Chances are, we have a polka dot clothing item hanging somewhere in our wardrobe. However, despite the frequent crossover of fashion and interior trends, the polka dot is rarely seen in the home – until now.
This is something fashion stylist turned interior designer – and longtime lover of polka dots – Sophie Rowell. folk coast Noted herself: ‘In my 24 years working in fashion I saw how polka dots played a lively part in most seasons but when I made my new career path in interiors I realized they didn’t really exist.’ Naturally, when Sophie began working on her first fabric and wallpaper collection, there was no doubt that polka dots would be the focus. ‘Stripes will always have their day and recently we’ve seen checks and plaids coming in but there’s no reason why polka dots can’t be the next staple,’ explains Sophie.
Making her first drop, dowryThe irregular polka dot print, available in three spice-inspired shades, was no easy task. ‘The idea is that it’s not an absolute, regular point. But getting it right without it being too fuzzy or misplaced for the upholstery was a challenge,’ she explains. Each design was hand printed in the UK using traditional techniques which deepened the process.
In addition to the early fall launch, there is now Le Podge, a two-toned design with a dot on the same color background, and soon it is launching both a demi dot, a smaller scale pattern, and five more shades of Le Dot inspired by flowers. Looking to the future, ‘the options in my head are endless,’ she says.
Meanwhile, Matilda Goad, founder and creative director MG&CoFor the past few years, it has dipped into a similar world, launching its polka dot collection this February (it’s available online and at the new Ebury Street Shop). Matilda also looks crossed over with stripes. ‘I see a lot of similarities between the classic Breton stripe and the polka dot – they’re prints that have been used in different guises for centuries and, to me, are timeless,’ she says. For Matilda, the key when working with polka dots is to use them in small doses. ‘The polka dot looks pure that much theater really comes down to scale and placement,’ she adds.
Her new polka dot collection does just that and includes three lights: a large pendant to make a statement, a smaller pendant for clustering or tight spots, and a flush mount that sits on the ceiling. Matilda explains, ‘With this collection, it started with the material – we’ve always been drawn to glass and the way it catches light – and the idea of taking away something rather than adding to it by buffing the circles on the surface’. This builds on what the brand has done before with their pinhole lamp shades. ‘These mimic the polka dot in some ways by their placement. I find this kind of symmetry in design very satisfying – especially in a tiered home, where a sense of order brings balance to even a more condensed scheme,’ she continues.
