Independent UK design house FabFunky reveals Glorious Plumes collection

Independent wall art and home accessories brand FabFunky, founded by artist Kelly Stevens-McLaughlan, has unveiled a new homeware collection entitled Glorious Plumes.

FabFunky's Glorious Plumes Collection features a fabulously plumed bird set amongst a colourful botanical scene. Look more closely and you will find other fantastical creatures inhabit this realm, hidden away in between the brightly coloured flowers and leaves.

Encompassing cushions and lampshades, the new collection (which is available in six different colours and six different designs) features opulently plumed birds standing proud among a burst of beautifully coloured botanicals. Hidden among the opulent colours and foliage are fantastical creatures when one examines the designs closely.

The collection is all entirely handmade in England, available in six different colours and six different designs, all of which are created by Kelly who admitted there is nothing shy and retiring about the Glorious Plumes collection. 

"It is loud and bold in the best way possible, commanding attention and taking centre stage," she said. “They are perfect for those who wish to give their home a huge injection of colour and character.”

The cushions (which come in two sizes: approx. 46 x 46 cm and 61 x 61 cm) feature designs printed onto both sides of a linen/cotton blend to give a crisp image to showcase every detail of the original artwork.  They are fitted with discreet zip fasteners for easy access and finished with coordinated piping.

As for the lampshades, the original designs are also printed onto a linen/cotton blend fabric that crisply shows off the quirky details of the original artwork.  They come in various sizes for either a lampshade for lamp bases or a pendant shade for ceiling lamps. 

The lampshades come in four sizes, from Small  of approx. 20x18cm to Extra Large of approx. 45x25cm.

Based in rural Devon in the south west of the UK, Kelly Stevens-McLaughlan mainly works digitally, creating images straight onto the computer screen, and enjoy working in a few different styles.

Finding inspiration from around her, Kelly often takes pictures and type ideas onto her phone.  She's also been a collector of old books and illustrations and naturally progressed to combine her passion with her artwork. She adores using forgotten old books and bringing them back to life by putting images onto them, and also enjoys taking old illustrations and repurposing them digitally to create new images.

"I’m a lover of the absurd and whimsical which I think comes across in my artworks, and of course I’m a huge animal lover, so many of my artworks feature animals in absurd situations," said Kelly.

All images from FabFunky.com

British Textile Designer Set to Launch Luxury Silk Cushion Collection this April

British textile designer Millie Bridget Henry is expanding her business into homewares and will launch her first luxury silk cushion collection this spring. 

Pink Bengal Tiger Silk Cushion
by Millie Bridget Henry 

The new SS22 Collection of cushions, launching on April 11th, is titled The Wilderness, inspired by wild and natural environments on Earth that have not been significantly altered by human activity and the wild animals that roam within these surroundings, said Millie, whose designs are rich and intricate. 

Enchanted Forest Stag Silk Cushion
by Millie Bridget Henry 

The UK-made cushions measuring 45cm x 45cm are in 100% Silk, and feature navy cotton velvet backing & piping, while they also come with sustainably-sourced feather-filled inner cushion pads. 

Leopard Silk Cushion by Millie Bridget Henry

According to Millie, the design process begins in her studio in Buckinghamshire, whereshe  takes inspiration from her photographic archive, mood-boards and research that have inspired the collections. She will then bring all of her drawings together creating a linear design, which is then coloured digitally. The designs are then printed onto the finest luxury fabric and finished to the highest standard.

Millie graduated from the Winchester School of Art in 2010, specialising in Textile Print Design. After graduating, Millie interned at various fashion houses before deciding to travel in 2012. Upon her return she moved to London and started work at Huntsman-bespoke tailors - on Savile Row and found her love for Men’s accessories. In 2016 she started work at Buckingham Palace with a team of conservators providing a conservation service to the Royal Collection. 

An internship at Zandra Rhodes in 2017 put Millie firmly on the path to setting up her own design studio. The brand was launched in 2018 with a collection of men’s luxury pocket squares. Since then, Millie has launched a range of men’s accessories which are stocked in many west end ateliers such as Budd, Benson & Clegg, Mason & Sons, Caroline Andrews and Montague Ede.   

Blackbuck Navy Silk Cushion
by Millie Bridget Henry

Speaking about her journey to launching her new collections in homeware, the young designer says, “The last two years have been incredibly difficult for everyone but as a small business in the early years since inception it was extremely disheartening. There have been days I wanted to give up, but I kept pushing and wanted to spend the extra time during lockdown to find ways to expand the business and take it to the next level. I’m really excited to be expanding into homeware and working on a variety of products for the future.”

All imagess courtesy of Millie Bridget Henry.

London brand Lemon Made collaborates with Oxford Ashmolean Museum for new home range

 London-based homewares and lifestyle brand Lemon Made has collaborated with Ashmolean, the world's oldest public museum, to create a range of customised designs and products which are currently showcasing online and in store. All designs have been inspired by the Museum's permanent collections.

Ashmolean is the University of Oxford’s museum of art and archaeology, founded in 1683. 

The Ashmolean range includes an array of different sized cushions in velvet, cotton and polyester. Other accessories include wash bags, tote bags, tea towels, footstools and deckchairs.

This Lemon Made Ashmolean Antique Rose bucolic floral cotton cushion above with polyester filling measures 45 x 45 cm, and is printed and made in the UK. 

This rectangular Ashmolean Fallen Tulip Outdoor Cushion is made from polyester in a water repellent fabric, features an original design was created by Adeline Meurou for Lemon Made and the cushion is printed and stitched in London. It can be paired with matching deckchair or used outdoors as a scatter cushion on garden furniture.  This design is also available in velvet in 30 x 30 cm.

Lemon Made was founded in 2016 as the sister brand to their manufacturing facility Lemon Head Prints.  The London-based homewares and lifestyle brand works with talented designers around the world and showcases their creativity through their platform backed by a sustainable production process.

The Dashing Farmhouse brings the essence of artisanal Mallorca to our interiors

For those of us still feel unsure about travelling overseas during these times, why not bring our favourite destinations to our homes and create staycation experience enriched with Mediterranean flair.

So you may welcome the news that The Dashing Farmhouse has launched their new Casa Deia Collection, an artisanal homeware collection from Mallorca handcrafted by “the most wonderful artisans” on the island and is now available in the UK.

Cushions above suitable for indoors or out are hand-made from natural fibres - 70% cotton and 30% linen – in authentic Ikat made by artisans in Mallorca, one of the very few families in the island (and the world) who still specialise in these highly sought-after traditional Mallorcan fabrics since they started the business in 1854. The famous Ikat design is the result of a beautiful and elaborate process which takes 2 to 3 months to create each batch of fabric.
Available from The Dashing Farmhouse.

Given the fact that one half of The Dashing Farmhouse was born and raised in Mallorca, having an Artisanal Homeware Collection from the island was a must. Mallorca is home to some of the most wonderful artisanal products created by fabulous family businesses that have been using traditional crafting methods passed down the generations. 

This lovely Turquoise Ikat Salad Serving Bowl has been hand-painted
with the traditional Mallorcan Ikat design. It brings a gorgeous touch of Mediterranean artisanal flair to the table. 

Mallorca´s understated glamour and rustic Mediterranean landscape have always had a fascinating appeal. 

A beautiful Spanish setting showcasing the delightful cushion covers in Ikat which are hand-made from natural fibres - 70% cotton and 30% linen – by artisans of Mallorca who have been maintaining their craft for generations. 
Available at The Dashing Farmhouse.

The Dashing Farmhouse work directly with families who have been using the same traditional ways of working since the 1800s and who are extremely proud of the labour of love involved in the creation of beautiful products that represent the unique heritage from the island.  The new generations have embraced the traditions, knowledge and craftsmanship of their crafts passed to them with immense respect and with a vision that blends tradition with contemporary design and colours, the results are simply exquisite, according to founders Nathan & Patricia.

“Our textile artisans create the traditional Mallorcan Ikat fabrics, a process that requires 2 to 3 months to create a single batch! The quality of the fabrics is second to none with a wonderful mix of linen and cotton. The fabric is then used to create cushions, tablemats, lamp shades and chair covers amongst many other items.”

This lovely Red Ikat Small Bowl, part of a set of four, has been hand painted with the traditional Mallorcan Ikat design. Perfect for serving sauces, olives, almonds, strawberries and other small apéritifs. 
Available from The Dashing Farmhouse.

Moreover, the ceramic and textile artisans offer Bespoke Services, meaning that clients are able to create their own designs and devise beautiful spaces that are completely their own. The design opportunities are endless.

Enlight your home interiors with inspiring designer cushions.

While the pandemic and the much-dreaded lockdown are still with us, our senses and emotions may have been challenged and are in need of a reawakening.  We have become more aware of our immediate environment, in our home setting.  As the night is drawing in earlier during the colder months, we can look at ways to address our relationship with our interiors, by looking at ways to brighten up or create spaces to make them more user friendly, more cosy and comfortable. Or simply to be more stimulating.

One small step at a time, we can inject new patterns and colours into our homes.  

A number of British designers have launched new cushions to help us on our way of transforming a home space to become more personal and intimate, enriching and inspiring.

Among new collections just launched is celebrated British textile designer, Clarissa Hulse’ new cushions for autumn/ winter 2020 – Salvia, Hot House, Sea Holly and Water Reeds.

The Salvia, available in four colourways of pink, teal, dark blue and grey, features a metallic floral print.  Sumptuously made in velvet cushion, the design was inspired by pressed leaves Clarissa collected in the Peloponnese mountains – an area of Greece where Clarissa’s mother comes from. The full set looks wonderfully vibrant together, or perfect for adding a singular pop of colour to compliment a room.

The Hot House cushion is a riot of colour featuring pink, mustard, teal and paprika, and a celebration of botanicals. This design is based on Clarissa's famous backing cloth, which covers her London studio print table and gradually evolves with serendipitous layers of ferns, dill and vines overlapping to create a kaleidoscopic effect – once Clarissa feels it is complete, the fabric backing cloth is carefully cut, mounted and sold as unique artwork pieces, which are hugely popular. 

Meanwhile, the Sea Holly was inspired by Clarissa’s family travels to Greece, featuring an ombre blue sky, embroidered with a gold sea holly motif for added luxury. 

On the other hand, the Water Reeds cushion which comes in mustard and teal colourways with a metallic overprint, was inspired by photographs Clarissa took in Suffolk marshlands, where layers of gold would glint in the low winter sun and shine above the water. 

Separately, illustrator and interior designer Catherine Rowe has a selection of luxurious handmade velvet cushions featuring exotic animals in striking colour ranges showcasing her love of wildlife and nature.

All cushions are printed and handmade to order in the London, UK. As well as being anti-allergy and dust mite resistant, they are filled in eco-freindly wool.  

Catherine Rowe is a British designer whose work encompasses wallpaper, lampshades and other home products. Inspired largely by her love of nature and wildlife, Catherine’s illustrations marry tradition with contemporary style.

Her medium is highly unusual - all of her drawings are created by hand using the technique of scraperboard. Colour is then added separately and digitally, enhancing Catherine’s analogue drawings.

All of Catherine's fabrics are made with a small production company in Faveersham, Kent, UK, who share Catherine's eco-friendly and sustainability values, and are currently available on charltonisland.com.

Catherine Rowe won the Liberty Open Call for a new iconic Liberty fabric in 2018. Her winning design ‘Palace Gardens’ was launched in 2019 and her career has flourished ever since.  Trained as an illustrator at Cambridge School of Art, Catherine works with an impressive list of clients including Anthropologie, Museums & Galleries, Cocoon Home, Paperchase, The National Trust, Lagom Design, and Liberty Fabrics.

Another exciting interior design label is Charlotte Jade founded by illustrator Charlotte O’Reilly in 2015, who has made a name for herself for taking a fresh and edgy look at nature with her eye-catching hand drawn designs that celebrate the fascinating plants and animals living on our planet. 

Just recently relaunched her website along with an announcement of a new collection of luxurious velvet cushions in collaboration with the famous Harrods department store in London, Charlotte Jade’s designs have grown internationally in both commercial and residential projects, working with interior clients such as Kelly Hoppen, Richmond International, Muza Lab, Scott Brownrigg and the Rockwell Group on hotel and commercial developments such as LUX*, Belmond, Hyatt and Assembly Hotel. Charlotte Jade also works with a number of restaurant and bar chains across the UK, with a variety of luxury fabrics and wallpapers being used within interior schemes for Slug & Lettuce, Mitchells & Butlers 'Premium Luxury Pubs' collection and Daisy Green Food Company.

The ethos behind the company is simple: to reconnect us with the natural world. Based on the concept of Biophilic Design, the Charlotte Jade collections focus on the benefits of bringing elements of nature back into our lives, to reduce stress, aid mental wellbeing and improve productivity. 

Every Charlotte Jade pattern is hand drawn and crafted by Charlotte herself. The design process starts with a pencil drawing, which captures the intricate details and beauty of the subject. From the distinctive black and white ringed tail of a Lemur to the dramatically bold leaves and botanical designs, every detail is captured to tell a unique story. These drawings are then brought to life with modern, digital colouring and printing techniques, which add vibrancy and bring a distinct style to the Charlotte Jade collection.

In addition to cushions, the Charlotte Jade design collections are available on a wide range of home products such as wallpaper, wall murals, textiles, upholstery fabrics, furniture, ceramic tiles, stationery, home accessories and now even yoga mats and face masks. All interior products are printed and made in the UK.

Floor cushions inspired by Moroccan terracotta tiles

Silk twill and velvet zellige print Moroccan floor cushion

BIVAIN, founded by Megha Lohia and Rachel Fong, are celebrating the rich culture of Morocco by capturing the distinctive patterns of Moroccan terracotta tiles on silk Zellige Indigo tasselled cushions featuring coloured circle overlays on the zellige design.

The design was inspired by Moroccan Zellige floor tiles.   The cushions comes in three colourways. 

With dimensions of 25” x 25” (63 cm x 63 cm) the cushions can be used as floor cushions or oversized cushion

Irregular shade variations and geometric flaws in the tiles give character to the pattern.

Founded in 2016, BIVAIN is a contemporary interior and accessories brand offering objects of desire with an edge, according to the Central Saint Martins-trained designers Megha Lohia and Rachel Fong, who worked for brands including Agent Provocateur and Zac Posen prior to launching the London-based brand BIVAIN  derived from the words ‘to be vain’

Specialising in cushions and pocket squares, the collections are exclusively produced by highly-skilled craftsmen using the finest materials, said the designers who "draw inspiration from the sensory experiences of international wanderlust."

Mary-Ann Watt features her unique paintings on desirable homeware and gifts

British artist Mary-Ann Watt has launched an online shop selling a selection of homeware and gifts featuring her unique paintings of realistic flowers.  By concentrating on presenting close-ups of a single flower or a bud about to blossom or a flowering branch, her paintings are intimate yet bold, giving her range of products a contemporary style.

Explained Mary-Ann, "Long before I started my business I was always looking for homewares that would complement the soft greys and greens of my home but I could never find anything.  And I knew from speaking to friends that I was not alone.  So using my paintings as a starting point I decided to create my own range which would be stylish, very high quality, but above all, really beautiful - things tht people would want to have in their homes.  I am incredibly proud of the results."


Having studied art
at school,  Mary-Ann focused on building a home and a family in her 20s and 30s and it was only until in her late 30s that Mary-Ann started dabbling again, painting large, contemporary bold an colourful pictures she could hang at home.

Fine bone china mugs, hand decorated and fired in Stoke on Trent, feature images of beautiful pom pom flowers

by Mary-Ann Watt. 

Cotton cushion individually hand-painted with pink blossoms by Mary-Ann Watt.

It was an obvious leap she made from her paintings to a range of homeware including placemats and aprons, cushion covers, trays, fine bone china mugs and jugs as well as greeting cards and postcards. If you like her art, framed prints and original paintings are also sold in her website.

Mary-Ann has now enlisted her marketing consultant husband to look after the sales and marketing side of the business so she can concentrate on the creative aspects.  Now business is flourishing and she has plans to extend her range of products.  She said the majority of her suppliers are small UK businesses as the personal relationships an the high quality of their work are both key to maintaining the signature look and feel of the artist.

SUPER TEXTURE – the new story from TOM DIXON, launching in Paris Maison et Objet fair

Continuing the exploration into the construction of cloth, British interior products and lighting brand  – TOM DIXON – is launching a range of new cushions under the banner of SUPER TEXTURE showcasing tactile materials, fabrics and techniques that dive deep into the weave, the knits and the knots.

Participating  for the first time in the prestigious Maison& Objet home and interiors trade fair in Paris (19–23 January 2018), TOM DIXON’s new cushions take you on adventures that begin in print, in embroidery and in the hand tufting and looping of wool with young emerging talent.  The new ranges are called ABSTRACT, PAINT and GEO.  

ABSTRACT is the name given to a pair of cushions made using techniques from the rug and carpet industries. Thick, woolly, harder wearing and generally more substantial than most cushions, these are hand tufted in Varanasi, Northern India by extraordinarily skilled craftsmen.

Urban perspective sketches and Hippy Wall hangings of the seventies were the initial inspiration for the variety of textures and blocks of saturated colours that come through in ABSTRACT.

Details of a cityscape watercolour from textile artist Josephine Ortega were blown up in scale and separated on graph paper to create a grid a technique familiar in tapestry pattern, but supersized for this project.

The loops, tufts and the variety of pile heights accentuate the hand-crafted nature of these cushions impossible to create by machine. Made from 100% New Zealand wool, backed with natural linen and generously filled with Danish duck feathers outstanding materiality and a human touch.

PAINT is a set of cushions with a subtle painterly print of abstracted urban landscapes rendered onto super soft canvas.

Tom Dixon commissioned young upcoming British talent Josephine Ortega to create a set of abstracted architectural watercolours based on scenes of British urbanism.

Pigment of pinks and indigo were then ink jet-printed onto a textured canvas of off-white linen to form stackable landscapes. Woven from natural linen mixed with lightweight viscose for a soft and natural feel, PAINT is digitally printed, sewn, stuffed and finished in Britain.

GEO cushions are embroidered by hand and machine on a base of natural linen and cotton mix, then filled with Danish duck feathers; lightweight collection with superior comfort. 

Embroidered graphic illustrations inspired by the natural geologies of rock formations and layered sediment, GEO is restrained yet expressive pattern making across two cushions and a double-sided throw. Celebrating the decorative qualities of natural phenomenon in bold embroidered strokes,

GEO is the no-fuss monochromatic that packs a graphic punch, say Tom Dixon.

TOM DIXON add colour and extra texture to the existing SOFT and BOUCLE ranges.  These are also showcased at the Paris Maison et Objet show.

Two new colours Wine and Khaki join the SOFT range this season. This series of cushions and pouches fashioned from Dutch woven fabric is composed of South-African Angora goat hair historically said to be as valuable as gold itself.

Combined with European craftsmanship and a generous filling of Danish duck feathers this range offers superior pile height, durability, and the ultimate indulgence in comfort and texture.

Khaki and Electric Blue are the latest to the BOUCLE colour palette. The blue is more electric, intense and vibrant. The military inspired khaki has the odd characteristic of acting either as a neutral or a highlight. Uncompromising in quality, it is composed of hand-spun and hand-woven yarn, in the exotic remote mountainous region of Rajasthan with wool sourced from New Zealand.

Super-Texture - lush textile products from Tom Dixon

Tom Dixon's first foray into weaving, sewing and embellishment results in its new Super-Texture collection of textile products covering a range of lush textures, from velvets to boucles and knits.

In fact there are six textures to boost: Soft, Deco, Boucle, Fleck, Check, Line - together turned into a playground of tactility designed to be stacked and combined, forming a big canvas for colour.

Tom Dixon's design team scoured the globe to source quality materials.

The colours provide a subtle and soft background to this season’s metallic lighting, marble and glass accessories.

The London-made Line cushions and throw for example feature graphic lines, block colours and alternating patterns inspired by Op Art, and achieved by machine knitting and technical programming.

Each cushion - filled with high-quality duck feather from Denmark - comes with a branded copper-plated pull zipper with a blue zipper tape.

From the Soft collection comes plush mohair velvet in steel-grey, brass-ochre, copper-pink, and Yves Klein-blue. This series of cushions and pouches fashioned from Dutch woven fabric is composed of South-African Angora goat hair historically said to be as valuable as gold itself. Combined with European craftsmanship and a generous filling of Danish duck feathers this range offers superior pile height and the ultimate indulgence in comfort and texture. The pouches come complete with the simple glint of a copper hoop and their signature zip.

Nature- the mother of all inspiration.

Close-up of garden-themed embroidery on a dress from Bambah.

The Nature theme as inspiration for fashion, home and lifestyle products has been popular for some time now, so it comes as welcome news when leading colour authority Pantone announced in early December that Greenery is the Colour of the Year 2017.  It is a natural (mind the pun) development since the botanical theme came onto the scene last year and will continue to play a key role in 2017.

Vibrant colours for floral jacquards and brocades for AW17 as presented at Premiere Vision, Paris, September 2016.

Photo © Lucia Carpio

Enchanting garden-themed fabrics for SS17 as seen at Premiere Vision, Paris, February 2016.
Photo © Lucia Carpio

All things floral and botanical were shown in a myriad of fabric bases at the prestigious Premiere Vision textile trade fairs in Paris in February and September this year.

Eden silk scarf by designers Shan Jiang and Ying Wu at Pig Chicken Cow of London. 

Dream girl silk scarf from Cleo Ferin Mercury for SS16.

And throughout the year, botanical prints have been a driving force in interior design.

Terrarium-printed floor cushion from Hothouse.

And then, the notion of incorporating the outdoors and plant life into interior design has become a key driver.

Tom Dixon's Tank vases also available at Heal's.
Photo © Lucia Carpio

Lantern Terrariums from Oliver Bonas.