japonisme: fabrics

following the previous post on japanese papers, this next post is about japanese-inspired furnishing pattern. like many, i am unabashedly obsessed with fabric, and a quick glance online and through tear sheets revealed the influence japanese design and culture continue to have on those designing fabrics for interiors. following are just a few.

the inspiration for this collection by john stefanidis came from a trip to japan. i immediately recognized a resemblance to katazome papers, and am intrigued by how any one of these might look gracing a chair or pillow cover.

 fossil fabric in the style of a Japanese wood cut

pagodas, dahlias, cherry blossoms, and peonies – all from designers guild. these to me look more like chrysanthemums...even the leaves, but either one – dahlias or mums – are on the list for next year's cutting garden.
 

this one is a wallpaper from the same collection as the one directly above, but i couldn't resist including it, for i love the colors.

kyoto shrine – a geometric from david hicks

next up: japonisme: textiles and surface design

japonisme: paper

looking back at what i'm drawn to and what inspires me,  i see there are influences that have stood the test of time. one is japanese design and culture. since this blog is a place for me to document what i find beautiful in the world, i thought i'd spend a few posts devoted to my love affair with japonisme, starting with paper.

repetitive designs of small dense patterns have always fascinated me, so it's no wonder that i love chiyogami.

two of my favorite places to find these beautiful papers are paper mojo and shepherds falkiners. what i especially love about falkiners's site is that it allows you to add things to a wish list. it's been at least 4 months since my last visit, but they still had my list safe and sound. i'm familiar with persistent shopping carts, but this is fabulous. another resource is japanese paper place, but be prepared to spend hours there, if you like this sort of thing.

 chrysanthemums – always a favorite. 

are there any persistent styles, art, people, or places that have inspired you and lasted over the years? feel free to share this in the comments and stay tuned for part 2.

image credits: palace garden by nelson hancock at james sansum; paper mojo; shepherds falkiners; japanese paper place