Home sweet home: Orla Kiely introduces her new collection
Look out for new upholstery and glassware from Orla Kiely this season. Here she shares her inspiration and the playful details that make her smile
What are your new-season highlights?
The furniture pieces were a real joy to design and will lift the spirits of any room. I like a colourful and playful approach to upholstery and we've designed special custom velvet jacquards alongside printed cloths, so we can really play with texture and mixing patterns.
Any other new designs you're excited about?
I love the new glassware collection. It combines cool, contemporary shapes with richly coloured elements and our gorgeous Stem pattern on the glass itself. It feels special – and very us. It’s a small detail, but there's a new wooden lid for our storage jars in the shape of our classic four-petal flower, which I love. For a bit of fun, we placed a ceramic tile at the flower’s centre, which creates a bold pop of colour.
What defines the Orla Kiely look?
Since founding the label in 1995, after graduating with a master's from the Royal College of Art, I’ve been on a mission to bring joy and happiness with my design. In the beginning, we focused on introducing more structure and design to bags, but it was when we brought colour, print and pattern to the whole collection that we discovered our identity. It really took off from there.
Where do you find inspiration?
Nature is an incredible, endless source of inspiration. What a beautiful world we live in. I love taking the complexities of natural shapes and simplifying them without losing their power or beauty. My colour palette is also drawn from nature. I have go-tos, of course – yellow is a favourite, from brights to ochres; as well as greens, from olives to emeralds; and oranges, from warm hues to burnt autumnal shades.
How do you imagine people styling the range?
I love it when people find their own way of living with our pieces, from one item as an accent to a whole collection. Even over seasons and years, our palette means that every design works together and harmonises. I have so many products that I love to rearrange and curate. I’m always thrilled to be told that my work is uplifting, and I hope the collection brings colour and joy to people’s homes.
Searching for more interiors inspiration? Pick up the newest issue of At Home magazine, out now and free to collect in your local John Lewis and Waitrose shops
Photography: Neil Mersh
Headshot photography: Nicole Nodland
Styling: Hannah Bort
