DISTINGUISHED DESIGN
Hickory Chair’s collaboration with Liberty Fabrics was the talk of the fall High Point Furniture Market. Celebrating Liberty’s 150-year anniversary, the British design house created 11 bespoke colorways of its iconic fabrics, designed specifically for Hickory Chair. Distinguished patterns, such as Lady Kristina, Floating Pavillion, Butterfield and Lotus Garden, were selected from the archives in velvets and linen to complement Hickory Chair’s benchmade furniture. “Seeing Liberty’s interior fabrics brought to life on beautifully crafted silhouettes has been an inspiring project,” shares Genevieve Bennett, Head of Design, Liberty Interiors. “Creating specifically for the American market, our design team worked to carefully reimagine beloved prints in exciting new colorways exclusively for Hickory Chair. This partnership honors Liberty’s 150 years of heritage, while celebrating the enduring synergy between timeless textiles and distinguished craftsmanship.”
CREATIVITY + CRAFT
Soane Britain has teamed up with American designer Billy Cotton to create a wide-ranging assemblage of fabrics, wallpapers, furniture and lighting. Consisting of 23 fabrics and corresponding wallpapers plus 21 furniture and lighting designs, Cotton brings a fresh perspective to the British brand. Soane’s founder Lulu Lytle praised Cotton for his ability to make traditional designs feel current with materiality and craft. “Soane is one of the few companies in the world that is able to produce new, meaningful design at the highest level,” notes Cotton. “One of the most extraordinary things about working with Soane was its commitment to British craft. We worked with rattan weavers, saddlers, cabinet makers, metal engineers, fabric and wallpaper printers and every single piece was made in Britain.”
THE ROYAL TREATMENT
Royal Copenhagen unveiled “Our Heritage Explored” to mark its 250th anniversary. The new collection celebrates past and present with rereleased archival treasures in addition to new glassware and textiles. Known for porcelain, Royal Copenhagen has expanded its repertoire with Aurora and Waves glassware and table linens to create a fully dressed ensemble for entertaining. “Celebrating 250 years is a remarkable milestone and proud moment for Royal Copenhagen. With Our Heritage Explored collection, we honor our rich heritage while continuing to tell new stories of togetherness and beauty,” says Jasper Toron Nielsen, Creative Director, Royal Copenhagen.
MATERIAL EXPRESSION
The latest introduction from Ann Sacks and Kelly Wearstler, Made Billow, was inspired by the dimensionality of vintage puffy jackets. Wearstler explores pillowy shapes and horizontal fluted patterns and the unpredictable way glaze flows to create variations in color and texture. “The bulbous forms play tricks with light and shadow,” explains Wearstler. “The designs became an obsession with contradiction—how do you make something as hard as ceramic feel tactile and responsive. It’s about pushing materials beyond what they are supposed to do and finding beauty in that defiance.”
