Tuesday 13 January 2015

Out of Africa

So, I was drifting around the Home/ Craft/ whatever trade fair at Olympia on Sunday, feeling faintly uninspired by everything I was seeing when I, by chance - and I mean really by chance because I had been going to skip that corner - discovered a stand that suddenly made the whole forty minute bus ride worthwhile (I know.  It's not long.  And I was totally consumed by Frank Garder's biography Blood and Sand, so it was actually quite enjoyable.)  I discovered this:

Eva Soniake

And it might be because I had just been reading an account of travelling through Sudan, and it might also be because I'm just a tiny bit obsessed with Stella Jean -

Stella Jean Spring/ Summer 2015 - totally the look I'm aspiring to come the heatwave

- but either way I suddenly want to cover my entire house in Eva Sonaike's African-inspired prints.  Being me, my eye immediately focused on the straightforward textiles:

Esin Yellow from the Vintage Safari Collection

Esin Green from the Vintage Safari Collection

But these textiles can be turned into cushions (which for once I'm going to say no to as I am beyond over cushioned), pouffes (yes please!!)

Oh my goodness I want one so much.

And bags:

Which may be an easier (not to mention cheaper) way to integrate a bit of Africana to my look this summer.

Eva - who incidentally used to be a fashion journalist for In Style Germany (she is German) so totally got my Stella Jean reference - also does bespoke and makes rugs; you can colour match the colours to whatever it is you need them to match.  The fabrics are great upholstery fabrics as well as curtains/ blinds, and I'm suddenly wavering over my Colefax & Fowler choice for a particular chair (I haven't bought the fabric yet, so there's time.)  The Eva Sonaike mission is "Bringing colour to life" - and oh, I want it in mine. . . .


www.evasonaike.com