Design houses are encouraging the world of interiors to view textiles as works of art. Art educates, prompts emotion and embodies forms which can physically house us. In the broad sense of the word, ‘art’ describes the environments we create for ourselves; in the spaces we live in and the items we adorn them with.

Our first trade event of the year, the Designer Preview, is now behind us and the showroom has been left feeling refreshed and on trend.

Osborne & Little celebrate their 50^th anniversary with fabrics and co-ordinating wallpapers inspired by the colours of the Riviera and the opulence of Venice.

Next up in our "going green" series...

- we take a closer look at Tréology -

In particular, how they have combined a passion for the New Zealand environment with quality craftsmanship in furniture design.

Conscious of our ever-changing environment, we're always looking at ways we can improve our impact on the planet, both personally and professionally.

This month we're "going green" - and we'll take a look at different ways that some of our brands approach sustainable business practices, as well as habits we can adapt to shape our own eco-footprints.

First up, we take a look at Icon Textiles and how they are supporting the 'closed-loop' model of sustainable textile production...

Blossoms filled the Wellington Showroom to celebrate the beginning of Spring and to kick-start our annual design event; 'DESIGN DAY'.

This year, held in conjunction with the Wellington Design Library on Thursday 21st September, we invited our clients to both showrooms for an afternoon of creative inspiration - showcasing the latest colours, textures, designs and trends working their way through the industry.

A few weeks ago we welcomed the DM tribe into our Christchurch showroom for a tribal inspired Design Day. The annual trade event is a fabulous opportunity to bring the design community together to gather inspiration, present new product and to eat, drink and be merry!

KAI features inspirational designs, every collection creating a totally different ‘lifestyle’ look, which will add style to your home. Fabrics are selected for their comfort, whilst retaining a luxurious quality. Choose from a selection of beautiful woven fabrics, patterns and plains, exquisite printed and embroidered silks and sheers, and sumptuous velvets.

1838 Wallcoverings specialise in producing high end collections that are produced by the beautiful craft of Surface Printing.

This technique was created in 1838 by Charles Potter, his brother Harold, and Walmsley Preston - a foreman machine printer, who had a mind that was ingeniously mechanical.

All of the collections from 1838 are designed with customers in mind. Each design is created to last, proving easy to hang (paste the wall) and are available in a range of designs, styles, colourways and co-ordinations to suit any taste.

The Romo Group presents the latest from their luxury brand 'Black Edition' with Herbaria.

Historic inspirations are the foundation of the collection, deconstructing and rebuilding elaborate designs through intricate layering and innovative colouring.

Herbaria is a dramatic collection of of decadent velvets, baroque damasks and a striking colour palette that give an intensity and individuality that is undoubtedly Black Edition.

Fascinated by the beauty of the Greek islands, the sun, the blue sea and the sky, Patrice Marraud des Grottes (Elitis Auteur) drew his inspiration from the name of the contemporary Greek poet Odysseas Elytis when naming his company, created in Toulouse in 1988.

Sine then, Elitis artists gather creative inspiration from all areas of the globe. In 2017, the inspiration for the latest collection has come from our very own Oceania!

We took some time out this week with the lovely Jodie Robertson from Smoke N Mirrors in the Hawkes Bay.

It was great to learn a little more about her background, her favourite trends, and her unique approach to interior design and home staging.

Our Christchurch showroom was bustling with the hum of creative conversation last Monday as a large group of designers gathered to see the launch of the latest UK textiles and wallpapers from Anthology, Harlequin and Scion, courtesy of Malcolm Fabrics.

Peter Ketley from the UK was joined by local representatives, Angelique and Warwick from Malcolm Fabrics.

Together they impressed the group with a fabulous array of colours and textures hot off the European market.

As we are all coming back from the summer holidays, we are already beginning to see popular trends emerging for the year ahead.

There is everything from the freshest greens, to the loveliest linens – bright tropics and beautiful ceramic arts. There is a little something for everybody, no matter what your style!

We have put together a few trends to look out for over the coming months, what the inspiration is, and what you can expect to see in combinations this year. Happy reading! X

With the sunny months fast upon us, we will soon be making the most of those long summer nights and heading outside to relax on the balcony, the patio, the deck, or even by the poolside (if you’re lucky!). So it’s around about that time of year that we start thinking about our outdoor decor and what we can do to make sure our homes have a creative flow, both inside and out.

Furnishing your exterior furniture can be a tricky business – as normal fabrics (especially those with a high cotton content) will perish in too much direct sunlight. It’s always a good idea to look at fabrics specially tested for being used outside – however sometimes it is difficult to find a great pattern/design as the choices are much slimmer.

We’ve put together a range of outdoor fabric (for every style and every budget) that will kick-start your inspiration and make sure you’re summer look is stellar.

After reading a little article on ‘Stuff’ a few weeks ago, I was intrigued to know that a lot of effort and research goes into launching a colour prediction. Almost two years of following market research and pop culture trends allow experts to forecast what colour will filter through the design networks in the coming seasons.

As Pantone put it: ‘everything impacts colour‘ – BUT just how accurate was the forecast for 2016?

Designers Guild Furniture is distributed in New Zealand by Icon Textiles. Every unique piece of Designers Guild furniture has been carefully considered and designed to combine timeless style with extreme comfort and outstanding quality.

One of the trends emerging this year sees a lot more greenery in interior settings. Not just with pretty pot plants, but foliage that is taking over the entire wall!

Botanical wallpaper is a great way to bring a sense of freshness into your room, if you are not so much of a green-fingered gardener. We are also seeing a wider variety of wallpaper that is moving away from the floral and instead focuses on the beauty of the greenery.

We’ve pulled together our favourite leafy wallpapers as inspiration for Spring! Check it out:

SKYCITY AUCKLAND and IRVINE FLOORING

Hotel carpet needs to handle some of the highest traffic levels of any commercial environment.

Auckland’s SkyCity Grand Hotel called on the technical expertise of Irvine Flooring to assist with their latest carpet selection. Custom design capabilities and creative solutions that Irvine Flooring can provide would be put to the test on the floor of the popular luxury accommodation.

Charley Noble was the sailors’ name for the galley chimney, which drew the heat from the galley stove and carried it safely above decks.

As you can imagine, it was a pretty important piece of equipment in the galley – for no-one wants hot coals or embers burning in the kitchen of a wooden ship!