
7. Bark, 8. Faux
Joe Ruggiero Goes ‘Into the Garden’
for Sunbrella
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
While home décor authority Joe Ruggiero has traveled the globe in search of artistic inspirations, he has found some of his most thrilling discoveries in the formal garden retreat of his sprawling California home. It’s these flowers and ferns, trees and shrubs that have given rise to his latest collection of Sunbrella fabrics – “Into the Garden” – set for introduction during December Showtime in High Point.
“The garden is where you can find reflective and inspirational moments,” Ruggiero said. “Artisans and craftsmen throughout history have been inspired by the natural beauty of the world close at hand, and our newest Sunbrella fabrics recognize that some of the most creative ideas are right in front of us if only we pay attention.”
Eight new “Into the Garden” patterns, along with new colors for two existing patterns, will comprise Ruggiero’s signature offerings for the Sunbrella brand during Showtime.
The lead pattern in the new collection is Rosie, a chintz-inspired floral look that is in the midst of a resurgence on fashion runways. Inspired by the multitude of rose bushes that thrive in Ruggiero’s garden, Rosie has a photo-realistic look achieved by using varying levels of pixilation to make the fabric’s pattern look more photographic.
Continuing Ruggiero’s dot series, Spatter resembles pea stone gravel paths common in many formal gardens. A perfect “go-with” pattern, this fabric has a needlepoint look that pairs well with bolder patterns. Spatter is available in Putty, Dove, Oyster, Burlap, Indigo and Cameo.
Bringing to mind meandering garden walkways is Tapis, a fabric featuring an old world look where no pattern or design can be easily discerned. Inspired by Monet’s impressionist, undefined patterns, Tapis represents a number of textures found throughout the garden and is available in Dove, Latte, Indigo and Ocean.
The pattern India has a hand-stitched effect that gives the fabric an artisanal and authentic look. India features a scattering of leaves, a classic inspiration behind Indian, Japanese and Chinese textile design and is available in Dove, Oyster, Burlap, Cameo and Indigo.
Ruggiero focuses on trees in the garden with the pattern Bark, a textured, striped interpretation of tree bark that pairs perfectly with Woven, a design with the detailed look of a hand-loomed fabric. Bark is available in Dove, Oyster, Burlap, Indigo and Cameo. Woven is available in Mist, Lilac, Oyster, Wren, Cameo and Stone, which Ruggiero finds especially beautiful.
“Neutrals with a grey-brown influence continue to be popular in home furnishings and fashion, and our Stone colorway highlights that hue in a refined, elegant way that’s ideal for a variety of furniture,” Ruggiero said. “This color is particularly reminiscent of Geoffrey Bennison and the heirloom glow to his textile creations that became a bellwether in the industry.”
Another tree bark-inspired design is Faux that draws its name from the French word “faux bois” meaning false wood. A brighter, modern interpretation of tree bark, Faux is available in the vibrant colors of Jungle, Capri, Tangerine, Maroon and Seagull.
Crisp is derived from decorative trellises that were popular in the French gardens of Louis XVI as he introduced the architectural element and painted it green to give a sense of life to the garden throughout the seasons. Crisp pairs beautifully with a variety of florals and is available in Dove, Oyster, Putty, Indigo and Cameo.
In addition to the new “Into the Garden” fabric designs, Ruggiero is introducing new colors for existing patterns. The classic ticking stripe Cara will be shown in Pool, Capri, Tangerine, Plum and Pebble. Introduced at June Showtime, the pattern Visions will be expanded to include new colors of Mist, Smoke, Oyster, Wren, Cameo and Honey
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