Kirsty Anne Powell is the creative genius behind textile designs from Oromono. In the eight years since she graduated (with a first class honors degree in textile design) from Loughborough University in England her career has taken off like a rocket. More about Kirsty in a minute. But first, she’s kind enough to offer Design Hole readers a 20% discount. Details at the end of the post.

Kirsty began her career as a freelance textile designer and stylist in London. After styling within the industry for a year, she moved to Amsterdam. Living in such a creative city surrounded by such inspirational design, Kirsty decided start her own label and set up her own textile design company. Now that takes real guts in a city so devoted to design.

Paper & Ruffles Collections

Kirsty designs three-dimensionally with textiles to create sculptural forms. By manipulating fabrics with various techniques Kirsty created a range of individual collections that add their own unique style. Each textile design concept was then developed into home and fashion accessories.

Texture Collection (my favorite)

The Oromono label was launched in 2004 at the Maison en Objet Fair in Paris, where it immediately sprung into the limelight by winning the award for the best newcomer in Textiles.

Blooming & Stitch Collections

Can Kirsty make a wrong move?
No! Especially because she’s offering all Design Hole readers a special 20% discount on all orders.

Just enter the word HAPPY when you place you order online. You can also order via phone by calling 917-338-7568

Personally, I love the Texture collection and the slippers. What’s your favorite?

Interior designer, Tamara Magel, has parlayed her creative energy into the creation of her own line of home fashions. Her Gothic Line, which opens her first year, might not be for everyone, but I like the fact that this line has a clear creative statement.

The line includes upholstery leather, mohair and cashmere pieces with fashion-inspired icons and a variety of embellishments such as embroidery and metalwork. Motifs include skulls, wings, flowers and crosses, presented with a soft design style and a light color palette. They’re featured on carpets, leather benches and headboards, cashmere throws, robes, boots, handbags, and other home and fashion accessories.

With a belief that interior design, like fashion, can change with the seasons, Ms. Magel utilizes neutral furniture pieces and alters home accessories throughout the year. Having already created a number of custom furniture lines, the natural next step was to delve into home and fashion accessories. Inspired by runway couture, her vision was to bring fashion into furniture and vice versa - something I’d like to do someday.

Here’s an awesome find, which I read about over at Decor8. North Carolina company, Spoonflower has launched a site where you can upload a pattern or image of your choice and they will print it onto 100% cotton fabric and have it delivered within a week from ordering.

They’re currently Beta testing their operation. You’ll need to fill out a form to join their list. During beta, you can only order up to 5 yards. You can also request an 8×8″ sample swatch for $5 or a 21″x 18″ fat quarter for $11 before you commit. The fabric is $18 per yard - a fantastic price. Almost unbelievable.

As a designer, this sort of thing could really come in handy. I hope they’ll increase the yardage size in the future (which looks likely). Five yards isn’t enough to make much more than accessories.

You can follow their progress on their blog.

What is your opinion of this sort of service? Are you up for putting your creativity to the test?

Textile designer, Madeline Weinrib, has a new collection of carpets and textiles called Amagansett. I thought I’d stop by and see what else is new.

Her furniture pieces are one-of-a-kind. You can find them at her shop in ABC Carpet & Home.

Madeline began her career as a carpet designer. She’s expanded into textiles, and creates pillows, home accessories and furniture using her fabrics. Fashions are next. I hope wallpapers will follow.

To find shops in your area that carry her line, go here.

I’m currently working on a project using fabrics from Groves Brothers, which I thought I’d share with you. These hand-screened fabrics have a wonderful depth to them and are reversible.

They can be custom-made in any color and are available to the trade. You can view their line here.

Because the fabrics are reversible, it makes them a great choice for use in a bedroom. Create a duvet with one side of the fabric and window treatments with the other. When you fold part of the duvet over, the combination is fantastic.

The collection is based on the ages-old methods of Venetian printing. Most of the patterns are faithful reproductions of documented patterns from the Renaissance period. The range is comprised of 33 patterns, each available in 175 standard colors.

If you’re interested in a sample and prices shoot me an email.

I’m seeing more and more Indian influences in the wild world of design. It’s a personal favorite of mine - especially when it comes to textiles. The colors are perfect for summer. Here’s a Friday afternoon tour.

This chest, from Wisteria, is inlaid with hand cut bone and retails for $2999.

These accessories are from my new favorite discoveries, Novica and Kaaya. The hand painted box, by artist Shivji Ram Mali, is $115. The hand crafted Mehendi candle comes in a variety of styles and is $98.

Saris make fantastic curtains and pillows. This hand embroidered sari is available on eBay shop Indian Delight for $24.99. The pink pillow cover comes in a set of three - all hand embroidered, for $32.99. The other two (also hand embroidered) are from Kaaya and retail for $62 (blue) and $72 (yellow).

Novica is associated with National Geographic. They sell products from six different world regions.

Designer Gerard Onley creates custom-made pillows in cotton and linen for his company, Onley Make Believe. He shared his work with me and I’m sharing with you. His work is made to order.

Newspaper inspired pillows start at $159.

Graphic designs are priced at $169 for the cotton version.

The standard pillow size is 20″ x 20″.  For a custom size, you can contact Onley Make Believe from their site here.

Gerard divides his time between San Franscico and Amsterdam. I asked him why and he said, “I still love San Francisco, which (by comparison) is indeed one of the most European-influenced cities in the U.S. Overall both cities are so full of inspiration for design, art, music, that it really is worth living in both places just to experience what both has to offer. I also find that both cities are indeed the eyes and ears of what is happening in the world of design.”

A few years ago, Dutch designer, Renske Papavoine presented her Potten Project to Nani Marquina and the Catalan designer loved it and decided to add her creation to Marquina’s textile line.

These fabric containers are beautiful - a visual surprise. At first glance, they look like ceramic pots. But are, in fact, a conglomerate of pliable, multicolored fabrics. A soft, ivory latex-covered leather on the outside, and a rainbow of color on the top. Potten containers aren’t waterproof, but with a liner, they’ll serve as a planter, a vase, or a container for just about everything. I loved these.

But there’s more to the story. (more…)

I found a cute fabric company, Nuno, which makes kid’s fabrics and trims. The company hails from Japan, but ships all over the world.

Their fabrics are cotton and linen. They’re sold by the square (50cm x 55cm) or (19.5″ x 21.5″). Some are also available in traditional widths and are sold by the meter. Their designs are quite unique, with a Japanese twist that has become very popular.

These would be perfect for quilters and other home-dec projects. They also don’t have to be limited to children’s things. Tea towels, placemats, and other things with a funky twist to them would be great. Nuno’s prices are good, too. The Little Matryoshka print sells for about $5.00 per square.

The Well Appointed House is a New York based company founded in 2001 by Melissa Hawks. She wanted to bring unique decorative accessories readily available to the design trade to a broader audience and hence, her company was born.

These pillows are a nice way to bring Spring and Summer into the house. They’re handmade needlepoint and embroidered. Melissa’s selection runs the gamut from the super-traditional to the more contemporary.

I like the selection I’ve created. They’re bright and cheerful and not the usual thing you find - especially in the needlepoint department.

I used to needlepoint and embroider things. But I found it hard to find patterns that were lively. I also ran out of nieces and nephews who needed Christmas stockings. Now I’m just too busy.

The prices for these pillows shown here run from $58 to $145. - a nice price point.

In case you didn’t know, purple and brown is the new blue and brown. Be sure to write that down. You can use it at cocktail parties to impress your friends. Leaving the brown out of things for now, let’s take a look at the new blue of the duo - purple.

Is it everywhere yet? Not quite. It still looks really fresh. And, despite my humor, I really do like it. Various shades of purple look great with brown, pastel yellow, soft pinks, and gray. A little tip: when selecting color combinations, cool tones go with cool and warm with warm.

You can add purple to your life with accessories, wallpaper and paint (the least expensive option). If you’re ready to completely embrace a trend, accent furniture is a good choice. Just be aware that trends come and go. So don’t invest in a trend unless you can either afford to replace it, or you love it so much wild horses couldn’t drag you off your violent violet sofa.

Resources seen here: Unikko from Alwaysmod; Taqsaq lamp from Bleu Nature; Birds on a Wire plate from Snowden Flood; Basket from Rice; Milan Buffet from Shine Home; Damask fabric from Manuel Canovas. Wallpaper from Walnut.

I was at Sunset Beach, North Carolina this past weekend putting the finishing touches on some improvements to our beach house rental, Chum Bucket. In between some fresh coast of paint, I took some time to visit Victoria’s Ragpatch, my favorite local home store, in nearby Calabash.
The shop is really two shops in one. The first floor is devoted to women’s and children’s clothing, while the second is all about home decor. The upstairs section is merchandised according to color - so inviting.

The shop has a decided beachy twist, which only makes sense seeing as it’s so close to the Brunswick Islands (Sunset Beach is one of these) and Myrtle Beach. Often I find things devoted to themes to be a turn-off. However, Victoria has a wonderfully tasteful eye.

She sells a nice collection of inspiring decoration books. Anyway, as I said, I really like the way the tabletop items are displayed as if they were set for a party. It makes it easy to imagine the dinnerware, centerpieces and linens in your own home.

I only wish Victoria’s Ragpatch would create a website. Even if it’s only to give hours and directions. (Hint, hint). In the meantime, here’s useful link to local shopping. If you happen to be near the Brunswick Islands, you can find Victoria’s Ragpatch in Ragpatch Row, 10164 Beach Drive.