5 Fabrics on Our Moodboards

Here at our Design Studio we are surrounded by an abundance of fabrics. In fact, our studio is overflowing with textiles, but we wouldn’t have it any other way! With 2023 already in full swing, we have so many exciting projects underway and we cannot wait to share them with you as the year progresses. At the moment, we’re in planning mode, dreaming up wonderful schemes filled with bold colours, lively patterns and beautiful textures. With this in mind, we thought we’d share five fabrics that you’ll find on our moodboards this year.

1. Ellen Merchant, Nomad – Jamboree

Ellen Merchant is a decorative artist, designer and printmaker based in London. Drawing on a love of antique textiles and botanical florals, Ellen creates hand-drawn, uplifting prints with a decorative aesthetic that pays homage to the British Arts & Crafts movement. We came across this new fabric design at Decorex late last year and were instantly inspired by it. We loved the hand drawn effect and the playful references to traditional Suzani embroidery. The mustard yellow, sky blue and poppy red all complement each other in a joyful way. We recently used this fabric for a headboard in one of our suites at The Soho Hotel. See below for a sneak peek!

2. Nobilis, Oia

This new fabric design by Nobilis is a lovely woven, heavy weight weave which we cannot wait to use for upholstery. With its stripes and dots, the design is simple but also bold, contemporary and incredibly effective. The base of the fabric is a natural linen, which makes for a beautiful backdrop and ensures that the design has a wonderful texture too.

4. Seema Krish, Tanjoure

We recently spotted this gorgeous small scale design by Seema Krish, called Tanjore. Featuring basket weave embroidery, the fabric was inspired by the intricate borders of saris from Tanjore, a city in southern India noted for its royal patronage of textile crafts. We particularly love its linear design and the rhythmic patterns created by the combination of block print and embroidery.

3. GP & J Baker, Fiesta Multi

Fiesta Multi from GP & J Baker is not a new fabric design, but it is one of our all-time favourites and can be used for curtains, upholstery or even a wall. In fact the whole collection with its folkloric designs and vibrant colours, is a wonderful escape into the spirit of the fiesta. Featuring a striking geometric design and embroidered needle work, Fiesta Multi brings together so many of the things that spark our imagination: colour, pattern and craftsmanship.

5. Pierre Frey, Paradiso

What we love about Pierre Frey is their ability to take risks and produce exciting designs that are out of the ordinary. We recently worked on a room scheme using this fabric design called Paradiso. It’s a superb graphic embroidery that takes its cue from the constructivist movement. Geometric shapes intermingle and complement each other to offer a playful and joyful interpretation of the universe.

Our Top Tips for Sourcing Fabrics at Chelsea Harbour

One of the places that never fails to inspire us when it comes to fabrics is the Design Centre at Chelsea Harbour. With so many options available it can be overwhelming if you don’t have a plan. Here are four of our top tips for a successful sourcing trip:

1. Make a list of the showrooms that you want to visit, then take it one floor at a time.

2. We’d recommend arriving at 9am and leaving by 1pm – any longer and you’ll run out of energy.

3. Take a coffee break. Our favourite café is the Dome Cafe located on the ground floor and serves great coffee and snacks!

4. Once you have a list of the fabric samples you want in each showroom, say that you’ll come back to collect them. This saves you waiting for the samples to be gathered.

The best part is getting back to the studio and sorting through all your new treasures!

We hope you’ve enjoyed this sneak peek of the year ahead. Why not let us know what fabrics you’re hoping to use this year over at @KitKempDesignThread.