EYE ON DESIGN

Penny Morrison, founder of The Fabric Collective, shares her passion for artisan textiles

What was the inspiration behind The Fabric Collective?

To have the best showroom for artisan fabrics and wallpapers, showcasing contemporary collections from established brands to emerging talent. My love of fabrics began with collecting small pieces of vintage chintz and weaves from fleamarkets many years ago, and since I started printing my own I have become fascinated with handcrafted designs and techniques. The collections are chosen for their individual creative stories and together are an eclectic yet complementary mix. Delightful florals, naïve etchings, Turkish and Indianinspired motifs, sit alongside abstracts and fine decorative linings. Muted shades are offset by splashes of vibrant colour, while linens and cottons mingle with soft velvets and wool.

What’s your advice for decorating with artisan prints?

Introducing artisan prints is a great way to create the layered look that everyone is striving for today. If trying to create a calm atmosphere, it is best to keep upholstery in plain colours or muted small prints and to add in bolder patterns on cushions, an ottoman or a small chair. Smallpatterned fabrics also look less busy if they are monochrome, like some of Walter G’s mud and hand-blocked prints. Similarly, large-scale fabrics in faded soft colours are less dominating.

What’s new for 2019?

Printed velvets are popular. We’ve just added Parker & Jules to the collective, whose beautiful playful velvets nod to designs from 1950s Scandinavia, but feature fresh, striking colourways. Also, we have just moved into a lovely expanded space on the ground floor of the Chelsea Townhouse at 9 Langton Street. Bottom left: Walter G Kanoko linen, Hanami linens, Kantha linen and Villages indigo cotton, all £185 per m Below: The Fabric Collective showroom