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.

A kaleidoscopic of rich patterns and digital designs from Melo Designs

UK-based Melo Designs was set up by Brazilian-born artist Luiz Melo and interiors stylist Chris Kane who have a combined design experience of more than 24 years, producing an array of luxury lifestyle and interiors products for both global and niche businesses.

Silk scarf measuring 135 cm x 24 cm in  original Melo artwork, rich in colour and detail. Made in the UK

Luxurious feather filled, our poly velvet cushions,
  50 cm x 50 cm.
Made to order in the UK.  

While Luis have had work sold in London, France and North America and had been inspired by a child experience to create one-off pieces by painting directly onto glassware and ceramics, the two recognised there was more to be done to expand the scope of their unique talent.  Following many months of research, hardwork and creativity, the duo set up Melodesigns.

Distinctive, detailed with a hint of mystery. 

Melo Designs offer a variety of lifestyle products for the home and to wear. Rich in colour, the product range includes silk scarves, cushions, lamp shades, wallcoverings and mugs. The image of each product begins life as a hand-painted design, then shaped and embellished to create a colourful, kaleidoscopic world of pattern and movement, often resulting in a distinctive kaleidoscopic effect.

Statement hand rolled lampshade  40 cm x 26 cm from Melo Desgns.
Made in the UK using fine cotton and cool metallic inlays. 

The duo also offer bespoke services.   All products are designed and manufactured in the UK.