Throughout her career, initially as an interior designer, and now as a designer of fabrics and wallpapers, Anna has been inspired by her love of old buildings, and their repurpose for contemporary use, heavily influenced by her grandfather – an architect in her native South Africa; whilst her grandmother – a great gardener, inspired in her a love of plants and all their forms.
Anna’s experience affords her an insight into the importance of matching the aspirations of the client, to the practicalities and passion required to maintain a contemporary, relevant, and vibrant collection. Anna completed a 3 year course in Interior and Environmental Design at Chelsea College of Arts earning a Dip.SIAD and Dip.AD, whilst concurrently continuing to develop her love of botanical drawing and painting.
Her success at Chelsea College of Arts led on to her first role in the showroom of the legendary interior designer, Mrs Monro of Montpelier Street, London. It was here in the sample room, amongst all the colourful chintzes, wallpapers, and trimmings, that she found the further inspiration and experience to support her developing career as an interior designer, and the encouragement to expand her technical abilities as a draftsman.
Anna’s some 40 years of industry experience formed the foundation for her collection. A decision to expand her passion for drawing, painting, lino-cut and screen printing, led to her first range of wallpapers. Shortly afterwards, whilst fulfilling a wallpaper design commission in New York, she was asked to provide the matching design on linen, and so the linen collection, mirroring the wallpaper designs, was launched.
Born and raised in South Africa with a strong Irish and French heritage, Anna has always been inspired by holidays in France, Tuscany and further afield, whilst working from her studio in a garden strongly reminiscent of a French country garden. Anna’s designs, driven by both nature and nurture, bring the verdure of the botanical world and the influence of both classical and modern design into her work.