Timorous Beasties (Scotland)
What's not to love about a textiles and wallpaper company (soon to add lighting, pillows + more!) with a name like Timorous Beasties? The quirky name actually comes from the Robert Burn's poem, "To a Mouse", but there is more to this design house than a funny name. Known for "provocative and surreal" designs, Timorous Beasties of Glasgow was founded in 1990 by Alistair McAuley and Paul Simmons, who met as students at the Glasgow School of Art. They got started by designing wallpapers and textiles for other companies, and like most creative types, desired to manufacture designs on thier own, along with special commissions, and recently opened a shop in Glasgow.
Their approach? Purely experimental in both hand-printing and machine production. Their aesthetic? Constantly evolving from naturalistic images of insects, plants and fish in their entomology collection; to a more contemporary graphic style which, as their Glasgow Toile illustrates, explores social and political issues. I'm not a huge toile fan, but I love their London Toile shown below and would use it in my own home.
Don't miss their chic pillows, lighting, and rugs, too. All coming soon!
(images from timorous beasties)