Soft furnishings: Inspiration comes from the Scandinavian Country Movement of the 17th to the late 19th Centuries.
The style:
Interiors let as much natural light in as possible, adding the feeling of warmth through the careful introduction of soft furnishing items in gorgeous fabrics and colours.
The look:
More than one look can be used in a room with a careful eye for example, a softly painted dresser can be situated next to gingham checked curtains which drape over a window seat decorated in nautical striped cushions. There is the scope for many variations and could be viewed as an amalgamation of modern and eclectic aesthetics, I refer to this when I am developing a piece of work.
Fabric:
The grouping of gingham checks, nautical stripes, plains and pretty florals.
Patchwork:
Patchwork quilts for the beds and rooms scattered with striped or rag rugs. I like to add my signature hand crafted flowers to embellish quilts and cushions, experiment with strip piecing methods to produce my own striped fabric and develop diamond and star techniques to give a floral patchwork effect to pieces.
Mixed Media Prints: Inpiration comes from my surroundings, the natural environment and local traditions alongside certain current artists.
Contextual studies:
Reading about Swedish Folk Art and the life and work of artist Carl Larsson is a huge inspiration. Carl Larsson,an artist known for his water colour paintings of rural life, is a huge influence as he was incredibly well known in the late 1880's because of his skills with interior design. The artist had a love of unique furniture and beautiful textiles which he showcased in his home.
I am a huge fan of Current textile artists such as Poppy Treffry and Janet Bolton as their work is a style which can be accepted and understood by all age groups and everyone can find an art work or object that they love and relate to.
I spend a lot of time researching the English Arts and Crafts Movement. This movement challenged the tastes of the Victorian era and was inspired by the social reform concerns of thinkers Walter Crane and John Ruskin as well as by the ideals of reformer and designer William Morris. William believed that a worker should be able to take pride in his craftsmanship and skill.Their mission was to produce beautiful objects that could enhance the lives of ordinary people. This is a mission statement which I fully support and share, I carry this idea with me in the production of my crafts.
