I first discovered Kate’s work on Instagram, thanks to our friend Pay Chen (we love you, Pay!). We were popping up in Prince Edward County and that time, Kate was living there, sharing visual snippets of her stunning mid-century home. I was very drawn to her overall aesthetic, and as a lover of colour and print, quickly fell in love with all of her designs.
When I decided it was finally time to launch our first graphic print, I knew I wanted it to be a collaborative collection and Kate was my first pick to work with. So I sent a cold email asking if she’d ever consider working with us, and to my delight she was interested! That was in the Spring of 2023, and it's been a wonderfully collaborative journey bringing these products to life and getting to know one another better during the process! Read on to learn more about Kate and her inspiration, and thank you to Johnny C.Y. Lam for contributing photos of Kate and their Newfoundland surroundings.
Kate, can you tell us a little bit about how you got started with surface pattern design?
I have always loved patterns and growing up in England I was surrounded by pattern. We had patterns that were a part of our daily life and would also visit historical homes and tour the rooms filled with luxurious patterned fabrics and wallpapers.
As a part of my university degree show I hand printed some wallpaper. The process of creating my repeat pattern was extremely simple with acetate transparencies carefully pieced together with tape on my bedroom window. Something about that experience stuck with me and for many years after that I really wanted to design wallpapers.
I had a strong vision for what I wanted to create long before I had the skill set to turn my artwork into repeating patterns. My ideas and imagination were the driving force behind it all. I knew what I wanted to produce, but just needed to work out how to do it.
Over time, I took a couple of very simple classes and learned how to turn my drawings into motifs by scanning hand drawn elements into the computer and vectorizing them in Adobe Illustrator. My first light table was something I bought extremely cheaply on marketplace and it was huge and looked like something from wartime. I loved it and felt exhilarated by the process of finally being about to create what was in my minds eye.
Finding inspirations in the world and turning your ideas into designs which adorn peoples homes is so special and I feel so lucky.
I am now completely hooked on pattern design and love the creative process from start to finish. It is the most wonderful gift to follow your dreams and carve out the unique life which brings you joy. It has been a rewarding journey so far and the path continues onwards.
What inspired the Juniper print?
My Juniper print is inspired by the beautiful common juniper bushes which line the coast, peatlands and rocky heaths of Newfoundland. The bushes are like a pretty carpet swaddling the rocks with beautiful foliage and berries. The fragrance is heady and somewhat intoxicating.
When you connected with Wilet how did you decide that the Juniper Print would be the design that you collaborated on to share?
I worked closely with the Wilet team to review all of my designs and create a shortlist of patterns which we felt might be the best choices for our collaboration. Fairly early on, my Juniper print design stood out as the pattern we both felt would be perfect for our collaboration.
The soft botanical motif has a lightness to it, feeling both calming and uplifting at the same time. Creating a space in our home which is made for rest, relaxation and comfort is incredibly important.
On so many occasions while out hiking I have stopped to take a break, lying atop a soft patch of juniper. Looking up at the sky or watching whales at sea from mother natures aromatic rest spot, it feels so truly special that this design will now help create a comforting and peaceful space in people's homes.
What has been the most exciting part of this project?
I think the most exciting part of the project has been the process of seeing my pattern come to life in this beautiful new form. My Juniper print design is popular in my wallpaper collections but to see it evolve and have new life on the soft linen cotton fabric has been wonderful.
It has been a lovely process working with the Wilet team to make sure that the design was printed to perfection and that the colours and scale were perfect. I couldn’t be more thrilled with the results and know that these pieces will be such a special addition to the home.