?toile home
I found the yummy ?toile home via Indie Quarter, a great blog out of th UK that features primarily independent art and design. They blogged about ?toile home recently, a small company that has been around for a few years now based in the UK and oh my -- they have some very pretty things. Bold graphics, modern florals, and happy colorways. I love the black and white nina patchwork quilt, the beautiful oscar cushions (so cute to top a stool), and the nina pillow in yellow and pink.
My fave four are shown above. :) When I see these prints, I think of a swank Polynesian beach house or some cute patio on the beach in any part of the world, really. Also nice if you live far from the coast but you want to bring a little of the tropics to your world. It's funny seeing these patterns living in the rooms below just as well, with wood paneled walls, cowhide chairs, and antlers. A very unexpected pairing I think. I love how well things work when not weighed down under complex design rules. How it ought to look isn't always as fun or beautiful anyway. I'm so over staged perfection.Design in a box. It appealed to me on some level when I first embarked on my newfound career path of interior design back in '05, but by the end of one of my first classes, I was over it as quickly as I fell into it. It felt so boring, so confining. And as I watch decorating shows on television (less and less, I only watch House Hunters and Design Star now and then), and flip through books with these overly staged designs I feel a bit queasy. Not because it's bad, but because I can't handle this pursuit of perfection in decorating that some of my peers have. It's okay that they do it and I appreciate their approach very much, but I don't think it's fun or interesting to live in a designer showroom. It's not even fun or interesting to shop at most of these showrooms. I'm a bit of a rebel. When I look at these product shots below I feel at home. This is laid back. It allows for change. People can live here. There's a little 'managed' clutter around. I see balance and harmony. Old and new. Flawed and near perfect living together. This is how I see good design. It is human.
Okay enough about me... ?toile home currently accepts Paypal, making it a relatively painless transaction should you decide to shop them, and the prices are reasonable considering this is handmade fabric from a small company. You can't expect prices to be much lower or else it would hardly be worth producing these things in the first place. They also offer fabric by the meter in case you're feeling up to a little DIY action. :)
Thanks Indie Quarter for the great find!
(images from ?toile home)