Textile designer, and owner of Maresca Textiles, Kathryn Faull looked close to home for the inspiration for her latest pattern. Louise Floral honors the memory of Kathryn’s formidable great-grandmother Louise Bell. A resilient and traditionally southern woman, Louise was known for her strong opinions and commanding presence. The botanical design embodies her spirit and individuality, breathing new life into each space it inhabits.
We caught up with Kathryn in this week’s Anatomy of a Design to learn how the collection came together.
Raymond Paul Schneider: When did you first start to develop this new collection?
Kathryn Faull: I drew the first sketches for this design in 2022. It evolved over time, and I redrew different versions over and over until it looked just right. Because I’m designing alone, part of the design process that I’ve adopted is to work on a print, put it away for a few weeks, and then come back to it with fresh eyes. This works for me, but also takes time!
RPS: Please describe your overall creative and design process.
KF: Maresca Textiles is rooted in originality. All of the designs originate from handmade marks on paper. I use various mark-making techniques like block print, watercolor, pen and ink and resist painting to create motifs, retaining their handmade quality throughout the design process. The result manifests in sophisticated patterns with movement and texture that transition from traditional to modern spaces.
RPS: Did you have a specific audience or theme in mind?
KF: Since launching the Botanical collection in 2021, my florals have become the most beloved prints in my collections, and I wanted to continue on with that theme.
RPS: Please describe the methods, tools, and materials you used to develop and prototype this design.
KF: Louise is designed using a resist technique that lends a painterly feel to its floral motifs. Available in 6 stock colorways that complement the rest of the Maresca library, Louise adds another layer to the collected feel of Maresca Textile’s complete collection. It is digitally printed in Pennsylvania on a Belgian Linen/cotton blend ground, and also available in lightweight and upholstery weight, as well as custom coloring.
RPS: Did you utilize a new technique or technology to conceptualize or create this product?
KF: I used a resist painting technique to design this pattern, and overlaid multiple drawings to create layers of color. Most of the other patterns in my collection are tonal or one to two-color prints, so this multicolor effect I was able to accomplish with layers feels like a fresh approach to the collection.
RPS: Describe your overall brand DNA and Ethos.
KF: Maresca Textiles are luxurious printed linens, wallpapers and outdoor fabrics available to the interior design trade through my studio and partner showrooms nationwide. With an emphasis on creativity and quality craftsmanship, the studio offers a fresh perspective on high-end interior textiles. My designs are inspired by a plethora of sources from architecture and nature to my own surroundings in Chicago. The designs are printed or woven on luxury natural materials at domestic mills.
Photography by Meagan Shuptar.
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