Saturday 25 August 2012

Anna French - New Collections



We have just received the newest fabric and wallpaper collections from Anna French called 'Aria' and 'Lyric', and wanted to share them with you.


The Aria fabrics’ fresh patterns and beautiful colours have been woven into luxurious cut velvets, gauzy madras, and embroideries, and printed on luscious linens. The lovely fabrics also achieve a good balance between masculine and feminine tones that work well in both modern and traditional settings. 










I love this lace voile called Rope Madras









To create the aptly named 'Lyric' wallpaper collection, Anna was inspired by listening to music from the opera as she worked on the designs. 

As you can see Anna has also taken a lyric here and there from her Aria fabric collection, so that you can co-ordinate the two collections.










A little bit of background about Anna…


Known for her courageous use of colour and flair for the dramatic, Anna French has been designing and producing fabrics since 1976, when she and her husband, John French, moved from London to Scotland, where they formed the company on the top floor of a Victorian lace mill. Anna decided to make Scottish lace, and to this day her lace still sells wordwide.
However, it wasn’t until 1994 when Anna began to design children's collections that things really took off. I remember falling in love with Anna's soft focus designs particularly 'Ready Teddy Go' - and the good news is that they are all still available today. 
In 2007, she teamed up with Thibaut (pronounced Tee-Bo), the oldest continuously operating wallpaper company in the U.S., for which she has since produced a wide range of vibrant designs and award winning wallpaper.
Anna French designs












We are delighted that Grasshoppers Interiors have become a stockist for Anna French and Thibaut fabrics and wallpapers.

Post by: Sharon

Tuesday 21 August 2012

Oast House Style

Having just returned from a great warm and sunny (at last) British holiday in rural Kent I was inspired by a number of the pretty places we visited. Villages had a distinct Georgian feel (which I love), mixed with typically English cottage style. Many properties featured white painted weather boarding and were surrounded by pretty flowering gardens enclosed with picket fences.


Oast House cowl
But the most stunning landmarks were the old Oast Houses (buildings designed for traditional hop drying as part of the brewing process), with their distinctive white cowl on the roof that turns with the wind.

Many have been renovated and turned into private properties.

I was just itching to take a look inside one. Fortunately, I found a lovely example which has been beautifully decorated, and even has prettily trimmed curtains! 


The Oast in Wittersham

It's a bed and breakfast near Tenterden on the Kent and East Sussex borders called The Oast in Wittersham. 

Want to go explore inside .....

Breakfast room
Sitting room




Dining room


Dining room


Garden Suite


Garden Suite Drapery Detail

Garden Suite


Garden Suite Bath Room



Orchard Suite


Orchard Suite Drapery Detail


Orchard Suite Bathroom

Orchard Suite Rondell

Romney room


Romney Room Drapery Detail


Romney room Bathroom

Romney room Bathroom

Happy bunnies at The Oast in Wittersham

Oast house cowls

I love the Scandinavian feel of the decorating style; the simple linen curtains with pretty trim; the punch of colour in the sitting room and the Tilda style Nordic bunnies.

I would enjoy living in an Oast house like this one!  

Post by: Sharon