5 MINUTES WITH…
designer Abigail Edwards
Founded in 2011, Abigail Edwards’ eponymous brand includes sustainably made wallpapers, fabrics and accessories, with patterns drawn from weather, wildlife and fairy tales. Her gorgeous ‘Oak Tree in Darkness’ wallpaper print won Gold at the 2017 House Beautiful Awards. Here, Abigail reveals how she transforms stories into sophisticated designs and discusses her commitment to British manufacturing.
HOW DID ABIGAIL EDWARDS BEGIN?
Back in 2009, I was working as an interiors stylist on magazines and sketching in my spare time. I thought my illustration of an owl would work well as a patterned wallpaper. Two years later, I had the paper manufactured and it proved popular. After that, I continued to work on new designs between interiors shoots, until a few years ago, when I made the decision to focus full-time on growing my own business.
YOUR DESIGNS ARE AT ONCE DELICATE AND DRAMATIC. WHERE DO YOUR IDEAS COME FROM?
I grew up in rural Gloucestershire, surrounded by woodland, and holidayed each year in Cornwall, where the sea was wild and wonderful. I’ve always been fascinated by fairy tales, particularly the darker aspects and use them in my designs. To stop them looking twee, I try to keep the images quite raw.
TELL US ABOUT WHERE YOU WORK
My studio’s in the attic of my North London flat. I live on a busy road, but my work space is almost silent. I love the freedom of working from home and the fact my dog can hang out with me. I keep one half of the room for admin, and the rest is taken up by my drawing desk.
HOW DO YOU MAKE YOUR PRODUCTS SUSTAINABLE?
Almost all are made in this country by British manufacturers. It’s better for the environment because the materials aren’t travelling as far. My wallpapers are made by a family-run business who hand mix the non-toxic inks themselves and use FSC-certified paper.
YOUR FIRST BOOK IS OUT ON 3 MAY. WHAT INSPIRED IT?
There are now so many bold prints around, which can be daunting to work with, so I wanted to show how gentle pattern can be. Some of my own are large-scale, but share a calming, muted colour palette.
Quiet Pattern (£20, Clearview Books)
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