Mix and Match: Suzanis and Stripes!

Want to know how you can successfully use a suzani pattern in your home? Pair it with a stripe! Geometrics are best to pair with a more organic pattern such as suzanis because the hard lines of the geometric will accent the more fluid lines of the other pattern. In this case, opposites really do attract! Stripes, zig zags, or even a geometric lattice patterns all work great with suzanis because of this. Take a look at these fabulous interiors where suzanis were paired with stripes and other geometrics in the space...

Usually when pairing patterns scale is an important thing to keep in mind. If you have a large or open pattern, whether it be floral or geometric, you want to pair it with a smaller or tighter pattern. However with suzanis and stripes, scale can be forgotten! Both small scale stripes and larger scale stripes will work with a suzani. So pick what you love!

Another great thing about picking a pair for your suzani is that you don't have to worry about the color of your stripe! You can pick something coordinating, neutral, or go for a stand out color to be a bit more daring.

With suzanis representing something old worldly and vintage, you don't have to worry about matching the colors exactly. Piece together the colors that you love and you'll come up with a perfectly "mis-matched" look.

However if you prefer a more put together look, the multiple colors found in suzanis can provide you with enough colors to coordinate with.

And of course, neutral stripes are always an option to pair with your suzani.

Now its time to pick your pair... Until next time,

Ellenor

The Beloved Suzani

Beautiful embroidered fabrics known as Suzanis have been appearing all over great interiors and design blogs for quite some time now. Their bold patterns make a big statement in the design of a room while bringing a comfortable feel to any interior. As a suzani lover myself, I wanted to shed a little light onto this popular textile.

The name Suzani comes from the Persian word for “needle,” which is fitting given the way Suzanis are made. These beautiful textiles are carefully embroidered and are typically made with cotton and/or silk. Suzanis have been referenced as far back as the 15^th century and most likely originated in what is now known as Uzbekistan. Suzanis were typically given to a groom on his wedding day and were made by his future bride as part of her dowry and to highlight her skills.

Above photo, Kristen Hutchins Design

Sun and moon disks, stylized flowers such as tulips, carnations, and irises as well as leaves and vines, pomegranates, and occasionally fish or birds are common design motifs found on Suzanis. These patterns have become so popular that the traditionally embroidered design is now being printed on many home accessories.

Sultan Bedding by Z Gallerie and Suzani Wastepaper Baskets by Decorative Things

Two great designers who often use the power of Suzanis in their designs are Martyn Lawrence Bullard and Nathan Turner. Antique suzanis can frequently be found in the interiors of these two successful and talented designers, leaving us to ooh and awe over the interiors they create.

Above interiors by Martyn Lawrence Bullard. Interiors below by Nathan Turner.

When creating his own fabric line, Martyn Lawrence Bullard incorporated a lot of what we all love about suzanis and other ethnic fabrics into his designs giving us the perfect balance between traditional and modern aesthetic. Designers Joe Lucas and Parrish Chilcoat of Lucas Studio Inc. used Martyn's Sultan's Suzanni in one of their striking interiors seen to the right.

If you want to try to incorporate some ethnic flair into your interiors, try starting with a few pillows from Fabricadabra. These amazing pillows (some shown below) are made with real vintage suzani textiles so each one is unique. If you are feeling more bold, shop for a full piece of suzani so that you can display it on the wall or use it for upholstery like the pros. Try places like Fabricadabra or 1st dibs for full pieces or furniture already upholstered with a suzani.

Happy Suzani Shopping! Until next time,

Ellenor

Check out these worldly fabrics…

Most popular fabric designs today have been influenced by the same techniques used to make textiles since the early days. In fact, most of these fabrics are still being made using these same ancient techniques. Since these beautiful fabrics are all over the interior design market today, it’s time for a quick vocabulary lesson in some of the most popular of these fabrics and patterns.

Ikat (aka, Flame Stitch) : Coming from the Malay language meaning "tied" or "bound,” Ikats are created using a tie-dye process on either the warp or weft (the direction of the threads), before being woven together to create a pattern. This beautiful textile is typically made with silk, but can be found on all sorts of fabrics today. Ikats have a very long history and are found all over the world. The designs vary depending on the region in which they are made, but are often considered symbols of status, wealth, power and prestige because of the time involved and high level of skill required to make them.

“Flame Stitch” is often used in place of “Ikat” and are in actuality very similar. It is my belief that the Flame Stitch pattern is just one variation of the many designs that the Ikat umbrella covers. This term usually describes the zig zag pattern and is seen as the more simplified or modern versions of an Ikat.

The term Ikat can refer to the textile itself, the pattern, or technique. For more on Ikats, check out this post.

Suzani : Coming from the Persian word for “needle,” Suzanis are embroidered textiles typically made with cotton and/or silk. The patterns used on Suzanis are typically sun and moon disks, flowers (especially carnations, tulips, and irises), leaves and vines, fruits (usually pomegranates), and occasionally fish or birds. These textiles are referenced as far back as the 15^th century and most likely originated in what is now known as Uzbekistan. They were typically given to a groom on his wedding day and were made by his future bride as part of her dowry to highlight her skills.

The term Suzani can refer to the textile itself, the pattern, or technique. For more on Suzanis, check out this post.

Wood Blocked (aka, Hand Blocked) : This is technique is used to print patterns on to textiles and dates as far back as before AD 220 with the Han dynasty in China. This technique was not only used for fabrics, but for paper printing as well. A carved piece of wood is dipped in ink and then stamped onto a piece of cloth to create beautifully patterned fabrics each with their unique qualities. This technique has been found around the world including India where it is most commonly used today to create our beloved fabrics. While some fabrics today are made with more modern stamping techniques including machinery, we can thank the good ol’ fashioned hand blocks for paving the way to gorgeous fabrics. Designers such as Peter Dunham and John Robshaw keep us enthralled with this look through their beautiful fabric designs.

The term Wood Blocked refers to the technique used to create the textile.

Paisley : This pattern is something that most of you are probably familiar with, but don’t know it! A paisley is a droplet-shaped motif that originated in Indian, Persian, and Pakistani design. It is typically produced using the Wood Blocked technique mentioned above

The term Paisley refers to the pattern on the textile.

I hope this quick lesson helped clear up some of the vocabulary for you! Check out our future postings when we dig a little deeper into some of these popular ethnic fabrics and see how they are used in today's stylish interiors.

Ellenor