a short while after we discussed our love for modular systems, we are talking about grids again. this isn’t just a graphic-designer-turned-textile-person’s obsession — they structure our cities, inform our screens, and quietly underpin almost every page layout and pattern we encounter. but beyond their role in organising space, grids can be a springboard for creativity, allowing designers to build complexity from simplicity. this post explores the grid not as a constraint, but as a tool of liberation — from early modernism to contemporary practice, including how zitozza plays with modularity in its textiles.
The Grid as Modernist Foundation
grids found their spiritual home in early modernist movements. bauhaus, and de stijl artists in particular, like piet mondrian reduced visual language to the essential: horizontals, verticals, primary colours. continuing the idea after the war, the swiss style emerged in the mid-20th century, with designers like josef müller-brockmann using grids to create visual harmony in posters and editorial layouts.
this was design as a rational act — about clarity, neutrality, and structure. the swiss grid system created a framework where typography and imagery could be arranged with precision. it was less about decoration and more about logic, a way to strip back the unnecessary and design a hierarchy of information.
speaking of the swiss — we love brutalism here, so now is the time to mention le corbusier, one of the most influential figures of architecture in the 20th century. in his seminal work towards a new architecture, 1923), he argues for a new visual order grounded in function, technology, and standardisation.
le corbusier's urban visions, particularly the ville radieuse and the controversial plan voisin, proposed cities built on a grid: modular, repetitive, efficient. these were not just aesthetic gestures but ideological ones, attempts to impose order on the chaos of industrialised life.
the city becomes a machine for living. blocks of buildings aligned on rigid axes, roads intersected at clean right angles (and roundabouts - think about glenrothes!), and light, air, and greenery were prioritised through geometric planning. the social and emotional consequences of these ideas are still felt today, but their influence on modern urban environments is undeniable.
the outskirts of bratislava, by SI Imaging Services / Imazins (source: getty images)
the outskirts of bratislava, by SI Imaging Services / Imazins (source: getty images)
Grids in Graphic and Interface Design
in contemporary graphic design, the legacy of the swiss grid lives on in everything from magazine layouts to responsive web design. grids provide consistency across platforms and allow for flexibility within a rational structure.
this is something i have less experience with but it has translated on from print to digital, and in UI/UX design, it is the grids that make digital interfaces feel coherent and navigable. the hidden scaffolding of columns and gutters supports typographic hierarchies and interactive elements, creating experiences that are intuitive without drawing attention to their structure.
The Balance Between Structure and Creativity
but the grid isn’t just about order. it can also serve as a space for subversion. architects and designers often use grids to set expectations — then disrupt them. breaking the grid, or the grid itself, can both become a statement - think about the iconic tables of superstudio.
in textile design, modularity offers a similar tension. zitozza's approach to block printing starts with fixed elements—repeating tiles, geometric forms — but introduces variation through placement, layering, and colour. a grid may begin the composition, but it rarely contains the outcome. it's not unlike building a city out of toy blocks: rules exist, but imagination ultimately dictates the layout.
Grids as a Living Language
grids, like language, evolve. they provide a shared syntax for designers, architects, and urbanists, but are constantly reinterpreted across time and context. from the pure geometry of modernism to the playful modularity of contemporary practice, the grid remains one of design's most enduring tools.
at zitozza, we embrace this legacy. our new collections explore grids as both framework and provocation. they are starting points, not boundaries.
after all, there is joy in structure. and sometimes, the most surprising creativity begins with a line drawn straight.
ahead of our new collection launches, i want to revisit a core idea behind zitozza: the joy of modular design. it’s at the heart of how we create patterns — and why our textiles bring so much flexibility, structure, and character to modern interiors. we talked about this before, in our very first blog post - but we’ve come a looong way since then so it’s perhaps time to revisit these thoughts because i feel like it’s at the core of everything here, yet there is so little written about on these pages.
there’s something quietly satisfying about a system that lets you build from the ground up — pattern by pattern, block by block. at zitozza, modularity has always been at the heart of what we do. it’s more than a method; it’s a mindset.
the act of printing by hand using custom-made blocks invites a kind of architectural thinking. each motif becomes a unit — a brick, a tile, a module — capable of being repeated, rearranged, or rotated to form something larger. the process echoes the very structures that inspire our designs: functional, concrete, geometric. it’s a design language rooted in the modernist ideal that beauty comes not from decoration, but from clarity, rhythm, and purpose.
and yet, there’s so much play in it too.
modularity allows for variation — for reassembly, surprise, even subversion. every print starts with a simple shape, but it rarely ends there. colours collide, edges misalign, and new patterns emerge unexpectedly. it’s not about perfection, but about the whole picture, richness that comes from composition. the hand-printed surface becomes a space of improvisation. each textile becomes a landscape, or rather, a cityscape with buildings and structures.
our new tiles, the RAJZ set (to be released soon!) takes this even further. designed for modern interior spaces - we printed this on wallpaper for the first time ever! - and inspired by the abstract logic of architectural plans and schematic drawings, these blocks are designed for movement and multiplicity. they're not just shapes, but visual cues — arrows, intersections, corridors, walls. they suggest flow. they ask to be built with. as part of the MODERN set of course, these will go seamlessly with other blocks, allowing you to create even more patterns.
the upcoming TOYTOWN and AGGREGATE collections (also coming in may) are just our way of creating with our existing sets. they embrace this philosophy in different ways — one playfully, the other structurally — but both grounded in the joy of repetition and reconstruction. you’ll see echoes of grid systems and city plans, the raw tactility of concrete, the subtle logic of elevation lines. and you’ll also see softness, colour, and warmth. because modularity doesn’t mean rigidity — it means possibility.
i designed these two very different new collections for this summer, to emphasise the variety of moods, colour schemes, looks that you can create with the same handmade process, the same handmade texture, yet very different interiors can be achieved. i love this kind of versatility and if you want to create your own look with these systems, start here.
in an age of ready-made looks and fast consumption, there's something refreshing about design that invites creativity and such freedom of thought. modular design is never final. it welcomes revision, addition, and layering. it lets people participate in the pattern.
and that’s the joy of it.
if you want to be among the first to browse our collections when they’re released, sign up below to our newsletter. it comes with a free downloadable poster every month. stay tuned for our release!
we’re back and finally able to sit down with our thoughts after having watched (and somewhat forgotten about) the brutalist movie. in that review i encouraged the research into the work of the real-life hungarians and brutalists whose lives the fictional story was based on - and i decided to start with marcel breuer since i received a great book about his work for last christmas.
those into design will know this already but i always like starting with the facts, he was born in 1902 in pécs, southern hungary and was one of the youngest students (and mentors) at bauhaus. he went on to establish his own practice in berlin, and after a two-year stint in london he moved to the states in the 1930s, first to teach architecture at harvard, then later to new york city where he continued to practice until the late 1970s.
the cesca chair, 1928
the wassily chair, 1925
for those into design, it’s also easy to recognise the heavy concrete masses of marcel breuer’s brutalist buildings — the hulking cantilevers and deep shadows of the 1960s and 70s that have since become icons of modernist architecture. but what’s more compelling than their visual impact is the thread that connects them to breuer’s earliest work. his design logic didn’t emerge suddenly in béton brut — it evolved from an obsession with functionality, structure, and modularity that was evident from the very start.
before architecture of course, there was furniture. in the 1920s, as a young bauhaus student, breuer designed the wassily chair using steel tubing — a radical departure from traditional craft at the time. lightweight, repeatable, and industrial, the chair wasn’t just functional: it was a system. breuer’s approach treated each part as a modular unit, capable of being assembled into something greater than its parts. this thinking didn’t just define his early designs — it forecast an entire architectural philosophy.
IBM research centre, la gaude, france
IBM research centre, la gaude, france
UNESCO headquarters, paris
UNESCO headquarters, paris
fast forward a few decades of immense architectural output (his practice designed more than 100 buildings), and the same logic manifests on a much larger scale. buildings like the UNESCO headquarters in paris (1951-1958), the IBM research centre in la gaude (1960-1961) or the iconic whitney museum in new york (1963-1966) carry the same DNA — modular systems, articulated forms, and a deep respect for material honesty. breuer’s concrete isn’t decorative. it’s structural, expressive, and fundamentally rational.
the book i’ve been reading — published in 1970s, written by máté major, long out of print, with that peculiar warmth of faded paper and sans serif fonts — documents this journey. the photographs, drawings, and models inside don’t romanticise his work; instead, they reinforce the relentless clarity of his method. whether designing a chair or a cultural institution, breuer asked the same questions: how can material, form, and repetition serve both function and expression?
whitney museum, new york
whitney museum, new york
as someone with a hungarian background myself, i’ve always felt a connection to breuer — not just because of the cultural context of course (despite our country being somewhat late and reluctant to recognise him), but because of how he saw the world through systems. that kind of thinking, for me, translates into surface design: building pattern from modules, constructing rhythm, shaping repetition. of course, my materials are softer, but the logic is not so different.
breuer reminds us that beauty can be found in structure — in the clarity of parts assembled with intention. whether it’s furniture, architecture, or textiles, that modular imagination still resonates.
hello again! we have some news for you, or more like, a review. not a building or a book this time, but a fictional story which i’m not that used to. however when something titled “the brutalist” came onto the scene about a hungarian, of course i felt obliged to visit the cinema for the third time in the decade and i thought i’d share my thoughts with you.
i want to emphasise though, that i am not a story person, it’s probably personally my fault that cinemas are dying, i can’t keep up with any series and, despite loving books and reading, the last piece of fiction i read was probably in high school. i am not proud of this, i am just providing some context for this review so you can safely ignore my take and go view it yourself. the first thing i want to say that it is beautifully made and you can tell that everyone involved in the making of this film took their craft extremely seriously. it is rather spectacular, filmed with a 1950s technique called vistavision, and it’s quite something i recommend watching in the cinema. there is an interesting score throughout, the writing moves at a decent pace despite the long runtime and the actors all do a fantastic job (with a bit of ai enhancement- the hungarian did sound fluent mind you.)
the second thing i want to say about this film though that if you were expecting to see a lot of cool design and beautiful architecture, you will be disappointed. when i first read about the story, following a hungarian-born brutalist architect finding his feet in america after the war, i was hoping it would be more closely inspired by icons such as marcel breuer, lászló moholy-nagy, or even ernő goldfinger but it is a different story. most crucially, our fictional hero, lászló tóth (adrien brody) was unfortunately not able to escape the horrors of the holocaust and moves to america only after having survived it, in 1947, having to start his life and career all over again.
the long runtime is split across two halves, and in the first half, taking place from 1947 to 1952, we see him taken in by a relative (alessandro nivola) who gives him a job in his furniture shop in a small town in pennsylvania, where he meets a wealthy businessman (guy pearce) who will later hire him to design as a sort of memorial to his family for the community, a cultural and sports centre with a library and a church (yes, all that in one building.)
watching this half of the movie i thought this film should be titled “the modernist” instead, as we see him in a quite contemporary struggle of being radical and different in a somewhat more conservative environment. this would be fairly relatable to any millennial i’d imagine, but i’m not sure how true to the depicted age it really is. at one point he creates a steel frame furniture set, reminiscent of something by marcel breuer, only to be met with indifference and rejection. in real life the cesca chair for instance, was a huge hit that would influence furniture design for the rest of the century and further, and, by 1948, it was already a 20-year old design. i’d imagine even in small town pennsylvania it would not be seen that unusual - this is still the country of charles and ray eames. for more context, the new bauhaus, founded by the very real lászló moholy-nagy, was already open in chicago for about a decade by then.
instead of joining them, his supposed ex-colleagues, our hero shovels coal until he gets hired by guy pearce’s unscrupulous character - if this is a metaphor of the loneliness of the average 2010s creative trying to get by in a foreign country with an evening job whilst on an unpaid internship in the hope of securing their first temporary contract at a big-name studio surviving on lawsuit payouts over half-built vanity projects, then i guess it works - i can assure you that an entire generation got the t-shirt.
however as a believable story set in a golden age of industry and building, it does not work as much, although i only have the word of art history books as i was not alive at the time. i do accept that cutting edge modernism wasn’t ever truly “mainstream” as such, but during the time the film was set, it was at least desired, aspirational, and, i’d imagine, decidedly cool. the second half of the movie picks up in 1952 - modernism is massive in the states by now, and for a bit of global context, despite still the rationing, festival of britain is already happening across the atlantic, chandigarh is being built by le corbusier in india and the plans for brasil’s new capital will also be drawn up in a few years time. the film completely forgets about this enormous, global movement of hope and optimism. eyewatering budgets are approved for huge projects to be built, celebrated for generations afterwards. this is a unique era in history of unmatched ambition and prosperity, with a real creative buzz in the air - and this context, this positive mood is entirely, and sorely left out of this miserable story.
then it falls apart a little bit more and there is a revelation in the epilogue that i will spoil below, so please do not read further if you have not seen it yet and want to.
it turns out that the main concrete building (which we never get to see in full) is a replica of the architect’s and his family’s suffering in the concentration camps. no, it is not explained as some kind of visual metaphor, we are explicitly told that it is a near-exact representation. now i understand why a filmmaker, a storyteller might think it works - of course, there are many stories of awful, unimaginable suffering that are told beautifully. but i do not think that spatial design can be like that and i struggle to accept that you can physically recreate the worst known hell on earth and offer it as a sanctuary and place of relaxation and learning for the community. if you really believe that form follows function, then you simply cannot take a building where the function was the extermination of people and give it a different function, especially not of recreation. in fact i find it really quite distasteful towards the memory of the holocaust. i also think it is strengthening this lazy and misunderstood idea about brutalism, that it equals brutality and that the raw surfaces and austere interiors can only come from a place of oppression, imprisonment and suffering. this is quite damaging towards this style of architecture and it might not help the celebration and preservation of these buildings - although if the movie wins awards hopefully it becomes a bit more recognised.
so despite all the miserable nature of the film, i hope that you will still get inspired and will want to explore the work of the real-life hungarians and the real buildings of this era - and find the hope and optimism in the works along the way. i have just got my hands on a hungarian book about marcel breuer from 1970 (when he was still alive) and i will write about this next. subscribe below to be the first to read about this and more brutalist wonders.
new year, new trends! yes, it’s that time of the year when we survey the home interior decorating trends and pick our favourites, that we simply love or would love to serve. 2025 seems to be the year of big, bold decisions as we move away from overly curated spaces and wavy decor in favour of cleaner lines. is the comeback of brutalism on the cards? here are our picks from this year’s roundup:
indivudalism and creativity
it appears that 2025 might be a year of free-flowing creativity and a definite, distinct move beyond minimalism and cookie-cutter curation. it’s the year to be free and make bold decisions to truly express your individual style. pattern clashing, colour clashing, scale clashing, and bespoke designs - it’s 2025, just go for it! if you want custom printed anything - check outwhat we can do for you!
statement hallways
yes! it’s confirmed, no more neglected hallways - despite not spending too much time in them, they do tend to be one of the most frequently used, frequently seen parts of the house and it’s time to breathe some life into them, or go all out. make that first impression! and boy do we just happen to have the runners for you!
it’s still earth tones
yes, brown, terracotta, and of course, mocha mousse. jute, clay, warm, soft textures and colours are still very much in. it doesn’t matter what surfaces you use them on they’re all so comforting and calming, a safe haven from the brutal harshness of the outside world. it’s time to use them, really use them bravely and freely!
vintage & retro
this one is a sweet spot at zitozza! we love mid-century modernism and as the brutalist is at the top of the nominations in the award season for movies we keep our fingers crossed this is our time for the style to make a comeback as we have lots of prints to offer. other sources mention the slick, simplified forms of the 1970s and a comeback of vintage furniture - we love seeing it!
at home spa
remember the covid years and the home office? times have changed, we want to rest at home now, and rest fully and in ever-more indulgent ways. the bathroom is a safe haven for the ultimate me-time and if you kept putting off that bathroom renovation or have always wanted the quiet corner, maybe this is the year to do it, and go all-out on the feature tiles, yoga mats and meditation alcoves.
yellow
oh we love this one. aside of the earth tones mentioned above, yellow is promised to make a comeback in 2025 and we are here for it. it is not the shouty, neon yellows we’re talking about here but the soft, inoffensive kind of mellow-yellow that can be applied in large quantities for maximum happiness. we are solar-powered, desperate modernists here who want the bright, cheerful hues here to stay!
today is a special day as this is going to be my first ever post about hungarian brutalism. i’m not entirely sure why i haven’t blogged about anything in my home country before - perhaps the pressure to know more about these buildings than i do is too much! but i guess the time has come to present something cool and exciting and interesting - this is one of the more famous ones and as such, an internationally more accessible and digestable example - that is the OKISZ offices in budapest, hungary.
built between 1971 and 1973, this office complex is located in a particularly leafy pocket of zugló, the 14th disctrict of budapest, almost exclusively surrounded by art nouveau villas and churches. the architect is recordedas jános mónus - who won an ybl-award (a sort of hungarian pritzker prize i guess) for the “high quality fusion of structure, technology and form” demonstrated in this very building. the company was ÁÉTV at the time, the state development company (according to the construction archives, operational from the late 50s until the late 90s) tasked to build public-use buildings for budapest: schools, hospitals and of course, offices - this one to house the countrywide union of small-scale industry bodies (the acronym is the OKISZ in the building name) and i’m really sorry that the language of the economic structures of socialist hungary does not necessarily translate too well to my engllish language readers but hey i’m trying my best!
it is a striking, fine piece of brutalism that understands and seamlessly fits into its environment without losing its character, not trying to be imposing without being too modest. a review from 1984 claims - and i’m paraphrasing somewhat, that “it would have been shameless and impolite to try and compete with its surroundings, however you should also live up to such an environment full of notable buildings” and it does do a remarkable job at that.
it has an exciting elevation of five floors stacked upon each-other in a dynamic, stair-like manner and a somewhat L-shaped plan. the facade continues this rhythm of protruding concrete mullions between the slick windows - for those who love this style it’s a bit of a jackpot i think. i went on a freezing cold january day in thick heavy snowfall - the white contrast it created with the concrete was really eye-catching from a pattern point of view too, but it also somehow emphasised the spatial nature of this building.
obviously, this is a textile designer’s blog, so i’m a layperson when it comes to the ins and outs of the structural geniuses of such architecture, but eye-pleasing proportions are, i think, a universal language that can be appreciated by everyone.
brutalism is also not necessarily inherently minimalist, you can notice fantastic details even outside - but this is also an interior textile blog so i was yearning to go inside. even though i could not (in fact, a security guard came out to check what i was up to outside too, haha!) however as a part of othernity, the hungarian project for the venice biennale for 2021, a series of guided walks by the centre of contemporary architecturewas organised back in 2020, several bloggers and journalists attended taking amazing photos of the inside. it looks very 1970s, cosy and very socialist (every building in my childhood memories has a similar details or typeface i think!) and it also has one of those ever-moving lifts that we call paternoster in hungary.
i’m going to recommend you two of these articles about this walk in 2020, both with brilliant photography - first hype&hyper (if you don’t know them, please get acquainted with this comprehensive cultural quarterly focused on eastern europe.) and also check out the blog post from welovebudapest, with fabulous indoor shots including of the roof terrace.
for the floor plan and elevations, and an interesting drawing on the accompanying furniture design, please see the previously quoted lechner centre article, it’s very insightful! the reason for this many resources available on this particuar building is of coruse the venice biennale project for 2021 - this building was one of the 12 selected to represent the hungarian pavilion. all 12 were focused entirely on this particular era of architecture and architects of our surrounding countries were invited to participate in their re-interpretation.
despite this celebratory re-discovery happening, brutalism in hungary is quite endangered and none of these buildings are under listed status, however many are loved and used and perhaps the attitudes are changing somewha and after years of the somewhat over-politicised and emotionally fuelled attitudes the architecture of the socialist era in hungary, it’s refreshing to see it getting more appreciated and putting some of these buildings into a more recognised place. i hope to bring you more examples of hungary in the future.
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it’s been a while since we last shared some interior tips but i do always enjoy this time of year for a good old fashioned clearout. in light of that, as autumn settles in, i think it's the perfect time to look at how to introduce bold patterns, deep colours, and plenty of cosy textures - of course with that flavour of modern architectural twist to seasonal decor. below you'll find some inspiring ideas to create a space that feels both snug and strikingly stylish this autumn—featuring our pattern blocks for a fresh architectural edge.
1. large scale, abstract prints
it's dark, it's cold, it's depressing, boo! i always thought autumn is an ideal time to be daring with your decor, and adding bold, abstract prints can cheer you up instantly. our newest TÉGLA tileset offers a modular way to introduce strong geometric patterns inspired by architectural forms. whether it’s through a statement rug, a striking lampshade, or a patterned cushion, these bold prints can bring a somewhat rigid, yet still very playful vibe to your living space. they’re perfect for adding a contemporary edge to classic autumn decor.
top tip: opt for a large printed rugs to ground the space and provide a stunning visual anchor for the room.
2. warm, cosy hues
cherry red is so in this year! and i don't know about you but this year in scotland we've been really lucky with a dry, sunny autumn that highlighted the rich foilage for us. nature's colour palette is all about deep, warm, earthy tones, and incorporating hues like burnt orange, terracotta, warm ochre, and rich burgundy creates an inviting atmosphere. layering these shades with neutral tones—like warm beige or soft grey—can soften the look while still making a bold statement.
top tip: mix and match textiles in complementary colours and patterns. try adding one of our cushions or kitchen towels in a bold burnt orange print to bring warmth to your space.
3. mix and match your layers
as the temperature drops, layering becomes essential—not only in your wardrobe but in your decor as well. this season, focus on combining different materials for a rich, tactile experience. our latest rugs, made from heavyweight jute, bring a more textured and rustic feel, perfect for the colder months. pair these with softer fabrics like wool or velvet to create depth and contrast.
top tip: place a printed jute runner in a hallway or layer it over a larger, softer rug for an added cosy effect that feels as good as it looks.
4. light, light, light!
the clocks have just gone back and far up north it means very, very early darkness unfortunately. in these circumstances, lighting becomes a focal point in autumn decor. you can create some really dramatic lighting effects with our architectural lampshades, designed to cast beautiful shadows and enhance the warmth of your space (especially the jute ones). look for lighting with warmer bulbs to create a cosy glow, or use your lamps as accent pieces that add a bit of visual intrigue during the day.
top tip: place a statement lamp with one of our geometric-patterned shades in a dim corner to create an eye-catching focal point and add warmth to the room.
5. make a bold statement
so this is something a bit leftfield, but if you really need that mood boost, then this could also be a great time to experiment with printed linen curtains, or even a statement wall. use our TÉGLA block prints to craft your own unique pattern, mixing and matching colours to suit your personal style. every piece in our collection is designed with versatility in mind, so you can coordinate different prints and sizes to form a cohesive look that’s bold, warm, and entirely your own.
top tip: why not try a bespoke wall hanging on our recycled linens? textured walls are so in this year - a large hanging would be simply a tactile way of introducing an exciting architectural pattern on a feature wall.
don’t be shy and bring out the bold side of autumn, and let your home reflect a cosy yet striking style that’s uniquely yours with our prints.
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hello again, it’s been another busy month. i’m so sorry to do this to you in october, but my festive calendar is full and i thought it’d be important to share it for those who might want to come and touch some zitozza goodies. at these markets you’ll find a lot of things that are on the website, but also framed prints, little cards and of course, the bargain basket full of our end cuts, which are only available in person, so it is definitely worth coming.
23-24 november - crafted @ dca dundee
152 nethergate, dundee, dd1 4ea - 11am till 5:30pm
we’ll kick this off with CRAFTED at the dundee contemporary arts. i do absolutely love this venue and i’m delighted to be returning for the third time to this amazing creative hub where i always enjoy meeting like-minded people and it's such an impressive gallery setting too.
1 december - v&a dundee winter design market
1 riverside esplanade, dundee, dd1 4ez - 10am till 5pm
i’ll stay in dundee for one more day - i am absolutely thrilled to be included in this winter's line-up of tea green events or the sunday at the v&a dundee. i had an absolute blast in the summer here, i met so many talented new designers and gained so many new fans that i just can't wait to return for the festive period!
7-8 december - great northern contemporary craft fair - online festive market
this is going to be something completely new to me! i've never participated in anything like this before so i’ll be excited to be sharing more information soon as i’m trying to get my brand known outside scotland and make new friends south of the border!
13-14-15 december - bowhouse winter market
st monans, fife, ky10 2db - open from 2pm till 8pm on friday 13th dec, then 10am till 4pm on saturday and sunday
for the last christmas weekend, it'll be time to come home to east fife and meet my local neighbours here. i can't wait to meet you all this winter! do come, see, smell, touch and buy some amazing brand new prints - old favourites and some new gifts too.
*** important notice *** last christmas orders are to be placed by 15th december. anything made to order must be placed before the 9th in order to be made and shipped. the studio will be closed from the 21st december until 6th january. orders placed during this time will be fulfilled afterwards.
can't wait for it to kick off - yes i am eating my porridge as we speak!
hello again - loooong time no see! i do apologise for having disappeared quite a bit. the studio has got somewhat busier but all in a good way, with markets, beautiful bespoke orders and of course, the launch of our brand new tileset (it is definitely coming in september, promise!)
what also seemed to have completely past us by, is the anniversary of our website’s launch, on the 15th august, 2020 which was already four years ago would you believe? throughout this time, this blog has grown quite a bit, so i thought it’d be a good occasion to let you in on the origin story if you’re interested.
i actually didn’t have a clear idea what this will all be when i bought the domain for zitozza in 2018, i was just working in the netherlands at a renowned design agency on a huge interior design project with a lot of italians, and one of them used this nickname for me. i thought it sounded fun, italian and designery - i could certainly see the word “zitozza” on a showroom in milan for sure (don’t laugh, it’s okay to dream - it might still happen one day!)
our first ever prints forming a placeholder background for our website before launch
indeed it was a hyper inspiring and stimulating environment and only a year after finishing my masters i was still full of dreams and ideas, although i was not quite sure what i wanted to do yet. something something brutalism, because i’m me, something something jute, because sustainability, and something something block printing because i already had some printing blocks cut for uni and i didn’t want to stop using them (because it’s so much fun)
the interest in jute and block printing came earlier, at uni, in 2016 when i had undertaken a research project about industrial heritage and dundee, because it was easier for me to research locally than to do something at the borders (i was already living in fife and working as a graphic designer.) because i was a graphic designer, i wanted to print digitally on jute, but i was warned it might not work as it is very fibrous and the printing assistant was worried about messing up his printer and that in turn got me worried about not making my project so i had a “plan b” and i quickly designed some printing blocks to get made as that seemed the easiest thing to do at home during an all-nighter should i need to…
digitally printed jute for dundee heritage project
block printed jute for dundee heritage project (created as "plan b")
block printed jute inspired by industrial landscapes
in the end, the digital printing worked out but i fell in love with the block printing process and simplifying designs into a system of elements. i loved this process so much that i used the same material and the same process again for my final masters project, the “anthropocene” treble collection. „GRIDS”, part one of three used a fresh set of industrial and traffic and logistics inspired printing blocks on jute - it was quite successful and i finished uni on such a high that lead to the amsterdam job straight away - yet somehow i still felt that i was not done with these blocks.
then of course, lots of things happened, i came back from the netherlands and found myself in 2020 when we all had to stay at home. i decided to think about it as the perfect chance to do something i always made vague steps towards but never really managed to finalise. first i took a colour and shape research in the form of embroidery, because during those times we couldn’t even travel anywhere to take photos. so i dyed some yarn and i finished an 8-part series of mini-tapestries which you can find today in the wall-art section.
then i organised my existing printing blocks and i decided to complete both the first bit, from the dundee heritage project which became the HERITAGE series, and the smaller 10×10 additions to GRIDS, which became the MODERN series, and with a lot of colours i printed day and night until the house was chocka with jute and we had to move where we now have a studio with an actual printing table (as opposed to the kitchen floor), a website, a few stockists, been on telly and some magazines and hopefully continue growing into something really quite cool and interesting to many more homes!
anyway, this is kind of the origin story of zitozza. the rest is not yet history because it’s only just started! after just four years, the rest is still the present and the future.
apologies for another long(ish) break between blog posts - it’s worth the wait though as we have a fantastic announcement to make!
we’ll be back with tea green events to the v&a in dundee this summer. you can find us for the whole three days from friday to sunday with the usual high-quality line-up tea green likes to curate.
do come along and treat yourself to something nice - see you soon!
hello again - we have some more exciting brutalism-related news to share! zitozza are proud to be involved with a new exhibition, part of a wider series of events called concrete designs to thrive, exploring how good design can keep a city can fit and well, curated by journeys in design - with city walks, talks, workshops and exhibitions.
you can join the glasgow green and grey walks - sunday strolls around one of glasgow’s favourite parklands, to spaces and places with fascinating heritage, talking en route about thriving in the city (this walk was developed and delivered in 2023 with the help of a small group of guides with experience of homelessness); 2-4pm sundays 16th and 23rd.
we’re thrilled to be a part of the materials and modernism exhibition featuring the work of five scottish creatives, all inspired by modernist architecture, offering key works in mosaic, wood, ceramic, cast concrete and printed textile (that’s zitozza!); open 10am to 4pm monday to friday at the briggait in glasgow, from 12th - 27th june - please do come and visit!
part of this is also design for a city, fit and well- the latest in a series of twilight talks, when an expert panel presents the case for retrofit rather than wrecking ball, remodelling, repurposing, and reclaiming for the better. Extra time and refreshments will enhance the chance for good connection on the evening of thursday 20th june at the briggait.
finally, a call out to help craft healthy city, healthy citizen ‘zines in a set of wednesday workshops at the briggait, exploring well-being and urban design in ‘zine format, to include use of printed smart phone pics captured by our walk participants, posted using the hashtag #concretescotland, 2-4pm wednesdays 12th 19th and 26th june.
journeys in design founder dr john ennis said, “it’s a privilege to bring our concrete designs to thrive to the heart of glasgow in 2024 and to collaborate with such a diverse array of designers, artists and producers around glasgow green and the briggait: it’s very clear why this park and this venue are such treasured parts of the city’s culture.”
hello again, believe it or not, it’s been another month and a very, very long time since we posted anything architectural or photographic - things have been busy but actually, we needn’t always go on a long, exotic journey to find some good, inspiring facades. for this short little trip, we’re staying in edinburgh today to look at another student accommodation.
the building is at 8 roxburgh place (on the corner of west adam place), you can get to it by walking up the stairs behind the dovecot (this is very specific but if you’re a brutalist textile lover, it’s a highly recommended double trip to the textile studios as well as this concrete monster!)
the building belongs to the university of edinburgh and i can’t for the love of my life find the architect! if anyone knows, do reach out. i’m guessing it was built in the 1960s and recently renovated. by all accounts it is rated highly among students, mainly for the excellent location and the stunning views of the city, and i have zero doubt it’s an absolutely brilliant experience to stay there for your studies.
this is a textile design blog though, so as usual, we’re here for the patterns and the facade does not disappoint. it’s only five floors tall so it’s not an imposing monstrosity at all, and the human scale is made evident by the large window panels and the even facade - all floors are the same height, there is not a grand entrance or an all important ground floor, the seamless repeat of windows start immediately off the ground.
the near-square shaped windows sit in rounded rectangles with some relief details above them and it makes me imagine it inside in the style of futuristic space capsules. this panelling continues on all elevations, even without windows, the details are there, which is quite obviously a pleasing sight to the pattern lovers.
there is a bit of an extrusion on the front side, and due to that, it looks like there is a bit of an offset to the grid of windows, which breaks the monotony a bit and brings some excitement to the facade. i enjoyed walking around here - there is another lovely brutalist gem right across it, a university teaching centre recently renovated by reiach and hall. surrounded by the medieval churches of old edinburgh, they don’t look out of place at all in this living, breathing city.
if you liked this short trip, why don’t you sign up to our newsletter below to be the first to read these blog posts! (it even comes with a free poster you can print at home!)
if you came here looking for ideas for your student accommodation, come and browse our shop!
hello again, long time no see, another month went past so quickly. of course, we were quite busy getting our new lookbook published, but even amidst the busiest periods it’s important to make time to get inspired. i thought that i’d recommend something a bit different this time - we aren’t going to recommend a building (well, yes, sort of) or a book (well, yes, sort of…!), we’re going to an exhibition - to my favourite venue in edinburgh -the dovecot studios!
if you’re in scotland, and are into textiles, it’s an absolute must to visit this tapestry studio (chances are, we might have met there as it’s also my favourite place to exhibit at fairs here!) and this spring they have prepared something quite special for visitors - andy warhol’s textiles!
it’s not the first time i saw some them in scotland - a few years ago a wonderfully curated exhibition of artist’s textilestook place in new lanark, which included his work as well as fabrics from picasso, dali and miro amongst others. i remember it being quite large and certainly beautiful - a rich journey into textile designs by artists we mostly know for their paintings and sculptures. this one is based on a similar concept - we all know andy warhol the pop-artist but how much do we know of the textile designer?
the dovecot curated it into a smaller and more focused exhibition that goes through his commercial textile designs. if you’re familiar with his logos and other commercial work, you’ll instantly recognise the easily reproduceable, wet inky screen printing style that marks all the exhibited textiles. the exhibition details this process a little bit if you’re not familiar with it, as well as shares some of the commercial background of the textile businesses these were produced for.
it really is a joyful ride with conversational patterns - mostly on 1950s and ‘60s fashion pieces. you might have seen the button prints before, but there are brooms, pretzels and gardening tools too… and it’s also quite interesting to look close-up and see the graphical quality of the designs. it is also a journey into how the textile industry used to work just a few decades ago.
i have not taken many photos at the gallery itself as it’s much better to look at it in person. however i did buy the big book (i do not often do it after exhibitions) to remind myself of these patterns from time to time.
go go go and see this - highly recommended! until 18th may.
it’s february again… and it seems to be a particularly grey one, but that just makes it perfect time to read about decorating trends, colours, patterns and all the fun stuff. and, as we do it now every year, we’ve collected the main trends to focus on so do join us on a trip into the hottest new interior trends.
1. bOLD colours and brave combos
at zitozza, we have been waiting for this moment for a looong time, but even for the minimalists, it’s probably a good time to say goodbye to the all-beige aesthetic and the grey everything. in the mid-2020s, we are in desperate need for mood-boosting colours and the stranger, and more eye-catching, the better. close the itten book, there are no rules, more is more - we’re getting ready to make some bold, wild prints on new interior fabrics and we cannot wait.
2. hand crafted statement pieces
we have discussed this before - sustainability is not a trend, but an imperative for all industries now, as it should be. for sure, sustainable design processes and practices can be interpreted in many interesting ways and many are slowly seeping into interior trends. one that’s here to stay is how the luxury statement pieces now mean the high-quality, handmade objects made by artisans. exquisite hand crafted details, small imperfections, material honesty - what’s not to love and do we have the rugs for you!
3. luxury gezelligheid
this one is an entirely biased inclusion in the list since zitozza are dutch lovers, but that thing that house beautiful calls “cosy, quiet luxury” and those “real and memorable spaces” dezeen refers to - the dutch have a word for it and if you ever went through a bit of a hygge phase, you need to learn to say gezellig.
it means so much more than cosy - it is a social and friendly kind of contentness. in the home, it may express itself in the shape of ambient lighting (think about our jute lampshades!), warm, tactile textures (think of layers of rugs on the floor!), and open, inviting, sociable spaces ready to be filled with warm conversations. naturally, this means high quality, long-lasting materials and finishes as time well spent is the real luxury now!
4. BROWN (FOR real!)
no, it is not the 1970s anymore, don’t worry. that kind of brown is not making a new comeback. this is a grown-up version, evolved from the earth tone trends we’ve seen in the last few years. at zitozza, we’re particular fans of the almost-black kind of espresso browns, and elle decor mentions chocolate hues, but if that’s not your thing, woods and finishes such as shou sugi ban may bring that tone in your home by more natural means.
5. stripes and checks
nothing we love more than patterns, of course and we’re so glad seeing them mentioned by vogue.horizontal or vertical, or have them clash and make a chequerboard - that’s right up our alley as our modular system of printing blocks can make up similar effects with that unique hand crafted appeal and we cannot wait to bring more of these prints to life - stay tuned!
6. mix and match
as we are all about tactile prints, we do always embrace a version of this kind of trend, but this year it really means a mix and match of all sorts of surfaces and patterns. textured walls are definitely a thing this year but it means a play with hard finishes - metals such silver and gold accents (and yes, stainless steel!) but also, of course, mixing coarse textiles (such as jute) with some soft linens too. exciting times!
if you’re ready to find something for your home, have a browse through our shop or request a sample to see what we’re able to do for your home!
below the articles we sourced these from are linked for further reading, and if you want to be the first to read about sustainable home decor and textiles, subscribe below (it comes with a freebie every month!)
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links:
12 interior design trends we’ll see in 2024 (by amanda lauren, 4th january 2024, forbes)
as we are cracking on with 2024, i’ve decided that of the many architectural inspiration series we planned, it’s probably best to tackle the beast first and share some images and thoughts of the barbican estate in london. i’m calling it a beast because it’s an enormous, expensive and very well-known icon of british brutalism. for this seasoned concrete-hugger, it then makes no sense to keep postponing this blog post any further (especially as our rug already exits and more stuff might come soon…), so do come with us to explore the place from a textile designer’s perspective.
i guess everyone somewhat interested in brutalism knows some of the basic facts - designed on a 35-acre ww2 bombsite by chamberlin, powell & bon for the corporation of the city of london, it opened its first flats in 1969 but the completion of the construction only really finished in the late 1970s, after a long and expensive process and it is now home to approx 4000 people in 2000 flats. of course the uniqueness of the estate comes from the fact that unlike many other brutalist projects in the uk, it was not built for social housing and the architects were not held by the typical council budget restraints -which resulted in one of the most free and complete architectural visions, achieved by some extremely time consuming and labour intensive processes.
if you want to know about these in more detail, my first recommendation is raw concrete by barnabas calder. quite early on in the book, he has a brilliant chapter about the barbican, with some focus on the social context around it, from conception throughout the whole of the construction process which makes for a very informative and interesting read as it touches on some of the tensions throughout the whole process of building it. he provides an important angle that does not often get mentioned on design blogs like these, as we tend to get lost in the form and the aesthetics - with good reason of course, but without context it would become rather meaningless.
i first visited a couple of years ago and the first thing that really affected my perception was its sheer scale. of course it is at this enormous scale that these visions for the order of forms work the best, and i think this is why it’s such a brutalist mecca here, the complete, intact and vast system of space. i don’t exactly know where my search for a geometric order comes from, all i know is that the deceptively monotonous facade of the terraced blocks (arranged in neat squares of course) gives me a sense of enclosed cosiness and open clarity at the same time. in every one of these blog posts i’m attempting to describe this feeling but it’s so hard to explain - there is just this sense of calm that i only find in places such as this.
the three 42-floor tall tower blocks bring some exciting angles with a lean, triangular layout and column of balconies tightly stacked into the sky. of course, the repeating geometric forms serve a textile pattern designer well. it really helps that i visited on a sunny day and the shadows projected on the surfaces aid the imagination in reducing these sharp angles to two-dimensional shapes. but the surface itself, the slate and hammered concrete texture that really is on every surface, is equally important - i always say that i want the weave of my cloth to resemble the raw concrete itself, and the pattern to play with the form.
to explore a bit more about the material and the techy bits of the architecture, my second recommendation is my favourite podcast series, about buildings and cities - they have a brilliant episode about the estate, touching on some of these details of the surfaces too as they take you on a journey around the estate. they’re much better suited to explore a more architectural angle than i’d ever be able to so do have a listen to it.
what i found the most surprising about it that it was a lot less grey than i imagined - of course, the concrete surfaces are raw and beautifully grey, and the shapes and forms are varied and playful, but the pavements are tiled with maroon bricks all over, and the ponds with the surrounding greenery reflect with a very strong teal and green everywhere. it is surprisingly colourful and stimulating in its order, the “oasis” comparisons do seem to be very fitting - not in small part due to the tropical garden accessible to residents only.
but we can’t quite go away of course without stepping foot in the arts centre, home to a concert hall, cinema and exhibition halls amongst others. seeing how the columns and the concrete coffered ceilings repeat and continue inside is an exciting exploration that i really enjoyed even if some of might not work that well today or may be in need of renovation.
for the last recommendation, i want to bring you an article from the rics blog, as it’s quite fresh and talks a bit about some of the repairs as well as bringing you some amazing pictures that hopefully will inspire you to appreciate it if you haven’t visited already - and if you have, i hope you’ll now see it from a surface pattern design angle too.
if you liked this trip, you can subscribe to our newsletter below - we’re only sending these monthly with a free downloadable graphic print, and you’ll always be amongst the first to notify of a new architectural journey, or new prints inspired by them.
hello again, it’s been another month long pause at the blog (sorry!) as we’re trying to prepare for the festive period while juggling a lot of things at the same time, including a new collection that might come before the end of the year and will be our most brutalist one yet! one of our cushions have also been included in a fabulous brutalist selection by gadget magazine t3.com, so the trend forecast was correct and it’s officially in again. i thought that to celebrate this and to get in the mood for the up and coming new collection, it’s time to share some interior tips on how to bring the brutalist forms indoors, with its bold forms and raw, industrial aesthetics. it is more than just an architectural trend; it's a statement. if you're looking to infuse your living space with character and go bold and brave, embracing the brutalism trend might be the answer. in this blog post, we'll take you through some interior design tips to help you achieve that unique, edgy look while maintaining comfort and warmth in your home.
simplify and minimise
this isn’t a call to go full-blown minimalist, but decluttering your space will give the accent pieces the “main character” status they deserve. brutalism thrives on simplicity and clean lines. remove the noise and leave room for your bold furniture pieces and some accent accessories to shine. if you have exposed concrete walls, you’re already there. bring in some stark geometric shapes, and a muted color palette.
hug the concrete (duh, obviously!)
this isn’t exactly breaking news, but concrete is the hallmark of brutalism. if you can't expose your walls or floors, consider concrete-inspired wallpapers or textured paint finishes. you can also introduce concrete furniture or accessories to capture the essence of this trend.
lighting drama
i think this is my favourite. i’m a huge fan of interesting shadows and you can add great depths and warmth to your space by illuminating it with statement lighting fixtures. oversized pendant lights, angular sconces, or floor lamps with sharp lines, and similar. these not only provide ample illumination but also serve as eye-catching focal points and ambience.
honesty to structures and materials
brutalism is part of the form follows function school, so this should be extend to furniture too. choose furniture with structural honesty and that will mean strong, angular designs. consider pieces with metal frames or exposed structural elements. a bit of tactile upholstery will balance the harshness of the concrete and metal elements.
abstract expressions
bare walls need not be alone. if you have room, a few, colourful pieces would both compliment the room and have the art stand out too. brutalism often celebrates artistic expression. large-scale paintings with bold, graphic compositions can add a touch of creativity to your space and celebrate the multidisciplinary nature of the modernist movements.
human touch
a lot of the bad rap brutalism gets comes from a perceived lack of human scale and harshness - but that’s not really what the movement stood for at all. do soften the hard edges, introduce textures and tactile qualities. cozy rugs, cushions, and soft throws in earthy tones can make your space more homely without compromising the trend's integrity. it can also mean hand crafted, imperfect elements against the more pure forms. (yes, i do mean hand block printed textiles, how did you know!)
green up
another misunderstanding about brutalism is the rejection of nature. it is absolutely not. the forms may not be organic, but city planners and architects used to have grand visions for huge parks, greenery under buildings and the like. so having lots of plants in your house is just an homage to that, really.
focus, focus!
in all this starkness, it’s quite a natural wish to have a designated a focal point in the room, like an impressive brutalist-style fireplace or a bold wall covered in textured panels. this draws attention and creates a sense of purpose within the space.
colour it in
brutalist buildings are raw and stark outside, but don’t forget about colours, they do have their role (unité d’habitation, anyone?!) so don't be afraid to experiment with occasional bursts of color. a vibrant artwork or a bold, colourful rug or lamp piece can be a striking contrast against the more stark backdrops.
so there you go, brutalism is certainly not for the faint of heart, but when done right, it can transform your living space into a dynamic, artful haven. it's a trend that encourages self-expression, challenges the norm, and celebrates the beauty of raw, unapologetic design. so, if you're ready to take a daring step in interior design, embrace the brutalist trend, and watch your home undergo a bold and beautiful transformation. we have a lot of things to offer you to achieve that, so do shop around!
hello again, long time no see - i’ve accidentally become a bit of a recluse recently, apologies. in the midst of all the usual busy things though (with new lookbooks and festive market preparations…), i do want to bring you some great posts to read about so i thought it’s time to have a brand new design conversation with someone truly brilliant – i’ve brought you here gina nadal of woven memories, who i first met last year at the CLOTH market in dalkeith. the geometric patterns on display with a computer screen really caught my attention and i had so many questions, so i thought why not have this fascinating conversation right now. so come sit down with us as we delve into process, materials and inspiration with gina!
photography by roxana alison
ZITA: hello gina! i’m very excited to speak to you today, so first things first - could you say a few words about yourself, what you do and how you got there?
GINA: hi zita, it's nice to speak with you. i’m a handweaver based in manchester, originally from barcelona. i moved to manchester in 2015 to pursue an MA in fashion graphics. during my master's programme, i developed the concept of "woven memories," which combines weaving and digital coding for three primary reasons. firstly, to celebrate the shared history of both techniques. secondly, to produce on-demand and reduce waste, challenging mass-production practices. thirdly, to create products that establish an emotional bond before they are made.
while there are numerous studies on the emotional connection people have with objects during or after ownership, there is limited research on how to design this emotional bond during the pre-ownership phase. this was my primary goal during my MA. by bridging these three areas, i encouraged people to use an online interface to write messages. the text was then transformed into abstract patterns by using binary code, which i wove into scarves.
following my MA, i secured a PhD scholarship to further research this area and contribute to knowledge. in 2022, upon graduating from my PhD, i decided to transition into a full-time venture and adapt my research into a business model. customers can now design their patterns by writing messages, and woven memories' online tool translates them into abstract patterns, which I then weave in my studio.
ZITA: what an amazing journey. i first encountered your designs at the CLOTH market in Dalkeith - as a pattern designer myself, your moving, animated display on your computer screen immediately caught my eyes. could you please explain a little bit about your fascinating process?
GINA:woven memories studio specialises in personalised handwoven homeware and fashion accessories. to personalise these items, the customer plays an active role in the process, becoming a co-designer of the final product. as mentioned earlier, customers can use woven memories' online tool and are encouraged to type a message. this message can be personal, contain the lyrics of their favourite song, or even a poem. while typing, the pattern is generated in real-time by translating the letters into patterns using binary code. once the customer is satisfied with the text, they can further personalise the design by selecting colours, adjusting the pattern repetition, or applying mirroring.
i believe these products are perfect as gifts for celebrating special occasions like birthdays and christmas, as well as for commemorating loved ones who are no longer with us.
photography by lauralaura studio
ZITA: oh yes, it is very giftable and i love the idea of translating words into the language of weaving. that makes me wonder, do sentences always come out as a workable weave or are there ones that work less than others?
GINA: certainly, some sentences result in more visually appealing patterns due to the way they stand out. for instance, the other day, i was experimenting with the online tool and wrote 'i love you' in different languages; armenian and punjabi produced patterns i particularly liked. however, i do have two favourite quotes. one is a quote from ada lovelace that encapsulates my research and the concepts behind woven memories: 'the analytical engine weaves algebraical patterns just as the jacquard loom weaves flowers and leaves.' another quote from victoria mitchells states, 'textile becomes a kind of speaking and for language a kind of making,' which i believe reflects what my products achieve—they convey messages on their own, and language brings them to life.
ZITA: that’s really beautiful, and i absolutely love the play with all the different languages! but did you ever encounter “bugs” in the process or find that certain sentences don’t make a good cloth? or do you ever find that you have to tweak the results in order to make it more aesthetically pleasing?
GINA: i haven't come across a sentence that doesn't work on the fabric, as each carries a meaningful message. sometimes, customers may only want one or two words, and in such cases, i suggest repeating the pattern to create more movement and variation. while i wouldn't say i need to alter designs, there are times when customers choose two colours, and i might suggest variations in colour or hue if i believe their initial choice may not work well.
photography by lauralaura studio
ZITA: as someone whose work integrates programming and computer systems at such a level, i feel i have to ask you, what’s your take on the latest developments in machine learning? it seems all the rage now, do you see it as a threat or do you see yourself in the future using it as a tool to create ever more complex patterns? i mean, are there even any limitations to a two-dimensional woven pattern?
GINA: i don't believe AI is inherently a threat. it's simply another new tool, but we must exercise caution in how we use it. we still have much to learn about AI and its short- and long-term consequences. only time will tell. however, i do believe that, in order for the field of weaving to progress, weavers and designers should explore the potential of AI and see what it can bring to us. i'm eager to see what other creators will develop with AI. certainly, i'll be experimenting with it, and whether or not i ultimately incorporate it into my work remains to be seen. However, i think it has the potential to expand my horizons and foster greater creativity.
to be honest, weavers have historically been early adopters of the latest technology, even dating back to the 19th century with the industrial revolution, which began by mechanising textile production.
ZITA: that makes perfect sense in the historical context of weaving indeed. now, having discussed the hyper-customisable patterns you can make from your client’s memories and words, i’d like to ask you about your own collections, which are very beautiful. were they made using the same way or did you use a more conventional design process to create these? where do you go for inspiration for your own collections?
GINA: when we met at CLOTH, i was showcasing two distinct collections: the "LOLI" collection, inspired by a particular individual, and the "RETRO" collection, which drew inspiration from nature (though interestingly, many remarked that the colours and patterns resembled vintage london public transportation fabric). the creative process for these collections differs from my usual approach, as i employed my small loom and 8-shaft tabletop loom, in contrast to my 32-shaft dobby loom. this shift in equipment imposes certain restrictions, but it's precisely these limitations that i find so appealing when weaving with my 8-shaft loom.
i continue to work in blocks, as I believe this defines my distinctive style. weaving offers an array of infinite possibilities and techniques, but there's never enough time to master them all. consequently, i made the deliberate choice to focus on one style and excel in it while remaining open to ongoing learning and exploration.
photography by lauralaura studio
ZITA: serious food for thought here, perhaps i need to learn making such choices too… anyway, i also want to talk a bit about sustainability as the textile industry in general doesn’t have a great reputation when it comes to that but in your work, you seem to be very conscious – design for durability and zero-waste principles seem to be all over your work. do you find them important for your work? do you see a demand for these from customers too?
GINA: absolutely, sustainability holds a crucial place in woven memories' core values. from the inception of the woven memories concept during my MA, sustainability has been an integral part of the vision. weaving on-demand is a central practice, avoiding mass production and significantly reducing the waste often associated with fast fashion. i believed that if I were to establish a business from the ground up, it should adhere to sustainable principles right from day one, and this commitment drives me to keep learning and improving.
continual research and exploration open doors to new opportunities for minimising our impact on this beautiful planet we call home. reducing waste is a priority, but i also embrace recycling, such as repurposing yarn from other mills after their production, effectively preventing it from ending up in landfills. this practice aligns with the ethos of 'rescuing yarn,' as advocated by shiv textiles. additionally, i recycle materials from previous projects to craft new items for our zero-waste collection. even with threads that can't be repurposed, i store them until they find a new home. just last week, i shipped my first box to sandra junele, a textile artist known for recycling threads to create stunning wall hangings—her work is definitely worth exploring.
i'm doing my utmost to minimise the negative environmental impact of my studio. while i make an effort to use locally made packaging materials with a focus on recycled materials, the next challenge i aim to address is packaging and shipping to further reduce our ecological footprint.
ZITA: it’s very inspiring to see so many textile practitioners making all these efforts, love it! now, there are some questions i ask from everyone – i want you to recommend me a book or an artist whose work is worth checking out!
GINA: that’s a great question! i can offer both a book recommendation and introduce you to an artist.
for a captivating read, i suggest ‘the fabric of civilization: how textiles made the world’ by virginia postrel. this book brilliantly combines the realms of textiles and history, making it a fascinating choice, especially if you share an interest in both subjects.
when it comes to an artist who seamlessly merges music, digital coding, and weaving, you might find the work of beatwoven intriguing. her innovative approach and unique fusion of these elements have made her a significant influence in my own work. exploring her creations could provide valuable inspiration and insights for your own projects.
photography by lauralaura studio
ZITA: fantastic, i will definitely check them out. and lastly, but most importantly, what are you working on at the moment? where can we see your work now and where will see you next?
GINA: i’ll have a busy schedule for the next few months, i’ll be in the london design fair during london design week in september, followed by the great northern contemporary craft fair in manchester in october, and concluding with handmade in chelsea in london in early november. hopefully, i’ll meet new makers, lovely people and see you there!
ZITA: oh i’d love to come to some of those! thank you so much for your time.
oops, another month went past way too quickly… sorry we haven’t noticed, we were too busy with our brand new lookbook, to get it all ready for the height of summer, when our corner of east fife comes to life… we have new nautical looking, industrially inspired home accessories for your summer house! how do you like it?
the thing is, during my research for the yearly article on interior trends, i encountered a few times the idea that he “industrial” (or “farmhouse” or “warehouse” or however-you-wanna-call-it) styles are losing their appeal. but fear not! in this article, as part of our newly launched interior design series, we’re going to bring you some tips on how to revive this look to keep it contemporary and up to date. so what can we do?
freshen up your colours
give the industrial style a burst of energy by infusing colours - be daring, go with primary! it’s an homage to the constructivist movement and the abstract expressionists, a perfect fit for this look. introduce elements of lemon yellow to the nautical theme, vibrant reds, or striking blues to add a contemporary twist. the interplay of bold hues against industrial backdrops creates a visually stunning and refreshed ambiance.
artisanal touches
embrace the artistry and authenticity of artisanal touches. incorporate handcrafted textiles, like cushions with geometric patterns or artisan-made wall hangings, to infuse a sense of human connection. these unique touches elevate your decor, adding a personal and timeless allure to your space and soften the harshness of the industrial look (e.g. if you have any exposed brickwork - hand printed fabrics or wall hangings would be a great way to soften that texture without hiding them!)
green up
breathe life into your industrial-style haven by introducing fresh greens and plants. potted plants, hanging gardens, or vibrant indoor greenery add a touch of nature to your urban oasis. the juxtaposition of greenery against industrial elements enhances the appeal of your decor. bringing the outdoors inside is very much “the thing” to do - so you can do it too. and you can also add green as a colour to your space by simply picking fabrics in these hues.
texture play
ok this is a bit like point 2 but a bit different. you can create a harmonious balance by blending raw and polished finishes. combine exposed brick walls and distressed wood surfaces with sleek metal or glossy accents. the marriage of rugged textures with refined elements adds depth and sophistication to your space.
statement pieces
go bold, go big, go personal. one way to avoid going your interior style out of date is simply make it yours, and yours only. express your individuality captivating statement pieces. add striking art, bold prints, statement rugs or unique sculptures that reflect your personality and style. a well-chosen statement piece becomes a focal point, drawing attention and injecting character into your industrial-inspired space.
cosy up
these trying times have grown the appetite for softness even in those with a hardcore taste in exposed structural beams and raw concrete. but you don’t have to bury it all for a touch of comfort - layer your rugs for warmth and invest in a soft, woolly throw to hug you on a hard day.
so i guess, while there are whispers about the industrial style going out of fashion, the truth is that you don’t have to embark on an expensive adventure of redecorating just yet. you can revitalise the look you fell in love with in the first place with a few well-chosen updates. embrace vibrant colours, add a hand crafted touch, fresh greens, and layer up for cosiness to keep your decor move with the times. let your creativity flow and enjoy the process of reinventing your space with a fresh and invigorated perspective. and i hope you enjoyed these tips - if you’d like to read more of these, subscribe to our newsletter below to be the first to read about our next one.
as a textile designer, i spend a lot of time thinking about surface — how it behaves, what it suggests, and how it feels. when i travel, i often photograph brutalist buildings not just for their form, but for their surface logic — how repetition, rhythm and materiality work together. the palace of justice in lisbon is one of the most quietly decorative buildings i’ve seen, and it’s shaped a lot of my thinking about how concrete and cloth can speak the same visual language.
it’s been a while since we’ve last embarked on an architectural inspiration journey, but holiday season is coming up, so i thought i’d give you a little tip, to visit a wonderful brutalist building in one of my favourite cities. the city is lisbon, portugal, where i showed you a beautiful church before, and this time we’re going to court! okay, nobody’s going to get sued, we are just going to admire the building. the palace of justice stands as a testament to the unique approach to brutalism by the portuguese. join me on a short walk around this gem!
the building was designed by januário godinho and joão henrique de breloes andresen and built between 1962 and 1970. it is in the SOS brutalism database but thankfully it is not currently in danger as it is used as the main court. it stands at the head of parque eduardo VII, a peaceful, green patch in the centre of the city.
it has everything a brutalist marvel should have - the skillful blending of monumental proportions and robust materials - it is a long building with concrete columns supporting its cantilevered facade on all sides. because of that, it looks lightweight that is slightly lifted off the ground, and it does have this uniquely portuguese take on brutalism: the concrete facade here is not raw or imposing - it is incredibly decorated, light and airy, punctuated by geometric patterns and rhythmic textures, corresponding to the delightful tiled surfaces this country is so famous for.
the structure and the shape of the supporting columns create an interesting rhythm, and it is this frequency and rhythm that i find so relaxing. the concrete here is not raw, it is processed and organised into intricate, detailed patterns that pierce through the facade.
obviously it is the patterns i’m attracted to as a textile designer. the tile references in particular have a connection to my favourite way of creating geometric patterns and i love this building for showing that brutalism can be playful and decorative too. my main aim has always been to infuse this modernist spirit into textile designs and create a connection between the realms of architecture and interior decor. i want to bring it inside and bridge the gap between the monumental and the intimate, to translate the feeling of calm i get from these buildings to the feeling of calm at home.
i hope that you get to visit this beautiful building, in the lisbon sun it shines white, with the shadows adding an additional depth to this textured facade. and i hope you’re not tired of my ramblings yet, i always think that every building explains a little bit more about my mission!
if you’re interested in how architecture and surface design connect — or how brutalist texture can inspire calm, not coldness — explore how these ideas translate into our BÉTON collection or get your own block-printed textile pieces. these buildings don’t just inspire what I make — they shape how I think about design altogether.
new month, new blog post! wow, didn’t april just sweep past way too fast. it has been a busy month, and to our pleasant surprise, we have discovered our cushion in simply scandi magazine (which i was not aware before) but it’s a wonderful publication and it inspired a new blog post series - architectural tours are all well but i feel that for a homeware brand we neglect writing about interiors so we'll be doing that a bit more often.
in the first of this series then, we’ll have a look at how you can tweak the “scandinavian style” a bit to add some colours into it and make it uniquely yours. i don’t want to dwell too much on what even defines the “scandi” style, but it is often associated with clean lines and lots of natural light. but looking at the iconic mid-century designs coming from scandinavia, i also believe that it’s a mistake to see this style as anything too white or beige, and it’s really not that far from the modernist zitozza looks (and hey, brutalism!) so yes, yes, you can absolutely incorporate colours and patterns into a scandinavian style. while the traditional scandi aesthetic tends to emphasise light, airy spaces with a focus on white, grey and natural wood tones, there are lots of room to introduce some more colourful homewares in various ways.
pops of colour
the scandi style is not about using colour throughout the entire space, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be colourful! think about it more like using accessories of vibrant or bold colours as accents. this can be achieved through colourful accessories like cushions, throws, rugs, or artwork. select a few key pieces in complementary colours to add visual interest and create focal points in the room.
pastel tones
obviously, this is one of the more associated qualities of the scandi style - just pleasant and cosy! soft, muted pastel colours can work well within a scandinavian-style interior. pale shades of blue, pink, mint, or lavender can bring a subtle hint of colour without overpowering the space. use these colours on walls, textiles, or smaller decor items to maintain a light and airy atmosphere.
natural textures and elements
scandinavians are surrounded by some fantastic nature and they do like their outdoors, i think. so another way to introduce colour is through natural elements. incorporate plants and flowers to bring vibrant greenery and pops of natural colour into the space. additionally, consider wooden furniture or accessories with warm, natural wood tones that add warmth and texture while infusing the room with earthy hues.
patterns
scandinavian design can also feature patterns with colour (do you remember early 00s ikea huh?) so yes, my favourite advice - consider using patterned textiles, such as curtains, upholstery, or rugs, that incorporate colourful geometric or nature-inspired motifs. this can inject visual interest and personality into the space while still maintaining the overall scandinavian aesthetic.
statement pieces and fabrics
yes, this can mean the jacobsen chair, or anything else you may have in that category but there are lower-budget versions for this too. introduce a bold, colourful furniture piece or artwork as a focal point in the room. this can be a vibrant rug, a sofa, an accent chair, or a large colourful painting or wall hanging. by keeping the surrounding elements more neutral, you allow the statement piece to shine and bring a lively touch to the space.
overall, i guess the key is to maintain the finely tuned balance between colour, pattern, texture but in a calm, nordic manner, with the minimalistic, clean lines typically associated with scandinavian design. select colours that harmonise with the overall palette and aim for a cohesive look throughout the space, and don’t worry about a bit of clash - remember the colourful, contemporary looks of nordic brands like marimekko or hay - all is well with a splash of colour! by strategically incorporating bolder patterns, you can infuse your scandinavian-style interior with a touch of vibrancy and personal style - and we’re here to help you with that!
