created seven carpets of the same ‘Sea Mist’ design, each with a different colour grade which informs the artwork and furniture selected for the bedrooms.
With a background in fine art, Deirdre has an innate ability to select tones and colours that work together perfectly. Her latest collection ‘All at Sea’ is a great example. Here, she has used the naturally occurring colours created by the reflection of the sun and cliffs on sea water, and the creatures beneath, to create a calming palette in nine designs which have really resonated with clients, both in the UK and abroad. And, looking ahead to January, the 2023 collection will be a bold and graphic celebration of colour, to symbolise the joy of a world opening up once again.
Deirdre Dyson
554 King’s Road London SW6 2DZ +44 (0)20 7384 4464 deirdredyson.com deirdredysonrugs
FERMOIE
Fine furnishing and interior fabrics, designed and printed in-house
Swapping the world of paint for printing fine textiles was a natural next step for Farrow & Ball founders Tom Helme and Martin Ephson, who established Fermoie a decade ago. Taking their expertise in colour in a new textural direction, the company specialises in beautiful and original fabrics, all made at its factory in Wiltshire.
What makes Fermoie so unique is its design and printing techniques. All designs are original and hand-drawn by the team in the studio, who then mix water-based pigments to build a bespoke colour palette that works with the existing collection (this is inspired by the vast colour library of natural dyes). These pigments are then printed onto woven base-cloths in the factory and dispatched within seven days – something that is incredibly unusual in the industry.
Whether discussing initial designs, deciding on the right base-cloth or the perfect pigment combination, the close-knit team are all passionate, talented experts in their chosen fields. ‘From weaving and dying to our studio drawings, we have our own take on traditional printing,’ says co-founder Tom. ‘Original thinking and unparalleled care go into everything we do.’
All patterns in the Fermoie offering are presented in five colour families: reds, yellows, greens, blues, and neutrals, and edited to create infallible combinations. Fabrics are either pure cotton, 100 per cent linen or a union of the two, and are suitable for upholstery, drapery, fabric walling and other interior uses. ‘Much of the beauty of Fermoie fabrics is down to the materials from which they are made,’ continues Tom. ‘Texture and depth bring a beautiful pattern to life so we continually experiment with natural fibres and blends to achieve textural perfection without
losing sight of our sustainability goals.’ Linen is the company’s single biggest raw material and its weavers work with flax farmers within a few hundred miles of the factory (flax is sustainable) while the cotton is woven exclusively for Fermoie by the first UK cotton mill to be awarded Soil Association and Global Organic Textile Standard accreditation.
The company also produces a co-ordinating range of accessories, made in-house using Fermoie fabrics. All cushions are piped, made with a hidden zip, and available in a rainbow of colours and various sizes. Gathered lampshades come in patterned and plain fabrics; lamp bases come in beautiful hand-blown glass.
The entire range of fabrics, as well as upholstered furniture and fabric walling, is on display to inspire customers in both the Pimlico Road and newly refurbished Marlborough showroom (all accessories are stocked too). In the latter, which is part of the studio complex, there is also a constantly changing array of colour trials, end-of-roll and archive fabrics, all available for purchase. Lampshades and cushions are also in stock. Naturally the showroom team at both locations are on hand and ready to help customers with their scheme, and virtual appointments are also available. Whether you’re looking to adorn a gallery wall, upholster a contemporary sofa or make curtains for a country cottage, there is bound to be a Fermoie fabric to suit.
Set up by Farrow & Ball’s founders, Fermoie’s beautiful fabrics are all screen printed in the UK onto woven base cloth
Fermoie
Hertford Court, Marlborough Wiltshire SN8 4AW
53-55 Pimlico Road London SW1W 8NE
+44(0) 1672 513723 fermoie.com fermoie
GP & J BAKER
Timeless fabrics and wallcoverings inspired by the archive since 1884
GP & J Baker continues to create innovative fabric and wallcovering collections inspired by original documents from its extensive archive. These include handpainted, early-20th-century designs by famed textile designer William Turner featuring pretty flora and fauna motifs, as well as rare Indienne cottons and Chinese wallpapers. The brand’s archive also features works from Arts & Crafts designers including CFA Voysey.
Over the last few years, the company has witnessed an increasing appetite for wallcoverings, and for 2022 it has reproduced many of its cherished historical designs as stunning wallpapers, rescaled and recoloured to appeal to today’s discerning customers. One example is the ‘Ashmore’ wallpaper collection by the aforementioned William Turner, an exceptional range of decorative designs with a quintessential English country house aesthetic.
Meanwhile, the ‘Original Brantwood’ wallpaper collection is inspired by the many Arts & Crafts documents housed in the GP & J Baker archive, including designs from CFA Voysey, which have been creatively reimagined in exciting new colours. Several of the company’s designs have been in production for over 100 years, each reissue adding another layer to their charm.
‘GP & J Baker’s treasured archive continues to inspire and delight our customers and we are thrilled to translate these authentic designs into fabulous wallpapers,’ says Creative and Managing Director Ann Grafton. ‘This year we are also proud to launch the ‘Baker Original’ stamp of authenticity, which is designed to authenticate our wallpapers and fabrics by allowing us to highlight the provenance of each of our exceptional archival designs.’
GP & J Baker looked to its extensive archive for its beautiful new collections of reissued wallcoverings and wallpapers
Several Baker Original designs are included in the new wallpaper collections. The ‘Ashmore’ range includes ‘Broughton Rose’ from 1918, a charming depiction of helmeted guineafowl surrounded by anemones, convolvulus and Malmaison roses. The current design was inspired by the reverse of the original block-printed fabric, with the bleed through of the dyes giving a wonderful faded, aged appearance. The collection also features Turner’s ‘Eltham’ from 1910, a pretty, painterly design of majestic birds in leafy branches. Known as one of ‘The Turner Birds’, ‘Eltham’ was painted in the Arborescent style and printed onto linen using six sets of 81 blocks.
The ‘Original Brantwood’ wallpaper range includes ‘Birds & Cherries’ from 1897, a beautiful design purchased by George Percival Baker featuring cherry trees and great tits, and ‘Iris Meadow’ from 1873, designed by the eminent Arts &Crafts designer Kate Faulkner. This was first produced by GP & J Baker in 1895, and possibly gifted to George Percival Baker in the 1880s by Faulkner, in recognition of his discovery of, and interest in, Alpine plants. The design features delicate winter iris alongside snowdrops and winter anemones.
In addition to this, GP & J Baker’s extensive ‘House’ collection of fabulous weaves, supple velvets, luxurious textures and elegant linens have been designed to sit alongside the wallcovering and decorative fabric collections to create timeless interiors for both traditional and contemporary spaces.
With smart showrooms in London’s Design Centre Chelsea Harbour and Paris, GP & J Baker is dedicated to creating beautiful products and offering a comprehensive resource for the international design community – and that includes its latest wallpaper collections with their delightfully enduring appeal.
GP & J Baker
Design Centre East Design Centre Chelsea Harbour London, SW10 0XF +44 (0)20 7351 7760 gpjbaker.com gpjbaker
GRAPHENSTONE
Eco-friendly paints combining artisanal techniques and innovative 21st century technology
These days paint colours seem to come with ever-more alluring names. But what a paint is called can easily distract from the real question: what it’s made from. Does it contain petro-chemicals (even if it’s encouragingly marked as ‘water based’) or microbeads that damage waterways, oceans and eco-systems? Does it release VOCs after application, adversely affecting indoor air quality? Even a product marked as ‘low VOC’ can have up to 30 grams of toxins per litre – which, in fact, is not low at all. These are the important paint questions for consumers.
One answer is Graphenstone: a paint range that combines traditional, harm-free ingredients used since Roman times, with the latest 21st century carbon technology. Created in Spain in 2013 by coatings technician Antonio Leon, to bridge a critical gap in the paints sector, it is now distributed in 40 countries worldwide. His objective was to shift the world forwards from the decades-long use of toxic synthetic coatings, replacing these polluting, unhealthy oil-based products with trusted natural and sustainable minerals such as lime, chalk, clay and silicate. This is paired with Graphene, which is made from pure inert carbon and the strongest material on earth. It was discovered at Manchester University in 2004 by two scientists, both of whom are now Nobel Prize winners, due to the extraordinary potential behind this remarkable advancement.
‘Our combination of the oldest, most trusted minerals like lime and silicate, together with 21st century Graphene technology, sets our range apart from the competition,’ says Patrick Folkes, CEO of
Of course colour is important, but Graphenstone also asks its customers to consider the environmental impact of their paint choices as well
Graphenstone UK. ‘Ecological and sustainable yet extremely durable, our clean-tech ranges create safe and healthy environments, with no compromise on performance.’ Graphenstone’s range contains no plastics, man-made chemicals or microbeads, with only trace VOCs (under 0.1 percent). And, in complete contrast to the intense toxicity of typical synthetic paints, this most modern of sustainable options offers strength, durability and an unsurpassed richly pigmented finish. The purifying lime paints actively remove CO2 and air-born toxins.
Graphenstone is now the most independently certified, sustainable and ecological mineral paint brand in the world. Awarded Cradle to Cradle Institute Gold, Silver and Bronze across all its main ranges, in addition to many other prestigious harm-free product evaluation standards worldwide, it sets the bar for technology, ecology and health in the paint sector. The range includes ‘Biosphere’ and ‘Ecosphere Premium’, exterior and interior pure lime paints with a matt finish; ‘GrafClean Premium’, suitable for general use indoors and out, plus ‘GrafClean Eggshell’ for woodwork and trim; and the latest VOC-free emulsion, ‘Nevada Ultra’, a trade paint which can also be used as a mist or first coat to reduce cost.
Of course, colour choice has always been a powerful tool to motivate buyers and Graphenstone has a palette of over 1,000 rich shades. The annual ‘Colour of the Year’ story rolled out by the big brands is often the key narrative in paints. Given the indisputable climate crisis, however, Graphenstone asks buyers to consider other critical issues ‘Beyond Colour’, a concept it has now trademarked. Natural and environmentally friendly, these are paints that tick all the right boxes.
Graphenstone
Speedwell Way, Border Valley Harleston, Norwich IP20 9EH +44 (0)1379 772940 graphenstone-ecopaints.store graphenstonepaintsuk
LOOMAH
Loomah is at the forefront of designing and supplying traditional and contemporary luxury bespoke carpets and rugs. With over 30 years of experience working with the best artisans and factories in the industry, the brand’s husband and wife founders Andrew and Natalie Cotgrove set up Loomah with the vision of creating a studio focused on delivering exceptional quality alongside a personal design service.
Loomah has an eclectic portfolio but it is the company’s bespoke design service that makes it stand out in a crowded arena – and allows clients to create something completely unique. All carpets and rugs are custom made to order, to exact specifications. No matter the size or scope of a project, there is always a focus on offering a personal customer experience.
‘We pride ourselves on our attention to detail and going the extra mile to ensure the end product is the ultimate in elegance and luxury,’ says Andrew.
Everything is designed by the in-house design team in Loomah’s
London showroom and expertly hand tufted to the most exacting standards by highly skilled craftsmen.
‘Whether a client has a concept in mind or wishes to utilise the expertise of our designers to draw inspiration from their existing interior, our team will work with an individual to develop their design to ensure that it works in harmony with the overall look and feel of a space,’ continues Andrew. He cites a recent commission designing and supplying bespoke carpets for the reception areas and staircase of an exclusive luxury apartment building in Mayfair as an example.
Loomah’s luxurious, bespoke rugs are designed to work harmoniously with the wider design scheme
‘With the scheme for the space designed and fabrics and finishes selected, the carpet was the final element to be considered but also a key component in achieving the desired finish,’ says Andrew. ‘The brief was to create a bespoke design that balanced both the modern and traditional elements of the space and achieved the bright, elegant finish desired by the residents.’ Loomah leant on its provenance for more classical designs and, more specifically, took inspiration from its Pembroke design, an Arts & Crafts-style rug that was on display in its London showroom at the time.
The final rug design was sensitive to the history of the building, featuring an ornate trellis border as a subtle nod to the original carpet, and the inclusion of a delicate floral motif to complement the wall murals. The carpet was curated as a single piece, laid throughout the entire communal area. The central trellis motif then continued up the stair runner, creating a continuous flow through the space.
‘The key to the success of a project of this nature is the planning,’ says Andrew. ‘By investing time in the planning, not only did we ensure the perfect finish but we were able to minimise waste. This means less cost both financially and to the environment.’
Whether it is the simple opulence of a luxury silk carpet in a plain Loomah custom-dyed colour or an intricate 592 Kings Road border design following the contours London SW6 2DX of an elaborate staircase, each project +44 (0)20 7371 9955 is designed to suit the requirements loomah.com of an individual interior. loomahltd
RIVIERE RUGS
Exquisite natural rugs, custom designed and handcrafted in Nepal
Inspired by their extensive travels in Europe and Asia, Camilla and Leo Riviere founded Riviere Rugs in 2005. Since the beginning, the idea behind the company has been to combine fine craftsmanship and creativity, and produce original rugs that will last for generations.
Riviere’s beloved designs and timeless colour palette are based on the couple’s background in art and design, and their thorough understanding and appreciation of classical and modern architecture, as well as paintings and interiors. Focusing on sustainable design, they work closely with their workshop in the Kathmandu valley of Nepal to create custom designed, exquisite handcrafted rugs for both contemporary and traditional schemes.
Proud to be part of a highly skilled artisan tradition in an increasingly mass-produced world dominated by synthetic materials, Riviere’s rugs stand-out as a natural and truly unique alternative (no project is ever the same).
Each rug is produced using age-old techniques passed down through generations: from the dying of the yarns to the highly labour-intensive weaving process, the entire crafting of the rug is carried out by hand. Using only the finest natural materials and raw fibres, such as hand carded Tibetan wool from sheep reared in the nearby Himalayas, alongside pure hand spun silk and biodegradable botanic silk, each rug has a low impact on the environment. Wool is one of
The ‘Nuvola’ rug shown here in a project featuring fabrics and wallcoverings by Mark Alexander, part of The Romo Group. markalexander.com. CLOCKWISE: ‘Jigsaw Chalk’, ‘Seti Hara’, ‘Trevi Hermes’ the most eco-friendly fibres of all, completely renewable, with little impact on the planet throughout its production process. The rugs are hand woven with a minimum of 100 knots per square inch (there is also a wide range of other knot counts), using intricate techniques that create sumptuous textural layers and depth of colour. Each design can be fully customised with a choice of colour, size, shape and materials. In addition, the company provides a colour matching service, with an extensive library of more than 2,000 colour poms at its Lots Road showroom in the heart of London’s Chelsea Design Quarter. Working closely with leading interior design practices worldwide, Riviere also offers a fully bespoke design service and a range of alternative materials that can be used for the rugs. This service gives the industry the scope to create one-off pieces for their clients suiting a wide range of budgets and lead-times. More recently, Riviere was proud to launch renowned interiors brand Zoffany’s inaugural rug collection. The fabric and wallpaper brand is a firm favourite of Camilla and Leo, who have worked with Zoffany on numerous design shoots, so creating a range together seemed like an obvious next step. Given exclusive access to Zoffany’s archives, they selected designs to be carefully translated from fabric or wallpaper into rugs, taking in account composition, scale, and colour. After a fantastic initial response, the Jigsaw design, which has a low loop knot blended silk and wool base in distinctive abstract forms, has proved to be the runaway favourite. Like the rest of the Riviere collections, these are unique pieces of floor art, designed as timeless heirlooms to be treasured for years to come.
Riviere Rugs
46 Lots Road London, SW10 0QF +44 (0)20 3601 4600 riviererugs.com riviererugs
TANIA JOHNSON DESIGN
Nature-inspired photographs translated into custom, hand knotted rugs
Textile designer Tania Johnson specialises in contemporary hand knotted rugs. Using her own photography as inspiration, the designer translates each image into an intricately woven wool and silk piece. Made by hand using the finest natural materials, each rug will last generations. Tania graduated from London’s Royal College of Art with a Masters in woven textiles before working at a weaving mill in Switzerland and then in New York where she was a textile designer for Calvin Klein Home. She designed the fashion brand’s first rug collection, which is where she discovered her passion for creating innovative floor art. Tania went on to launch her debut collection of hand knotted rugs in 2010, returning to the UK a year later.
All rugs in the collection are certified by GoodWeave, the organisation that aims to eliminate child labour and improve working conditions for adults. Tania has been a member of GoodWeave since forming the business and strongly supports the initiative. From the start, she wanted to be sure her rugs were produced ethically and help the communities involved in their making. Being a member of GoodWeave has ensured this happens. She has also always worked closely with the same manufacturer since the beginning. ‘The highly skilled artisans we work with in Nepal are at the core of everything we do,’ she says.
Each design starts with a moment that inspires Tania, for instance the way light creates shadows and reflections, or the microscopic details found in nature. She captures these constantly shifting patterns that form and change around us through her camera lens. Using her textile background, she creates every weaving graph herself and specifies how each pixel should be translated into yarn and colour – something which sets her apart from her competitors. This attention to detail can be felt in each of Tania’s characteristically complex designs.
This year marks the ten-year anniversary of Tania’s best-selling ‘Water’ collection and, to celebrate, the designer will launch a number of new colours and shapes. Each rug in the range is based on images of light and reflections on water (their names, which include ‘Ripples’, ‘Splash’, ‘Rainstorm’ and ‘Whirl’, give an indication of each pattern) and are hand knotted in silk and wool. Alongside this collection, Tania also has a selection of simple, hand-carved, gradated and geometric designs created on a hand loom.
The company offers a completely bespoke service and works with both interior designers and private clients. Every rug can be produced in any colour, size or shape. Clients are always welcome to visit the studio to view full size rugs but Tania and her team are also very happy to take a range of samples and the extensive set of colour poms to someone’s home, to see what works best in the space itself. Tania puts an emphasis on a highly personalised service and loves the process of developing the perfect – and individual – creation for each and every client. Designed with integrity from beginning to end, each Tania Johnson rug conveys a unique connection between inspiration, design, tradition and skill.
Tania Johnson Design
Unit 12, Crane Mews 32 Gould Road Twickenham TW2 6RS +44 (0)7979 193971 taniajohnsondesign.com taniajohnsondesign
ZOFFANY
Luxury wallpaper and fabric underpinned by artistry, heritage and exceptional craftsmanship
Many of Zoffany’s unique designs come from its extensive archive, or from collaborations with exciting emerging artists
Comprising wallcoverings, printed and woven fabrics, embroideries and paint, Zoffany is a classic British interiors brand with an eclectic core. Produced to the highest quality, with inspiration frequently taken from its extensive archive, its products span from quietly confident creations to refined and elegant designs.
‘Artistry and integrity sit at the heart of everything we do’, says Peter Gomez, design lead at Zoffany. ‘Drawing on a rich and illustrious heritage, each of our collections includes beautifully crafted pieces and a wonderful variety of archival documents that have been lovingly reinterpreted for today.’
Zoffany has been a long-standing admirer of the Royal College of Art (RCA) and its roster of emerging talent. In 2020, this relationship was formalised with the introduction of the Zoffany Award for Visual Arts, which supports postgraduates as they approach their final show. Peter continues: ‘It’s such a pleasure to work with RCA students – drawing out the individuality of each artist, enabling them to bring their design ideas to life. Our first collaboration was with graduate Sam Wilde, whose ‘Precarious Pangolins’ design charted the plight of one of the world’s most trafficked animals.’
In 2021, illustrator and RCA alumni Ruth Blanke saw her work translated into an exquisite hand screen-printed wallpaper. Titled ‘Avalonis for Zoffany’, its mythical landscapes sensitively characterised the connection between humans and animals. Ruth’s pure illustrative designs appealed not only for her craftsmanship as a printer but her artistry as a storyteller. ‘Water is central to the mural’s theme,’ explains Ruth. ‘It represents the flow of eternal life, navigating and negotiating, limited only by the challenges we face.’ From the outset, long table printing was selected to best represent what Ruth wanted to achieve with her design. The technique brought ‘Avalonis’ to life with overlapping printing screens and translucent inks creating the wallpaper’s variety of shades from just two colours.
In spring 2022, Zoffany launched ‘Cotswolds Manor’, an upscale range of fabric and wallpaper based on English ideals and the splendour of rural life. Charting the stylistic changes of country houses over time, the ten wallcoverings, eight prints, two embroideries and two weaves represent a world of underplayed glamour, weekend escapes and an altogether more genteel pace of life.
Meanwhile, ‘Luxury Coordinates’ presents a decorator’s toolkit of plush velvets, domino weaves and quartz velvets. Combining performance with integrity, this exciting range of elevated plains complements the entire Zoffany range.
Another highlight is Zoffany’s ‘True Matt’, a water-based emulsion that effortlessly teams intense colour with durability. Joining the company’s paint portfolio alongside ‘Elite Emulsion’ and ‘Acrylic Eggshell’, it is fabulously pigmented, environmentally friendly and suitable for both commercial and residential spaces. From new paint shades to partnerships with upcoming artists, and the reimagining of archival prints, Zoffany is known for its cornucopia of products that endure as masterpieces of British interior design.
Zoffany
Sanderson Design Group London Showroom, 1st Floor South Dome, Design Centre Chelsea Harbour, London SW10 0XE +44 (0)800 894 6185 zoffany.sandersondesigngroup.com zoffanyfw
