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What does a monogrammed hand towel say about its owner? Very little beyond the obvious. It’s why more and more designers are looking beyond letters to offer personalisation services featuring handpicked marks and motifs.
Picture favourite things (a dog, a cuppa, a pastime) embroidered on to footstools by Uncommon Ancestor, a London design studio, or across cushions by New York’s Bode; or painted on tableware by Laboratorio Paravicini in Milan.
“People want their homes to speak a language that feels distinctly their own, with objects — or in our case, patterns — as reflections of memory,” says Zak Profera, founder of textile brand Zak+Fox. For clients drawn to his designs but wanting a more personal touch, he offers a hand-knotted rug that sits between bespoke and off-the-shelf, with motifs from the studio’s library used to create a pictorial narrative. “Choosing a fox, tree or house to embellish a rug becomes about storytelling,” says Profera.
Personalised items can cost more (double or triple that of a ready-made plate at Laboratorio Paravicini) and take longer (about 12-14 weeks for an Uncommon Ancestor stool). But they can hold more meaning, says Uncommon Ancestor founder Kara Douwma. “I’m quite literally stitching memories into the canvas of the fabric — the same way many women before me have told their stories through textiles.” A plate of oysters and a red Cadillac are recent commissions.
“There’s nothing more exclusive or luxurious than having something no one else can have, that’s deeply your own,” says Profera. It’s made to order, and made for one.
Story stool by Uncommon Ancestor,from £2,700
Hand-embroidered with personalised motifs by London artisans; uncommonancestor.com/bespoke
Custom Senior Cord Pillow by Bode, from £395
Colourful handpicked, hand-drawn illustrations on British corduroy; bode.com
Oken hand-knotted rug by Zak+Fox, price on request
Tell a story through an array of motifs, from sitting cats to little dogs; zakandfox.com
Italian ceramics hand painted by Laboratorio Paravicini, from €150
Your house on a decorative bowl, or a memorable holiday on a plate; paravicini.it
Hand-painted tile chests by Julia B Casa, from €5,000
Figurative panels customised in Florentine fashion; juliab.com
Bespoke word linen tablecloth by Summerill & Bishop, £725
Levelling up monograms, a single word hand painted across white linen;
summerillandbishop.com
Tea towels, Tori Murphy, from £42
New this season, a child’s drawing or handwritten message can be embroidered on to linen tea towels; torimurphy.com
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Keith Flanagan
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