New Designer Pattern: Suzani by Jennifer Mitchell

Click here for an entire gallery of fabulous starting points using Suzani.

Hand-drawn and high-end, our newest pattern is graciously contributed by Jennifer Mitchell at DesignHole (the fabulous, on-trend design blog). Suzani is a traditional pattern, with roots in the Silk Roads that connected Europe, Turkey and China with the Muslim world. Suzani draws from the natural world of plants, animals, and the stars to visually describe the beauty of nature.

Custom wallpaper, custom fabric, lighting fixtures, lamp shades, and pillows are all available in a huge range of colors and you can even change the scale of the pattern. Even if you don't buy anything---it is a great way to spend the afternoon!

We had a chance to talk with Jennifer about her lovely Suzani pattern and hope you enjoy reading about Jennifer's lovely Suzani pattern and its origins as much as we did!

[P.S., would you like to send us your pattern? Add a comment or touch base with me on Twitter.com/Alluminare ]

What inspired you to make this pattern?

Aside from the fact that I love Suzanis, my inspiration came from a practical matter. I was working on a bedroom project for a client and thought a Suzani would be the perfect thing for curtains and a matching bedspread. But the perfect thing (at least to my designer's eye) was not to be found. It was a bit of a Eureka Moment when I learned that Alluminare was looking for new patterns. I especially liked the fact that my design could be made into wallpaper, fabric and pendant lamps.

Have you used it in other projects before? If so, how and why?

I used a couple of Suzani pillows as an accent on a client's bed. The pattern's colors pulled the other elements of the room together. It was the perfect finishing touch.

Why do you love Suzani?

My forté as a designer is color. I love playing with using color in unconventional ways, like painting ceilings red. Suzani prints are often very colorful, so I'm naturally drawn to that aspect. But they're also organic - with all the motifs going this way and that. Although Suzanis have been around for centuries, there's something about them that seems very contemporary, which is why they're an emerging trend. Suzanis can be used on just about anything: curtains, bedding, accessories and wallpaper. They're playful, colorful and fun.

Anything else you would like to share about your Suzani pattern?

I think your readers would be interested to know that Suzanis are very old and come from Central Asia - Uzbekistan in particular, which was part of the Silk Road. The traders spread the design beyond the world of the nomadic people who made the original Suzanis. Their lives were hard and bleak, so the women decorated just about everything, including rugs, tents, saddlebags - all the things they used in everyday life. They also made wall hangings. Original Suzanis are embroidered, woven and appliquéd.


About Jennifer:

Jennifer Mitchell is an interior designer from Detroit, Michigan. She also writes a popular blog called Design Hole. Jennifer's design work and blog are dedicated to showcasing her unique and creative perspective on beautiful living in the 21st Century. Jennifer studied at The College for Creative Studies. Design Hole has been featured twice in The Washington Post, and her work as been published in Detroit Home and Metropolitan Home magazines.

New Designer Pattern: Suzani by Jennifer Mitchell

Click here for an entire gallery of fabulous starting points using Suzani.

Hand-drawn and high-end, our newest pattern is graciously contributed by Jennifer Mitchell at DesignHole (the fabulous, on-trend design blog). Suzani is a traditional pattern, with roots in the Silk Roads that connected Europe, Turkey and China with the Muslim world. Suzani draws from the natural world of plants, animals, and the stars to visually describe the beauty of nature.

Custom wallpaper, custom fabric, lighting fixtures, lamp shades, and pillows are all available in a huge range of colors and you can even change the scale of the pattern. Even if you don't buy anything---it is a great way to spend the afternoon!

We had a chance to talk with Jennifer about her lovely Suzani pattern and hope you enjoy reading about Jennifer's lovely Suzani pattern and its origins as much as we did!

[P.S., would you like to send us your pattern? Add a comment or touch base with me on Twitter.com/Alluminare ]

What inspired you to make this pattern?

Aside from the fact that I love Suzanis, my inspiration came from a practical matter. I was working on a bedroom project for a client and thought a Suzani would be the perfect thing for curtains and a matching bedspread. But the perfect thing (at least to my designer's eye) was not to be found. It was a bit of a Eureka Moment when I learned that Alluminare was looking for new patterns. I especially liked the fact that my design could be made into wallpaper, fabric and pendant lamps.

Have you used it in other projects before? If so, how and why?

I used a couple of Suzani pillows as an accent on a client's bed. The pattern's colors pulled the other elements of the room together. It was the perfect finishing touch.

Why do you love Suzani?

My forté as a designer is color. I love playing with using color in unconventional ways, like painting ceilings red. Suzani prints are often very colorful, so I'm naturally drawn to that aspect. But they're also organic - with all the motifs going this way and that. Although Suzanis have been around for centuries, there's something about them that seems very contemporary, which is why they're an emerging trend. Suzanis can be used on just about anything: curtains, bedding, accessories and wallpaper. They're playful, colorful and fun.

Anything else you would like to share about your Suzani pattern?

I think your readers would be interested to know that Suzanis are very old and come from Central Asia - Uzbekistan in particular, which was part of the Silk Road. The traders spread the design beyond the world of the nomadic people who made the original Suzanis. Their lives were hard and bleak, so the women decorated just about everything, including rugs, tents, saddlebags - all the things they used in everyday life. They also made wall hangings. Original Suzanis are embroidered, woven and appliquéd.


About Jennifer:

Jennifer Mitchell is an interior designer from Detroit, Michigan. She also writes a popular blog called Design Hole. Jennifer's design work and blog are dedicated to showcasing her unique and creative perspective on beautiful living in the 21st Century. Jennifer studied at The College for Creative Studies. Design Hole has been featured twice in The Washington Post, and her work as been published in Detroit Home and Metropolitan Home magazines.