Inside the Studio: The Art Behind Every Design

Step inside the studio at Isla Simpson, where each fabric and wallpaper collection begins with a nostalgic feeling—a memory of cottage life, a seasonal mood, a fleeting light—and ends in something timeless.

Influences & Inspiration

I study old archives & catalogues for old chintz techniques that have largely died out. I try to emulate them, in my own style, using very modern tools.

Laura Ashley & William Morris are hugely influential on my work, both entrepreneurially and aesthetically. I visit old houses and antique fairs to find inspiration.

From initial idea to sketch

Shells, flowers, ribbons and botanical motifs frequently appear in my designs, in the grand tradition of chintz. I gather motifs that speak cosy and timeless to me.

Painting with Pixels & Pigments

Whether it begins with paint or my apple pencil, every design is hand-drawn.

This stage is deeply personal. I’ll spend days adjusting brushstrokes and layering patterns until the rhythm feels right.

Designing with purpose

Once a motif takes form, it moves into pattern composition—scaling, spacing, colour balancing. I aim for a pattern repeat that feels cosy, a nostalgic palette, a print that feels easy to live with.

In production

When a design is ready, it’s entrusted to the expert hands of my production partners. They bring each piece to life—printing on bolts of fine linens and cottons, or onto rolls of richly textured wallpaper.

Each pattern is tested and refined, ensuring it it lives beautifully in the real world—across interiors and homes.

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