Everything Old is New Again!

Elle Decor, December 2011

Now for something near and dear to me TEXTILES! Have you ever come across a fabric design that somehow just looks old? Well chances are it is and lately I’ve been seeing a lot of old patterns rediscovered and modernized for today’s fabric lines. The velvet on the dining room chairs above is such a fabric taken from a 300 year old Turkish Ottoman design. The flowers in the middle of the backs are stylized carnations and symbolize the heavenly gardens of paradise.  

Velvet yastik, Turkey, 16-17th Century

Last year House Beautiful featured new fabrics that are coming out with ancient Ottoman designs.

Silk velvet fabric, Falk Manor by Scalamandre

Scalamandre one of the America’s leading fabric producers has one of the largest textile archives in the world spanning several centuries and even has their own museum for them. One of the fabrics they produce is the one above they call Falk Manor. Fortuny even used this pattern in the 1920’s and called it his climbing leaf motif, taken from a 15^th century Italian renaissance design. (Yes, the pillows below are mine and for sale if you’re interested)

My image of Fortuny pillows

Traditional Home, November 2011

See the chair with its back almost to us with the blue cut velvet on it that design was taken from the 15^th century as well. While my fragment below is on a linen ground I’m guessing the fabric on the chair has a cotton ground for more strength, linen stretches. My fragment has the silk velvet outlined in a tiny metal cord something that would be to costly today let alone the comfort factor.  

My Image

Traditional Home, November 2011

I tried to see if I could get that chair closer so you could see the fabric, trust me it’s to die for but I wish I knew who made it…does anyone know?

Even Diane von Furstenberg is using 17^th century Italian designs for her line of rugs. Designers don’t copy the designs of anything exactly no matter how old since copyright laws still come into play and you never know who might own a certain design. It’s simple enough to get around all you really have to do is change a dime size part of the design and it’s considered new.

Italian, 17th century design

I could show you this stuff all day long since it’s my passion but I need to get back to work. It’s amazing how many old patterns I see everyday in new designs. Like they say: “everything old is new again”!

XXX

~Debra~