Never felt so good!

So, the Poppy Club Club has been up and running for several months now - enough time to observe that there is one material increasingly used in all areas of interior design : felt. From tea-cosies to fake plants - passing through wall dividers, cushions and carpets - designers love the stuff and are hugely inventive in its use.
Made from matting and compressing woollen fibres, felt has traditionally been used in Central Asia in the making of tents, slippers and rugs but today it can be found in almost any place in almost any form! Below is a selection of a few pieces that celebrate the versatility and beauty of this fine man-made fabric :

Featured a few months back on the The Poppy Club, (see blog post of May : "Stars of the Silver Screen")Selina Rose has to be my heroine when it comes to felt. Cutting away delicate patterns that let the light through, her cushions, wall panels, throws and rugs are all refined and elegant - exquisite to look at and sure to be the focal point of any room. Divine.

In Finland,  Sirkka Kannusmaki makes a whole range of plants and flowers totally out of felt. They are great for those of us with decidely un-green fingers or for those with allergies. I actually think they are a lovely item in their own right and love the craftsmanship involved in their creation.

Mixko is a design studio set up by Alex Garnett and Nahoko Koyama

who design a variety of accessories and homewares including these gorgeous felt lampshades which come in a whole host of tantalising colours!

In Canada, Felt Studio describes itself as a "laboratory" led by Kathryn Walter, who works exclusively in felt, producing both large-scale artworks as well as smaller functional pieces such as this "Pearl" lampshade.

And above an Etsy find by atelierpompadour in Italy. Several cute designs for cushions can be found here including the "Swallows on a line" and "Rush Hour" pieces  featured above.

This one's also an Etsy find, this time from Regansbrain in Minneapolis, USA. There are heaps of fun combinations on offer and all are made to order. The felt used is in fact "eco-fi" made from 100% re-cycled plastic bottles and is appliqued onto a background fabric. I love the use of a garish backdrop against a monotone felt silhouette!

Devoted to "sustainable living", branch sell several felt items manufactured to a high degree from factory excess wool. I have a soft spot for the "Rosebud" bowl above...

Karen Hilton Designs in England, use felt to celebrate "Britannia", producing cushions that sport some of the best known emblems of "Britishness" : the Queen's Head, the Crown and the Union Jack. Favouring a Pop-Art type style that relies heavily on sihouette and striking colours, she also tips her hat at the USA, paying tribute to that emblem of all emblems, the Stars and Stripes.




And to finish, Canada's Argyle St,  who are amongst the master tea-cosy makers of the bloggosphere.

The geometry of great design by Ply

Ply textiles must be amongst the most talked about designers in the blogosphere of late and with good reason. Their felt cushions sporting bold, geometric designs are striking and up-beat - the kind of flash of colour that can really make a room.
What's even better, is that they are made from recycled wool sweaters adding an eco-appeal to the aesthetic.

Check out the Poppy Club post of March 27th for lovely blankets also made from re-cycled wool : "Quilty Secrets" .