Fabrics fuel our work at Custom Drapery Designs. What excites us most, though, isn’t just the softness of a velvet or the pop of color in a modern damask. The stories behind the fabrics get our hearts racing and add to the excitement of transforming a client’s space with beautiful textiles and their histories.
Holland & Sherry: An International Delight
This company recently came to our attention. Our magical meeting brought love at first sight. Begun in 1836, Holland & Sherry continues to produce some of the highest quality wools, silks and tweeds for both clothing and interiors. Attention to detail and commitment to perfection set this company apart.
Started at a time when wool mills were common, Holland & Sherry exists today as one of the few remaining. And, it stands strong!
While their “heart” lies beside the River Tweed in Scotland’s Borders, they have a remarkable international presence. They design exquisite hand-worked custom embroidery in Paris. Artisans in Bavaria, Germany, create custom finished embroideries. Each detail stands alone as a miniature work of art. Plus, Holland & Sherry allows for complete customization of embroidery—from concept to creation your product can be exclusively yours! This video gives us goosebumps.
At the Crossville Fabric mill in Tomé, Chile, artisans dye wool fibers, spin the yarns, weave and finish the textiles—all under one roof. Natural, raw materials used in these fabrics come from Australia, New Zealand and Patagonia. Wool, “the oldest natural fiber known to man,” has long been the fabric of choice for the finest men’s suits. Holland & Sherry brings wool home to rest as an ideal choice for interior design.
In addition to textiles for suits and interiors, they produce unique leathers from the best tanneries in Italy as well as wallcoverings and custom rugs crafted by artisans all over the world.
Each of these productions maintains a commitment to environmental protection. The mill generates its own energy by means of renewable clean resources; water used in production returns to safe-drinking quality; and any leftover yarn or fabric finds new life in some way either through reuse or donation.
Schumacher: The People Behind the Names
Since its genesis in 1889, the elite homes and finest buildings in the United States have chosen family-owned Schumacher for its Parisian-inspired interior designs. The Vanderbilts’ home, the White House, the Waldorf Astoria and numerous iconic TV and movie sets boast their designs.
Princess Pyne
This lovely fabric took our breath away when we first saw it. Pyne Hollyhock from Schumacher received a name change after the screens used to create the design were damaged.
Designer Albert Hadley installed draperies with this lovely design in the living room of Mrs. Nancy “Princess” Pyne’s Somerset County, N.J., home in the 1960s.
Princess, best friends with President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s wife, Mamie, kindly loaned the drapery panels back so the Schumacher company could reproduce the lovely pattern and duplicate it into a few other colors.
The fabric name changed from Hollyhock Chintz to the Pyne Hollyhock pattern, in honor of her assistance. Today it comes in five colors: charcoal, tobacco, indigo, grisaille and blush.
Frank Lloyd Wright
The Father of Modern Architecture, Frank Lloyd Wright touched America’s homes both inside and out. On June 8 his admirers celebrated his 150th birthday; and the celebration continues at Fallingwater, the visionary’s masterpiece in Western Pennsylvania. Schumacher celebrates Wright with a new line of fabrics—Applied Architecture.
Wright designed these bright, eye-catching geometric designs in 1955. More than 60 years later, they still resonate with home owners who want something as unique and special as the great architect himself. Hand-drawn by him, the original products comprised Schumacher’s Taliesin Line of Decorative Fabrics and Wallpaper.
Brenda Baxter, owner and principal designer of CDD, took the opportunity last month to visit Fallingwater for in-person inspiration. The whole team looks forward to incorporating some of these bold fabrics in clients’ upcoming designs. With a variety of bright colors and neutrals to mix and match, these textiles offer the perfect base for draperies, furniture and more.
Thibaut and Anna French: Made for Each Other
“The oldest continuously operating wallpaper company in the United States,” Thibaut began in 1886 and added printed fabrics in 1960 with expansions in textile offerings over the years. These new linens come from their Trade Routes collection. Textures like these add delightful depth to any design.
Founded by Richard E. Thibaut, the company saw three generations of his family in charge before some employees bought it. Despite changing hands and evolving with the industry, Thibaut continues to thrive as a designer’s go-to choice.
In 2007, they enveloped Anna French, bringing in its English linens, luxury embroideries, fabrics, Scottish lace and wallcoverings. Anna is known for color and drama in her designs, and we love it!
The pillows on these master bedroom chairs were custom made using linen fabrics from the Anna French Natural Glimmer Collection. They give the design an inviting touch anyone would love to sink into after a hard day.
Whatever your story may be, Custom Drapery Designs has a fabric in mind for you and all your design needs. Give us a call today to set up an in-home consultation!
