We might be in the middle of Winter, but our heads are in Spring/Summer homeware preparations! Here, I’m sharing my process for putting together a new homeware collection and when you can expect to see it.
This year’s collection stems from a pair of curtains that I spotted in a charity shop a few months ago and instantly fell in love with. The summery yet muted colours caught my eye and I love the combination of stripe with floral in the pattern. I like to use quality, natural materials and these curtains are 100% cotton – so they went straight into my basket!
I always keep an eye out for great fabrics so that I can buy intentionally over time. So, when I found another pair of curtains in complimentary colours with a beautiful floral pattern, I knew I had to have them! When I put the two fabrics together, they reminded me of retro palm springs images – and this formed the foundations of the concept.
From there, I took to Pinterest to research the vintage Palm Springs aesthetic which brought such beautiful and fun colours and patterns to the surface. I love the care free nature of the images that I pinned and the beautiful colours, shapes and contrast.
Our signature style is floral and muted which really shines through this collection. I love pattern but also like to create pieces that can fit beautifully in either a minimalist or maximalist scheme and that can be added to or layered over time.
Now that I had a clear direction, I rummaged through my existing fabrics to find pieces that tie in with the curtains. I found a fun retro yellow and orange striped cotton (which also came from curtains) and a beautiful yellow floral remnant that complimented the curtains well. I also included a simple blue and white stripe to ground the concept and contrast with the florals. I love the combination of florals and stripes!
Each season, I create staple homeware pieces using new fabrics - cushions, placemats and table runners. To start with, I create one of each so that I can see the collection together and it gives time for our wonderful photographer Steph to come in and photograph them for the website.
I am currently on the look-out for reclaimed tiles to create a complimentary selection of coasters and trivets. I’m also trialling our first aprons, so I’m excited to make the sample and share it with you!
Each collection is limited due to the amount of fabric that is available and I only make a small amount of each piece to avoid any waste and ensure that I can accommodate customisations such as alternative sizes. If a bespoke size or a variation is required, just email francesca@chesandco.co.uk and we’ll make it for you.
The Spring/Summer collection will launch in March ready for the brighter months. I’m planning to bring you along the journey of creating the collection, so follow us on Instagram if you’d like to see more behind the scenes!
We are also currently working on our calendar for the year as I would love to do more in person events and share the collection, so keep an eye on our events page for updates.