3-way textile love at Donghia

We're falling in love with beautiful collections from LULU DK, Armani/Casa and Sacho, new to the Donghia Showroom at the PDC, and you can too. This Thursday the showroom will open its doors for a preview, reception and an opportunity to meet Lulu herself.

We asked Marketing Director Lindsey Morris what her faves were right now in the showroom.

She said she can't get enough of Finland in red by Armani/Casa, a mesmerizing plaid, Donghia’s Wild Night, a perfect combination of plaid and sparkle, and Grizzly, a faux fur by Sacho.

“The collections are reflective of the individual brand heritage allowing us at Donghia to showcase not only the best product but also how they seamlessly work together in a lifestyle setting,” said Lindsey.

Here's a taste of each collection:

LULU DK’s Eden Collection is steeped in the intricacies of nature and the beautiful nuances of what it has to offer. The line features twelve designs: six hand-drawn prints, three woven outdoors, and three solid linens.



Ocean by LULU DK



Faver by Armani/Casa

The theme of Armani/Casa’s collection by Rubelli is an imaginary voyage between east and west, from the occidental approach, to the features of the oriental culture. The inspiration to this collection arises from the influences that the east has given to the west for decades.



Fredonia by Armani/Casa



Leo by Sacho

Sacho’s collection Urban Safari is natural and artful as well. The collection features a sophisticated selection of imitation furs, velvets and other intricate weaves inspired by the uniqueness of nature including stunning imitations of fox, leopard, lynx, Persian lamb and ostrich, with warm and sensual textures and materials.



Grizzly by Sacho

Want to see more? Fall in Love with Textiles will take place at the PDC's Donghia showroom, Suite G196, on Thursday, October 4 from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

For more information on the Donghia Showroom and the collections, visit the website. If you're not in LA, stop by the DDB Suite 700 and DCH Suite 1000.

Jane Churchill channels illustrations and Scandinavia for newest fabrics

On Monday, we offered a taste of what's coming from Colefax & Fowler this season to Cowtan & Tout showrooms. Here are some highlights of the walk-through with designer Sarah MacGregor of the new collection.

"Jane Churchill is always known for being playful and this season that includes 1) the illustrative and 2) more Scandinavian references.
Silverly is a design that was first printed using handmade lino blocks. Brightwood, a cotton-linen blend, is an adorable country scene seen here on the shade.


Here's Willowbrook, available as both a cotton-linen blend fabric as well as a wallpaper:


Jane is known for her love of aquas and this year it's complemented with a fresh range of pinks. The curtains are in linen-blend Hayden.


"Vintage Daisy was inspired by a textile document we actually bought on a trip to New York."


Thinking back to those practical weaves that we seem to snap us here in the US, there are 28 colors of polyester-blend weaves and 11 colors of a windowpane woven, which are certain to be hits with their durability and good price points.


Two new chenilles: embossed Kirkley and the slightly gauffraged Samford.
Lisson is a lovely Italian cotton with a slightly vintage finish that we know will be snapped up for upholstery, and in such a lovely palette, seen here on the red pillow at the bottom of the stack:


Craving something more neutral? Leafield is pictured on the chair at left, and Tellina on the right:

Don't miss the cotton check and stripe book, which feels quintessentially English. There are pinstripes and ginghams in nine colors, including two sizes of checks, some of which are seen in these adorable stack of pillows. Don't you just want them all?




And the candy-like decorative velvets, like Medley Spot that channels Paul Smith, and Honeycomb with a nod to David Hicks' favorite shape. We bet you can pick them out of this stack:


The chair is upholstered in a vibrant Furrow Stripe, which is available in six colors and a fun way to add movement to a traditionally boxy chair shape:


Stop by the Cowtan & Tout showrooms at the PDC (Suite B647), DCOTA (Suite B254), and DDB (Suite 1020) to see the entire wonderful new collection.

Score a great deal at Ebanista's Fall sale

California-based furniture company Ebanista is hosting its Fall sale.



It kicked off yesterday and only runs for three weeks, till October 12. Stop by and see what great pieces you can find for your projects and homes, at up to 70% off!



If you want to write an order for something new, you'll win, too. Ebanista is taking 20% off new orders, too!



We can't promise exactly what you'll find (isn't that part of the fun of a sample sale?), but hurry in for the best selection.



Who doesn't love beautiful wood craftsmanship?



Ebanista has showrooms at the PDC (Suite G190), DDB (Suite 1602) and DCOTA (Suite C142).

Brand new from Colefax & Fowler

Last week we told you about our recent quick visit to London. One of the highlights was the time we spent at Colefax & Fowler, where we spent a couple of hours catching up with Trudi Ballard, Head of PR and Advertising, and C&F's designer Sarah MacGregor.

They were kind enough to walk us through the new collections, including Jane Churchill, which we'll share with you later this week. Apparently we were the first international press to see it! The C&F photography is always sublime and does quite a job capturing the textures of the collection. The curtains pictured above are in a dramatic color of Bovary linen embroidery.

Sara did a great job capturing some of what distinguishes the US from the UK market, something that is clearly important when you're a storied UK company who needs to make sure to keep up with what a large market like ours in the US is ordering.

This is Francesco, a luxurious cotton-silk blend damask on a satin weave for a textured ground:


"The woven category is really important, and increasingly growing, especially in the US where it still seems everyone wants plains and solids. We're moving the emphasis away from embroidery, and presenting a velvet book that includes not just solids but lots of bold patterns. In the UK, because we don't have showrooms and rely on our traveling salespeople, we need to think of groups -- we have the constraints of needing to introduce enough of something so that it can make up a whole book."

Can you say wow to these velvets - chair upholstered in a rich color of Marlowe velvet with pillow in Wilde?


"This season, blues are big for us, which continues to be the US's favorite color. It's new for us to use it as a ground color and not just the complement or accent color. There are also a lot of smaller designs this go, which are still strong enough to be the lead design in a room."
Witness this Aqua colorway of of Cressida with its three-dimensional cording and embroidery:

How about this Heywood paper, printed in the UK as are all of its designs, with an ottoman in the cut velvet Marlowe and pillows in Keats velvet and Hugo linen-cotton blend:


We loved the color Sara described in as endearingly British "lettuce head yellow". There's also this divine silk Lucerne, which is available in 60 different colors.



We just wanted to offer a little tease here. You really must see it for yourself, and they'll be at the Cowtan & Tout showrooms at the PDC (Suite B647), DCOTA (Suite B254), and DDB (Suite 1020) over the next few weeks.

A visit to Colefax & Fowler in London!

Last Friday, on a quick visit through London, we spent some time with Colefax & Fowler. The firm you no doubt know for its delicious weaves and prints, and wallpapers, too, started as a decorating firm of Sibyl Colefax and John Fowler in the 1930s and was regarded as the foremost English firm throughout the 20th century. It remains an institution, with a nearly cult following, today. On our way to see the newest fabric introductions, which we'll debut here next week, we stopped in to see its famed antiques shop in the heart of London at 39 Brook Street. Here's a virtual visit to send you off into the weekend.

A desk to greet you at the entry, pictured above, with a leather-bound volume filled with some of their completed projects.

Here's a charming room at the back overlooking a small garden. We loved the mix of rich, high-gloss chocolate brown walls with the casual rattan chairs:


And don't these split-pea-green walls in the stairwell feel typically (delightfully!) English?


And a cozy spot to read with a very unexpected (and fun!) light:


Talk about texture! We loved this sideboard and its elements, especially those vibrant paper lampshades:


In the same room we thought, Why not hang a mirror over a seldom-used door!


Same with the African-esque pillow on the Victorian-style chaise:


Get a taste of the Colefax & Fowler style on our side of the Atlantic at the Cowtan & Tout showooms that distribute the line at PDC (Suite B647), DCOTA (Suite B254), and DDB (Suite 1020).

Calling all shoppers - Zimmer + Rohde sample sale

Gearing up for Fall Market at the DDB? We knew you are!

Before showrooms can show off the latest and greatest, they need to clear some space. At Zimmer + Rohde that will include the introduction of two new furniture collections, Quintus and Caperton, in addition to a slew of new fabrics. Of course we'll share highlights here. But first, do you part to help them make room for Quintus and Caperton by shopping their sample sale, which just kicked off at the DDB (Suite 932).



Don't think this means anything outdated -- you just might score some yardage of your favorite patterns. Cut yardage will range from just $5 to $30 and pillows will start at $15. And though Z+R might be a favorite source for delicious wovens, don't forget about the furniture, too…At over 50% off, we know you'll thank us later.

Happy shopping!!

Cowtan & Tout introduces vinyls

For the first time in the company's history, Cowtan & Tout will offer a line of vinyl wallcoverings.

This is Shagreen, available in two colors:


Twenty-six patterns capture a variety of textures, like wood grain and shagreen and even mimic materials like leather, raffia and linen for a wonderful trompe l'oeil effect.

And Summer Tree:


Best of all, since they're vinyl, they're perfect in damp environments like bathrooms, and since they simply wipe clean, they're perfect for households with young kids.

Raffia Damask really captures the look of an embossed fabric:


For a more masculine look, try Quadro, available in two colors, which mimics a wood veneer:


Stonework, at back, comes in two colorways; Shagreen sits on top:


More great news? They're available NOW at the PDC (Suite B647), DCOTA (Suite B254), and DDB (Suite 1020).

Indulge in faux fur at Christian Fischbacher

We might be barely into Fall, but you know colder weather is right around the corner. Both residential and commercial designers will enjoy the soft touch of faux fur for the projects. Now available at Christian Fischbacher at the DDB: Tessuti By Lazarine. Moscow in Arctic.

The ultimate way to ensure "sweet dreams" - how about a headboard or throw made of beautiful faux fur? New laser-cut designs in a variety of styles and colors are available through the Swiss company known for its prints.

Can you say rich? Try Mink, pictured here in Camel:


If you're in the mood for a texture, try Caiman:


And even monochromatic, black and white purists will love the touch of Alaska:


Or, for true feline fans, Cheetah:


Stop by Suite 411 and don't be surprised if you idle away the afternoon stroking all of the options!

Kravet Asks Alice...

We love the seasonal Kravet Inspired.News newsletter, the most recent of which debuted last week.
The "Ask Alice" column is always a favorite. Written by Alice Guercio, a 15-year Kravet veteran who is Vice President of Product Coordination, the column shares her expertise on specific fabrics. Maybe it was all of the Fashion Week happenings in NYC last week, but we found ourselves thinking of Chinoiserie. Turns out Guercio had already offered this distillation of its rich history, which we wanted to share:

"Recently I attended a meeting in which one of my colleagues told us all about the origin of chinoiserie. As he was telling the story to others in the room, I saw how they were enjoying his animated story of its history and I thought it would make a wonderful column.



The Western fascination with all things Oriental began in the mid 17th century with trade between Europe and China. Imported arts and crafts had an exciting and different beauty from those made in the west, especially Chinese porcelain and lacquer. In the early 18th century, the term “chinoiserie” was used to describe the European fantasy vision of China and the Far East. It is actually a French word for “Chinesery” or “Chinese-esque.”

It is an invented fusion of Asian motifs and European sophistication created by designers and craftsmen in the West. Since they knew little about far-off Asian cultures due to limited exposure, early chinoiserie is characterized by the use of imagery of a China that could only be imagined with pagodas, fabulous birds, monkeys, dragons and figures in exotic costumes. Decorative scenes may show a mythological creature in an oriental landscape, or an elegant lady with a Chinese parasol and Parisian hairstyle. Chinoiserie is often eccentric but most of all it is a fun mixture of fact and fiction of what seemed incredibly exotic to the people of Europe.



This new playful style was popularized when the French court of Louis XV found the curves and whimsy of chinoiserie integrated beautifully with Rococo architectural features. It soon spread throughout Europe and could be found in the interiors and gardens of the royal palaces.

It is fascinating to learn how an interpretation from a world away many centuries ago turned into the exotic, stylish and often peculiar fashion called chinoiserie. I encourage you all to dig deeper into the history because I have only touched the surface; after all, there is only so much information I can put in my little column."

If you have a question about fabric for Alice, email her at askalice@kravet.com and it just may become the subject of a future article!

Shown throughout is Ralph Lauren Home's Chinoiserie Garden that Kravet distributes to the trade.

Stop by Kravet at the DDB (Suite 324), DCH (Suite 150), DCOTA (Suite B-180) and PDC (B624) and pick up your copy.

Opening soon at the DDB: Warp & Weft

Carpet experts Warp & Weft will open a showroom at the DDB next month. We're pleased to share a sneak peek of their brand-new designs.

This trio of carpets speaks to different interiors. All are woven in Nepal at 100 knots per square inch. Creeks II is pictured above. This is "Stonehenge":


And Glaciers:


The color palette feels just right as we come into Fall. We'll be sure to take you on a visit to the new showroom as soon as it opens.

Andrew Martin's now at the DCH

We're mad for Andrew Martin's collection of pillows and accessories. We're thrilled that they're now open at the DCH (Suite 1050). Cushion, fabrics, wallpapers, accessories, you name it. Whatever your style, whether tongue in cheek or traditional, there's something for everyone.









In addition to showrooms at the DDB (Suite 111), PDC (Suite G295) and DCOTA (Suite C126), we can't wait to shop the assortment in Texas! Here's a look back to some of their latest introductions we shared earlier this summer.