Back in January Harper's Bazaar confirmed that 'bows are back in a big way' and there is no denying that 2023 was as dubbed by many as the year of the bow.
Our collective love of the perhaps not so humble bow has continued in to 2024 and House of Amitié are delighted to share our own 'marbellous' twist on the bow.
Launching on the 9th September is our unique collection of large decorative statement bows, which we hope might have a new permanent place in your home, we are firm believers that the bow is not just for Christmas and can be styled year round in many different ways!
All of our bows are made using our Juniper marbled design but in 3 different colour-ways; the original 'Blue Anise', 'Neptune', which has a fresh and serene feel to it and our brand new 'Jewel' with sparking tones of cinnabar and coral.
We have chosen our Linen-Cotton Union which creates a sumptuous bow whist still having a lovely drape. As you may already know all of our fabrics are professionally digitally printed to the highest standards here in England and we have had the bows made by a wonderful new friend of ours called Annabel Wond, who runs her own soft furnishings business from a town in Oxfordshire.
Me and Angela caught up with Annabel to ask some questions about her work and our mutual love of the bow.
We personally love to know how and where our treasured items come from and to learn of their provenance as well as more about the skilled maker behind the item, so we hope you will enjoy reading this interview.
Thank you to Annabel for being so generous with your answers and if you would like to see more we have added her details at the bottom of the post.
- Please tell us a little bit about Annabel Wond Interiors and how you came to be a designer ~ maker. Are you self taught?
I started my business in 2021 after a 16 year career in the events industry. I have always been absolutely obsessed with interiors and most of all textiles, constantly looking for ways to elevate spaces at home and making my own soft furnishings. It wasn’t until we renovated our own home in 2020 that I realised I wanted to spend this next chapter of my life doing what I really loved! At first I started helping friends with their room schemes and while working on a redesign of a little girl’s bedroom, I stumbled across local soft furnishing specialist Sandra Duggan. She very kindly invited me to her beautiful workroom and said I could borrow some fabric books for my project. As soon as I met her and saw her set up, surrounded by the most beautiful fabrics, hand sewing gorgeous things for peoples homes, I knew this was exactly what I wanted to do!
Sandra gave me the most wonderful advice and recommended getting my professional soft furnishings diploma from the Victoria Hammond Academy (now known as Master Soft Furnishers). By the following spring I had obtained my diploma and started my business. At first I was taking on projects alongside my full time job in events, working from my spare room in the evenings, then as my business grew I took the leap and quit my day job! It was exhilarating and terrifying in equal measures but I haven't looked back since…
- What has been your favourite project/s to date and why and what is your favourite thing to make?
When it comes to soft furnishings, I really love working closely with clients from the very start. I take time to get to know them and what they want to achieve from the overall look and practicality of the window treatment. I have been exceptionally lucky since starting my business as I have gotten to work with so many amazing clients who have an equal love and passion for textiles as I do. Together we bounce ideas back and forth to ensure we create something truly special. I also absolutely love a challenge so some of the most satisfying jobs have been with clients who like to create something a bit different. I have a very special place in my heart for a roman blind I made with the Soane Britain fabric ‘Scrolling Fern’ to fit an archway window. This project challenged my technical and creative skills, plus I was able to work with one of my favourite fabrics, heaven!
- Where do you work from?
My workspaces have taken on various forms over the last couple of years. I currently have two: I make my bows, prints and hand painted picture mounts from my home studio in Abingdon as this allows me more flexibility when working around my son’s school day. I have also, more recently, started sharing a beautiful workroom with Sandra Duggan nearby in Drayton St Leonard which is where I make my soft furnishings.
- What or who are your sources of inspiration and what motivates you?
I draw inspiration from absolutely everything around me. I’m a total magpie when it comes to beautiful homeware and am very inspired by designers who are pushing the envelope of design and creating something new! I’m also in awe of businesses that have a strong sustainability focus such as Haines Collection and Edward Bulmer. These companies are changing the interiors industry and the way we shop/decorate our homes. I try and take their lead where possible, all of my homewares are made from vintage or repurposed textiles.
- What is your favourite colour palette?
I am really drawn to anything with red and am a huge fan of colour, layering pattern and maximalist style in general.
- Do you have any interior or styling tips for people looking to style up their House of Amitié marbled bows, and where would you hang one?
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from making bows and styling them for photos is that they really do look brilliant EVERYWHERE!! I like to use them day to day as part of a gallery wall to add texture and interest, they look really unique alongside your favourite art or photos and add something a bit different! They also look great on the back of a door handle, cupboard door or as curtain tie backs.
Bow’s are a fabulous way to elevate your party decor. I love hanging them from the backs of chairs for weddings, garden parties or even a simple supper with friends to make the table feel a bit more special. They look just as good outside as they do in! When it comes to more seasonal decor, bows are fabulous for the Christmas tree, bannister decor and look really beautiful adorning a fireplace. Not to mention the perfect gift for the textile/homeware lover in your life!
- What does a typical day look like for you?
I start my day with the school drop off then head to the workroom to work on the soft furnishing projects I have on the go. I then collect my boy from school, have some family time then head to my home studio in the evenings to work on my homeware collections and catch up on admin! Style, rinse, repeat!
- What qualities do you look for when you are choosing fabrics and creating things with fabrics?
You would be amazed how different fabric can behave depending what it’s made of! Natural fabrics are usually my rule of thumb but it also completely depends on the job at hand.
When making curtains one of my favourite fabrics is to use in Romo linara which is a washable linen/cotton union as it hangs beautifully and folds nicely. For the bows I’m looking for something that catches my eye and really stands out, the fabric also needs to be stiff enough to hold its shape nicely. It has been an absolute pleasure working with the HOA fabrics as they are the perfect linen/cotton mix and the patterns are so beautiful and mesmerizing!
- Sustainability is a big focus for us at House of Amitié so if people have smaller pieces or off-cuts of fabric at home (maybe even off-cuts of our fabric) are there any simple projects they could undertake?
I absolutely love this question and it’s one of the many reasons it’s been such a great fit collaborating with HOA as we both put sustainability at the centre of our business ethos. I think there is such a huge opportunity to be creative when presented with surplus materials, especially now we have access to so many amazing and free online learning resources. The options really are endless but I love making little gifts with my fabric offcuts like lavender bags, super easy to make and are lovely hung in a bedroom with a little ribbon or kept in a drawer or cupboard to keep your clothes smelling fresh. I also make napkin rings and napkins with leftover pieces of fabric which can be personalised as gifts or as a different take on place cards.
- The bows you have created for us are beautifully made, can you tell us a little about the process, are they hand sewn?
Just like any project you start with a basic idea and you keep tweaking things until you feel you’ve reached something just right. When I first started making bows they were very simply made with surplus fabric from curtain jobs. Over time I perfected the technique so that the end result is as beautiful as possible. If the bow is going to be backed with a contrast fabric, I always start with cutting out the front and back pieces, for which I use a template so that all of the bows are uniform in size and shape. I then set the right sides together and sew along the edges with my machine, leaving an adequate seam allowance and a small gap so that I can turn them right side out. Once this stage is complete I press all three pieces and hand sew the tail and middle part closed. I then insert wadding into the main section of the bow, this allows the bow to keep its form and gives a more sumptuous look. Once the wadding is inserted I finish off the main section by hand sewing it closed, then press again. I assemble the bow by stab stitching the folds in place on the main section then bring it all together by wrapping the middle section around the other two sections, make sure the positioning is right and the proportions are stop on, then add the little loop that allows the bow to be hung by threading it onto the middle section. To complete the bow I hand stitch the two ends of the middle section neatly in place, et voila!
- What other decorative items could you see being made using House of Amitié fabrics?
I think the beautiful HOA fabrics would be really perfect for tableware, maybe some lovely fabric placemats with a trim or frill and tablecloths, table runners, napkins and napkin rings…the options are endless! I think the marbled pattern would be an excellent and striking way of elevating any table-scape!
- Marbling is a heritage craft that has been around for hundreds of years and at House of Amitié we are bringing the designs to peoples homes and interiors. So many people are still discovering marbling for the first time. Was marbling a new art form to you when we reached out and what do you love about it?
I wasn’t very familiar with marbling until my best friend introduced me to Jemma’s amazing shop a few years ago! It was around Christmas time and she had bought the most beautiful advent calendar filled with marbled treasures made by Jemma. I very quickly became obsessed and have really enjoyed following both the House of Amitié and Jemma Lewis Marbling journey ever since. I find all of the products across both companies so inspiring and beautiful! I specifically love the vibrant colours and patterns you use, there’s something really unique and inspiring about putting a modern twist on such a traditional craft! Something I always aim to do with Annabel Wond Interiors!
Annabel Wond Interiors | Bespoke Curtains and Blinds, Sustainable Homeware
Annabel Wond Interiors (@annabelwondinteriors) • Instagram photos and videos
You can find all 3 of our new marbled bows on our website www.houseofamitie.com from 9th September 2024.
