JuBella.com – Get Your Creative Dose

“I have learned that if there is something you really want you have to just go for it & give it a try. I like that quote: “find a job you love & you will never work a day in your life”. That’s how I feel!” ~Rachael Taylor | Surface Designer

Quite a while ago I ran across the site of UK based Surface Designer Rachael Taylor. Her work is fantastic. Full of color, pattern, and imagination, Rachael takes the beauty of an object and creates lovely pieces such as pillows, fabric, tableware, lamp shades, greeting cards, and wall art. Her list of clientele includes: Paperchase, Graham & Brown, Target, and Hanes Paper just to name a few.

Rachael was so kind to take a few moments to share with us an insight into her inspiration and her process as a surface designer. To purchase some of her pieces, please visit her Etsy shop!

JuBella: How did you know that textiles was an occupation that you wanted to pursue as a career…what would you say was the inspiration behind it all?

Rachael: I have always been a creative/visual person from a young age & loved things like art, drama, dance, drawing etc. I studied Art & Design at College then decided textiles/surface design was a good area as it crossed over into so many areas. As surface pattern  design had quite an open scope to go into fashion, interiors, ceramics, stationary etc. So it seemed like a good option for a creative role & it wasn’t to restrictive for career paths.

JuBella: Favorite resources/books/websites for textile/color, etc. inspiration?

Rachael: I look at a range of blogs like Print & Pattern, Poppy Talk, and websites like wgsn. I also look a lot at home magazines e.g Elle Decoration, Living etc., also fashion mags like Vogue & Elle. A lot of my inspiration comes from just general things I see & I try & take my camera every where I go. I’m also inspired by music. Usually my designs sometimes just come out of my head & it just depends on the mood I’m in or the song that I’m listening too.

JuBella: What is an average week for you like as a textile/surface designer & how would you best describe your design process?

Rachael: Everyday is different which is what I love. Generally I’ll have three to four days designing & the other ordering, paperwork & managing of my business. Two or three of the days I may be working direct as a freelancer for companies on a commission or brief, the others I’m left to create my own collections.

The days I’m left to work on my own designs, I try not to have a plan or structure. I may spend a morning out with my camera & sketchbook then I’m full of inspiration, so I put my music on & I just see what happens. I like the variety I have at the moment as I have great direction & trends to follow from companies as well as having room for a bit of spontaneous design within my own label.

JuBella: What are 3 things that you would tell an aspiring designer that you wish you knew when you first started your textile venture?

Rachael: I still honestly feel like I’m learning myself. There is so much opportunity out there. When I was starting out I wish I had learned not to take things to personally & not be to precious about my work. To just enjoy the ‘Now’. It’s great to have future goals but it’s important to take every day at a time & appreciate the work your doing. Just have fun with it!

JuBella: If you had to pick one, what would be your favorite form of handmade textiles/fibers(block printing, crochet, knitting, screen printing, etc.)?

Rachael: I love screen printing. It makes you feel like you are a part of your work as you are actually involved in the print process as opposed to just printing something digitally. A lot more of your personality comes out this way. I’m a big fan of machine embroidery, loose, messy, stitching, threads left loose & not trimmed away, something more raw & unique.

I LOVE how interior designer Eileen Kathryn Boyd fuses the colors and patterns from fashion within her home. It’s bold, bright, and rich! This has me wanting to use kelly green somewhere in my future home…maybe a half bathroom; and her closet…ahem, I mean dressing room haven is gorgeous. I would so love to toss through my clothes in such a room.

May we all have a moment a silence to drool over such stunning color, texture, and pattern! Oh my, Designers Hoda Baroudi and Maria Hubri of Bokja Design truly have created a fabulous line to adorn your home with and gives all textile lovers inspiration galore! Wouldn’t you just love to be able to travel to Lebanon to tour their atelier/studio! Ok, let the drooling begin…

Oh, how I am so very excited to share this new line of custom handmade carpets from Textile Designer Malene B.! If you all remember, Malene shared some of her creative insight with us back when JuBella first launched. Malene is such an inspiration to me as she has impeccable style and so many creative ideas for the home. For more than a decade, she has been creating carpets for industry professionals and private label brands such as Nicole Miller, Martha Stewart, Nautica, Liz Claiborne, Nate Berkus, and the list goes on and on, and now Malene has her own line! I so wish I had a home because I have fallen in love with the Mendhi & Pupunya Pieces; and the Kantha is another favorite too…heck they are all wonderful!

Her Carpet collections will not only make you swoon over texture, pattern, and color, but each one of them takes inspiration from Malenes travel destinations around the world, taking you on a global ride as she identifies the cultures so beautifully within every piece don’t you think? I can only imagine the things to come from Malene…I so hope that a wallpaper collection and a shop open to the creative masses are coming in the near future! Oh my, she is truly one of my textile sheroes! Be sure to check her site to view the full collection & for custom ordering info.

SWOON! I love every nook and cranny of these photos. I am a sucker for color and pattern as you all know, so these spaces really do speak to my kind of style. It never ceases to amaze me how with just some creativity with the color wheel and playing around with patterns and textures, how those two elements alone can transform a dull room to something quite spectacular! Living Etc, Creative Home, Better Homes & Gardens, and Marie Claire Idees are my favorite print design/creative living mags (of the few that are left that is..lol). I can always count on them for some great color inspiration. Here are a few of my favorite picks from their last issues. I also love Martha Stewart Living of course, however I find myself not buying it as much as I feel “my creative ideas” would not feel as original, but just a subconscious remake of what I have seen in the mag. Did that make any sense? I think you all know what I mean.

Oh how I do love these pieces from the Villa Nova collections. I think that the pattern, color, and texture combination of these pieces are beautiful. The couch in the top photo is absolutely divine. I love the shape of it…It reminds me of a well-tailored suit and the legs in my opinion give it a very fashion forward feel as they remind me of the tops of many dress forms. I could definitely see it in a fashion designers office/studio! So, if you ever find yourself in the London area, be sure to visit their showroom which is located in the Chelsea harbor Design Center.

When I look at these gift wrap patterns from Whimsy Press, I cannot help but to picture them as wallpaper. Wouldn’t some of these prints look fantastic on the wall! I would love to see them offer their designs in wallpaper form for sure! Anyhow, these are just a few of my favorite gift wrap patterns that they offer. They also sell some great note cards, and place mats, and lots of other goodies that are essential for wrapping a special gift or for throwing a special party for friends or family!

I love fabric and when I ran across these little gems over at Karaku Fabrics, I was stoked to see so many whimsical, colorful, cute, and traditional prints in one spot. I love all of their selections especially this latest addition. I need lots of different fabrics to make pillows with for sort of an indie Moroccan feel, but with an eclectic cultural mix, so I am sure I will be ordering at least a yard or two from Karaku soon, and the shipping isn’t bad either! YAY!

Textile Designer Amy Butler is an inspiration to anyone who carries a passion for fabric and textile design as well as all of those who love creating beautiful crafts and clothing with beautifully designed fabric and paper. Amy has been an inspiration to myself and many others for quite some time and I simply fell in love with her style, her creativity, and her charm after reading and drooling over the fabulous photography of her home and textiles that are featured in her book “Midwest Modern: A Fresh Design Spirit for the Modern Lifestyle”. If you have never heard of Amy then you are in for a textile and pattern treat. Her designs are filled with creativity, color, pattern, and a style that fuses traditional patterns and artistic values and hues that results in magnificent fabrics and stationary to create many lovely things with!

Be sure to check out her website where you can not only find her latest Spring 2008 Collection, but where you can also find free patterns and shop her products that includes pillows, bags, and stationary. You can also pick up a bottle of her fragrant fabric wash called SOLA, which is bottled up in a lovely and decorative bottle. Amy took some time out to share a bit of her creative inspiration with us. Heres Amy:

JuBella: Why is creativity important to you?

Amy: I think as an artist I couldn’t live without it. It’s the core, unwavering ingredient in my personal make up, it’s that part of myself that I can’t question or doubt, it just is. But I also believe you don’t have to be an artist or designer to get in touch with your creative side. Creativity is a part of all of us, it’s a common thread and a unifying trait that brings us together, it’s something we can share. I think we need to nurture this part of ourselves and give it as much space in our lives as we can. For me, I need to honor time away from the ” business ” side of what I do each day to give myself the opportunity to free my mind and tune into creative solutions both in my artwork and with my daily challenges. Creativity is important to me because it’s the energy and impetus behind everything I do.

JuBella: How would you describe your most creative spot / room / atmosphere?

Amy: My most creative spot is on the bike path behind our house. There’s something about walking and being in the woods, maybe it’s the moving meditation but I always get a bunch of good ideas when I hit the path. Dave walks with me a lot and over the years we’ve come up with some of our best ideas for the studio while hiking along. We always giggle when our financial planner asks us what our 5 year business plan is and we say we have to hit the trail to figure that out!

JuBella: Favorite Craft & Design magazines, books or shows?

Amy: Oh I have loads! Favorite magazines: Selvedge, British Elle Decor, Australian Vogue Living and Inside Out.

Favorite Books: Ilse Crawford’s the Sensual Home, Tricia Guild’s Pattern, Christian Lacroix, The Diary of a Collection, Barbara Bestor’s Bohemian Modern- Living in Silver Lake, Joelle Hoverson’s Last-Minute Knitted Gifts and The Greater Perfection: The Story of the Gardens at Les Quatre Vents by Francis H. Cabot.

Favorite Shows: Sundance channel’s documentaries on haute couture designers and Project Runway.

JuBella: How would you describe the character/ decor of your studio / design space?

Amy: My studio is in the lower level of our 1970’s modern bank ranch home. The studio is very cozy and bright. The windows are north facing, so I always have the perfect light for working on designs. The furniture is an eclectic mix of vintage modern and old farmhouse. I collect most of my furniture at flea markets or the salvation army, I bring home the un-loved pieces with loads of personality. Everything is new again with a little padding and a fresh slipcover! Changing out the fabrics on my furniture serves two purposes, it allows me to see how my prints translate in home decor and keeps my space kinetic and fun. I love the new energy that’s created when I change things around.

I’m surrounded by all the things I love, loads of fabric, notions, antiques, ephemera and books. I made two big benches that are padded with cushy foam and slip covered in my Forest fabric. I push the benches together for napping with the cats, a little luxury I try to take advantage of as often as I can.

JuBella: What do you love most about being a textile designer?

Amy: I love that I get to create artwork for my designs and that they are enjoyed by so
many people. I love what I do and I feel this energy is translated in my work and passes onto others. It’s pleasure that keeps paying forward. I’m just a starting point, folks work with my patterns and fabrics to create and then pass that happiness onto the person on the receiving end. It’s a very cool cycle of joy. I’m so fortunate that folks respond so sincerely to what I do which is incredibly humbling and fulfilling.

JuBella: and do you have favorite textile designers?

Amy: Kaffe Fasset has always been a great inspiration to me. I admire him because he is first a fine artist who eloquently shares his vision for color and design through his work with great warmth and passion. I get lost in the color combinations in his fabrics!

I am also a huge admirer of Harmony Susalla from Harmony Arts. Harmony is leading the way for organic printed fabrics. She is the real deal, an amazing artist, designer and passionate supporter for the organic fabric movement. She is a visionary with an unwavering heart, and her fabrics are delicious! Harmonyart. I’m constantly inspired by Tricia Guild’s philosophy and her spirited use of color and print. Her designs are sophisticated and approachable at the same time. I love her books, they are put together so beautifully…. a total feast for the eyes!

JuBella: Do you have a favorite line or print that you have designed thus far?

Amy: I’m always in love with my Nigella home dec fabrics for Rowan. I describe this group as having a neo victorian vibe, with a mixture of modern elements and feminine details, it’s very romantic and rich looking.

JuBella: What is your process like when designing a print?

Amy: I’m always dreaming of future fabrics I’d love to sew with or use in my home which is always the underlying motivation for specific prints. I keep things fresh and lively by keeping my inspiration kinetic. I’m always excited about a new ” color” or colors. I keep an on-going color idea stash where I save snips of colors I love which eventually get worked into my palettes. My taste and interests continually change and are reflected in my design choices. I am always in the process of collecting inspiration in all kinds of forms.

For example, when I start working on a new fabric collection I pull my color palettes together by building color ” stories ” intuitively by making a collage with coloration and textures I love. I then match color chips to my color stories and complete my palettes. I almost always make way more palettes than I need, but I love have as many options as possible to react to. I trust my gut and go with my top 3 -4 favorites. For my prints, my base inspiration comes from antique documents that I re-design, scale and color to fit the story of the collection I’m building. Once I’ve developed my core designs, I create the artwork by hand coloring each print in all it’s possible variations in each palette.

JuBella: What design tools and software could you not live without?

Amy: I couldn’t live without my imac, stapler, xacto knife, Viking sewing machine, white out, cutting mat, and microsoft word.

JuBella: The most creative and inspirational city/ country that you have traveled to thus far and why?

Amy: One of the most moving trips I’ve had in the past couple of years has been to England. I travelled with my husband David and our two good friends Kevin and Chuck. We completely absorbed ourselves in touring historic gardens in the Cotswold region. We also spent a couple of dreamy days in London visiting the Victoria & Albert museum and the Chelsea Garden show. The combination of the english countryside and design sensibility are very inspiring, it’s more a “feeling” that is absorbed and translated later when I am back in my studio. My design collection called ” Charm ” was inspired by this trip in particular.

JuBella: Most unique gift that you have given to someone?

Amy: Original paintings or fabric collages. Dave and I often make each other artwork for gifts. These are my favorites!