On my recent trip to New York City, I had the privilege and delight of visiting the creative design studio for Brunschwig & Fils. Recently purchased by Kravet, Brunschwig & Fils is one of the most renowned textile décor companies in the world. Their fabrics, wall coverings and furnishings have been used for generations in spaces as diverse as The White House and the Palace at Versailles to lovely English cottages and newly designed modern traditional homes. I was truly honoured to get a sneak peak behind the scenes of the Brunschwig & Fils design process and learn more about the future direction of this iconic company.

In purchasing Brunschwig & Fils, Kravet has truly maintained the integrity and history of the company while providing the infrastructure necessary for the countless historical documents within the collection to be revived and reinvented. 
It is a delicate balance between honouring the history steeped into the prints themselves and the adventure of reinventing the fabrics in new colour ways, textures and weaves that will appeal to a modern clientele. The results are rather stunning, and in my opinion they are swinging the doors wide open to a much younger audience with their new collection.
I fell instantly head-over-heels for this gorgeous faux bois chenille in salmon {above}. Upholstered on an ottoman, a headboard or used as accent cushions {or for the bold and daring, upholstered on a sofa}, this would enrich and enliven any space, from modern to traditional.

I love this reinterpretation of the classic “Le Lac” chinoiserie – softer and more modern on linen rather than the traditional glazed chintz. This particular print dates all the way back to a 1775 French document, a decidedly European, romanticized portrait of life in China. The new modern colour way and weave speak to the longevity that is woven into the fabric of Brunschwig & Fils, right down to their motto: “Good design is forever.”

I hope you’ll indulge me with a decidedly un-designer reference on this next fabric, but the moment I laid eyes upon it I thought of Mary Poppins and her magical carpet bag. I would love to see this lucious weave combined with a distressed olive green leather – perhaps on a wingback chair similar to the one we all feel in love with from Coup D’Etat?

I wish you could feel the hand on this modern reinvention of the classic animal skin {above}. The weight and rich softness of the velvet are nothing short of luxurious.

From the fabrics being created to the work space itself, my visit to the design studios was nothing short of inspiring! My most sincere thanks to David, Jennifer, and the team at Brunschwig & Fils for your gracious hospitality.

For all of my designer friends who are in the Toronto area, you will definitely want to make it out to tomorrow night’s soirée at the Brunschwig & Fils showroom at 320 Davenport in Designer’s Walk. The doors open at 6pm for designers and architects to get an insider’s view to the stunning new collection over drinks, appetizers and the kind of hospitality for which the Kravet family are known. This event is not open to the public but is exclusive to the design trade.

Today I’ll be thinking about how I can honour history while embracing a spirit of adventure and possibility, weaving together the past and the present into a beautiful tapestry of self-expression. Thank you to the creative minds behind Brunschwig & Fils for inspiring this exploration!

Wishing you all a happy and inspired Tuesday!

xo
s.