Monday, August 22, 2011

Queen Anne's Bouquet

I've got more pictures of my new fabrics/ curtains!  (I'm sorry if you're sick of them by now, but I am so insanely excited that I can't stop.)  In my bedroom at the cottage (my dad's) I decided to hang my newest design Queen Anne's Bouquet on either side of the doors to the balcony: 


I had them lined in blackout lining although I typically prefer unlined linen or a light lining for an airy feel, but the sun streams straight through the doors in the morning & we wake up around 5:30 or so every morning because of it, so function over form won out here. 

Here's a close-up of the fabric, which is a "bouquet" I drew of one of my favorite wildflowers:


The room is very much unfinished.  Although I do have a pretty white quilt I and a pair of lamps I love.  I had the ceiling paneled in pine and I haven't yet decided what I want to do with it.  My original thoughts a few years ago were to try out some type of limewash, but now I'm really undecided and have lots of thoughts floating around about it.  I do think I want to keep the walls white (a new white though) as for my own personal bedrooms, I really prefer white.  (It goes best with all of my colorful clothes strewn about! ;) ;)   


{Yeah, I know the recessed light kind of kills it, but like I said, I didn't win every battle here.}

As we make more progress here I'll be sure to share.

And many of you have asked about when the fabrics will be available for sale & how to buy them (thank you!)...  I am truly working as fast as I can to get these babies available.  There will be about fifteen different designs in the first collection with 2-7 colorways per design. (For a total of 60 or so different fabrics.)   I am still working on the final designs and we're photographing the entire collection at the end of the month so I plan to have them online soon after.  Like I mentioned before, I was a little surprised when I first started looking into the cost for the fabrics.  I've learned that high quality linens are much more expensive to make when they aren't mass-produced and we've priced the fabrics accordingly.  (Approx $120/ yard) In my own home I have my fabrics on pillows only right now ;)

When I first started designing textiles, I really had no idea where I wanted to take it.  I began more on a whim just because it excited me.  I have to say that I am now head over heels for it and am gaining more confidence with it.  I originally thought I'd have artists do the designs but now I've started doing them myself and it's really satisfyling.  I'm not an artist by any means and drawing & painting doesn't come naturally to me AT ALL, but I have actually been able to create some things that I really love and that speak to me.  I haven't quite decided yet how I want to sell these fabrics or where I want to take it, which I know sounds like an odd way to start a business.  (And I agree.)  I normally set very concrete goals for my self & my business and follow planned out steps to get there, but not this time.  The textile industry is very new to me & until I can figure out how I want to navigate the waters, I'm taking it slow.  There are those who design patterns and sell them to fabric companies for money (which is sooo not where I'm going... these designs are really personal to me and I am so not disattaching myself from them)  there are those who do books for other companies (for example Windsor Smith's collection for Kravet) and then there are those who sell fabric under their own company  and have their collections sold in showrooms (Kathryn Ireland for example also sells her fabrics at John Rosselli Showrooms) and then there are a tons of small companies who sell on their own.  I really haven't decided where I want to go with this or which way is best for me/ my family.   

The fabrics are currently only being shown & sold in one showroom in Virginia.  (And if you're a designer in Virginia, you can contact the Design Center of Northern Virginia for trade pricing.)  Like I mentioned, thery're being photographed at the end of August, so until then, I have no way to sell them without any pictures.  I will be sure to post as soon as they're online.

xoxo, Lauren

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