Lisa Mehydene is the founder of the wonderful online store Edit58. Lisa- a self-confessed interiors junkie and rug addict is an avid traveller with an enviable eye for must-have pieces, she launched edit58 as a platform to share the irresistible finds she’s collected, combined with her own unique design spin. By building relationships with craftspeople in Portugal, France, the US and one of her favourite places: Morocco, edit58 has flourished into a cult success story that’s no longer such a well-kept secret. I caught up with her to ask exactly what it is she loves about all things vintage!
How do you go about incorporating them into your work?
I love incorporating vintage textiles into homewares, whether that be in my work at edit58 or my own home. At edit58, we have recently created a range of cushions with Navygrey; one side made using their Scottish spun wool tartan and the other using vintage rug fabric. I adore the juxtaposition of the two textures; the soft wool and the more hardwearing striped/checked rug fabric.
Outside of work, in every room in our home we have incorporated vintage textiles; country house curtains resized / reimagined for our barn living room. A vintage tablecloth used to make window pelmets/privacy blinds, vintage runner fabric used on our stairs, door curtains made using an embroidered tablecloth, an ottoman covered in a vintage rug, beautiful fabric remnants framed on the walls……the list goes on!
Where to start when using vintage textiles? Can they inspire a whole scheme?
Absolutely! In one of our bedrooms in our Cotswold Barn a vintage rug was the starting point for the whole “floral explosion” scheme. We used the rug to cover a headboard, and then the offcuts from the rug were utilised in the making of the x2 window treatments and a cushion. We also incorporated a vintage floral sofa, vintage floral runner and floral artworks into the scheme, inspired by the pattern and colourway of the rug.
There really are no limits to either the types of vintage textiles you can use nor how to use them.Vintage curtains (from eBay/FB marketplace/charity shops etc), are a great way to obtain a large amount of material at a good price, and also fabrics which have long since been discontinued. Instagram sellers like ‘Tradchap’ and ‘nataliavioletantiques’ also often have old sets of curtains is great chintz and country house fabrics for a steal.
Unique creative ways of working with vintage textiles?
As mentioned above, I love to use vintage textiles in reupholstery and for window treatments, ottomans, headboards etc. Vintage rugs are PERFECT for upholstery projects like headboards and ottomans as they are so hardwearing but can be worked into those forms with ease.
We also love working with kantha quilts (great for cushions), embroidered tablecloths and napkins (really cheap and beautiful ones can be found at antique/flea markets and charity shops). I also think we need to be more at ease with mixing our fabrics up. A sofa upholstered in a mix of complimentary fabrics (see Cote de Folks striped sofa as a great example!) can look wonderful (and unique) and mean you don’t need to source 10+ metres of the same fabric, which is harder to find
vintage.
Why do you love working with vintage textiles?
So many reasons!...
- I love imagining their history and back story, and that in coming into our home or those of our clients, they are taking on a new lease of life and bringing joy to another family.
- I love the sustainable aspect – reusing, reimagining and repurposing really is the way forward for interiors, if we are to help heal this planet.
- I love that you can use fabric and textiles that may be damaged and would otherwise sit unused. For example, the rug we used for a headboard had a hole in it, but we simply cut that section away and worked around it.
- I love the originality using vintage affords. I don’t want my interiors to look like everyone else’s, and I think our clients value the individuality using vintage affords. I want to live in a home that reflects me and my family, feels layered, textured and cosy – so using vintage fabrics really helps me to achieve this.
Why would you recommend others to work with vintage textiles?
For all the reasons listed above. If you want to inject some individuality, interest, sustainability and history into your home and surroundings – I really cannot think of a better way than layering up vintage fabrics across various elements in your space.
What would your top 3 tips be for anyone looking to start using vintage textiles?
- Always check the condition of the fabrics carefully when buying. For example, you don’t want to bring moths into your space via a beautiful od rug or curtains that are from a smoke filled home etc. Damage/holes/wear is not always an issue (as mentioned above, you can often work around damage and cut that away), but other issues you don’t want to invite into your world!
- Think about using vintage fabrics for other purposes than those they were intended - tablecloths as curtains, kantha quilts for cushions/seat pads/bench seating. Suzanis used as bed throws, linen tea towels or grain sacks stitched together to create a counter curtain…..there are no limits!
- Buy the full amount of the vintage fabric that is available, even if you don’t think you’ll need it all. Much better to have more of a vintage fabric, as you may never find it again, and like with all vintage shopping there is nothing worse than the regret of not buying. It will haunt you!