I always cherish intricately embroidered fabrics, from tapestries to rugs and embellished felts – I love the way textiles so often tell a story in their exquisite craftsmanship.

We love layering textures to make our designs come alive, especially beautifully hand-embroidered textiles. We use them everywhere, and nowhere more so than The Whitby Suite at The Whitby Hotel in New York.

Embroidery is a wonderful art form we use to make a room feel more unique and handcrafted.

Pippa Caley is an artisan we always love to work with; her work is intricate and yet appears simple with a wonderful raw finish. She sketches directly onto the fabric with her sewing machine, over which she then collages and embroiders to create interesting fabrics in a layering of techniques which make a fabric feel so much more personal.

We sent Pippa the fabric pattern of the Chesterfield sofa in The Whitby Suite, on to which she embroidered these beautifully dainty floral designs.

At the opposite end of the room, another sofa covered in my fabric ‘Bookends’ for Christopher Farr Cloth is layered with hand embroidered cushions.

The indigo colourway is lifted with eye catching flashes of red embroidered details on the cushions. It is these tactile qualities and interesting details which make people never want to leave!

Embroidered textiles always work well as a focus point in a room. In the master bedroom, an exquisitely hand-embroidered headboard by Natasha Hulse adds excitement and drama with its vibrant colours and textures.

It is a magnificent ‘Tree of Life’ design with little beads sewn on to the leaves, appliqué butterflies and three dimensional centres on the flowers. These tiny details bring the room to life and show a true skill in the craft.

Embroidered fabrics are a magical way of adding that personal touch to a scheme. You can almost imagine the artisan’s hands working over the fabric…it’s all in the detail!