Vintage-Inspired Flora and Fauna

It's spring year-round at British company St. Jude's Fabrics and Papers, which collaborates with artists to create fresh takes on botanical themes.

Printmaker Angie Lewin and husband Simon started St. Jude's Fabrics and Papers to tilt the balance of power in favor of designers. "Many fabric companies simply buy a design for a limited fee, and give designers little to no control over aspects like colorways—and often give artists no credit for their work," says Angie. She started by applying her own nature-inspired designs to wallpaper and fabric, then slowly added a roster of eight other artists that include illustrators, clothing designers, and painters. Produced in small runs, and manufactured entirely in Britain, the fabric colors are crisp on backgrounds of heavy cottons and linens. Windmills, birds, and flowers twine in intricate motifs, and the artistry behind the designs is evident.

For UK sources, go to St. Jude's; in the US, select pieces are available through Ancient Industries.

Above: "The artists bring their own approach to color, pattern, shape, and line to the collaboration," says Angie Lewin. Artist Mark Hearld is inspired by the birds and flowers of the British countryside; shown here is the Kilkenny Armchair in his Bird Garden print; £800 at Sofa.com.

Above: The Iggy Sofa is upholstered in Angie Lewin's Hedgerow fabric; £1,580 at Sofa.com.

Above: St. Jude's has also paired with artist Karen Revill to create a series of hand-sewn, hand-rolled lampshades, available in any of the company's fabrics. The shade shown here is in Mark Hearld's Bird Garden print on heavyweight oyster linen union.

Above: Harvest Hare Wallpaper by Mark Hearld.

Above: "I'm attracted to the relationships between plant communities on an intimate level," says Angie Lewin. Several of the fabrics are available as cushion covers. Cushion Cover in Hedgerow; £36. In the US, Ancient Industries carries a selection of St. Judes Cushion Covers for $35 each.