Step inside Linwood’s Hampshire studio and you’ll find walls alive with colour – hand-painted florals, vintage fragments, and evolving sketches that chart the journey from idea to finished fabric. It’s here that Linwood has built its reputation for creating design-led British fabrics that balance artistry, craftsmanship, and modern living – a place where creativity never stands still.
This behind-the-scenes look reveals how Linwood’s latest printed linen collection, Maru, was born: from a spark of inspiration to the moment a design finds its place on a sofa, curtain, or cushion.
Inspiration in Motion – The Starting Point Behind Maru
Every Linwood collection begins with curiosity – a fragment of embroidery, a painting, a pattern glimpsed in a vintage textile. The Maru collection began this way: inspired by a centuries-old Turkish bedspread, its delicate silk embroidery worn by time yet still radiating beauty.
‘We were captivated by the fragment,’ recalls Linwood’s design team – Ella Richards and Jill Duffy-Unwin. ‘It had this extraordinary lion motif, slightly tattered, yet so alive.’
Back in the studio, the design was pinned to the wall and allowed to settle into the rhythm of the room. Nothing is rushed here; ideas are given time to breathe. ‘We like to see each one every day,’ says Richards. ‘When you live with a pattern, its character reveals itself – the movement in the stitchwork, the quiet geometry holding the motifs, the soft trace of history in its worn silks.’
There is a gentle ritual to stepping back, pausing, and seeing with fresh eyes. From a distance, a pattern behaves differently – you begin to sense how it might fall as a curtain or lend quiet authority to a favourite armchair. It is in these unhurried moments that clarity arrives, and the studio fills with that rare, almost atmospheric feeling of a design taking shape – not simply drawn but discovered.
From Sketch to Surface – Developing Maru
Each design evolves from paper to pattern through a gentle process of exploration and refinement. Traditional methods remain at the heart of the studio: motifs are drawn and painted by hand in watercolour and gouache, allowing movement, rhythm, and tone to find their natural balance.
‘We both love the hand-drawn stage,’ says Richards. ‘It gives the design its life. We explore as many avenues as possible – playing with composition and colour before finalising the repeat. For this design, we tried it with and without the lion, but the motif added a whimsical, lively quality we didn’t want to lose. Our aim was to capture the character of the original stitchwork while making it feel fresh and contemporary. Eventually, Pipili – from our new Maru collection – was born.’
Once the direction is right, hand-painted and pencil elements are carefully digitised, allowing the team to test subtle shifts in scale and tone without losing the spontaneity of the original artwork.
Crafting the Perfect Print – The Making of Maru
Translating a painting into printed linen is an art in itself. Linwood’s design-led linens are produced on a pure linen base cloth – chosen for its natural texture and drape – using state-of-the-art digital techniques that capture every brushstroke.
‘Being with the printer is one of the most exciting stages,’ says Richards. ‘That’s when the designs come to life. You can see the tonal shifts between the artwork and the printed fabric and decide where to soften or deepen areas. It’s never about replicating the artwork exactly – it’s about keeping its spirit.
‘Seeing that first perfect print still gives me a thrill,’ she adds. ‘After months of sketches and colour trials, it’s the moment you know the fabric will live beautifully in someone’s home.’
Each design is rigorously reviewed and tested to ensure the perfect balance of beauty and durability before being signed off. Sustainability also plays a key role: Linwood partners with specialist mills and printers that share its commitment to responsible production, ensuring colourfastness, strength, and minimal environmental impact.
The result is a collection of printed linens that feel timeless, tactile, and ready for life in an array of interiors.
Bringing It Home – Styling Maru from Studio to Sofa
Once a design leaves the studio, its story continues in homes across Britain. Linwood’s linen fabrics for curtains and upholstery are created for modern life – equally beautiful on drapery as on a favourite armchair or sofa.
The Ima Marigold design captures that journey perfectly. First hand-painted in warm ochre and soft blue tones, its rhythmic diamond motif was refined into a versatile printed linen that now brings warmth and charm to interiors. Whether upholstered on a classic sofa or used for tailored curtains, it embodies Linwood’s balance of artistry and practicality.
The painterly quality of the Maru designs brings that idea to life – expressive and adaptable, they move effortlessly from classic to contemporary settings. Whether a conversation piece in a sitting room or a soft accent in a bedroom, each fabric unites craftsmanship and comfort with modern ease.
The Enduring Appeal of British Fabric Design
British fabric design is steeped in heritage, artistry, and a love of craft. Linwood sees itself as part of that continuum – inspired by history yet always evolving, reinterpreting traditional motifs for the way we live today.
‘Every design has a story behind it,’ says Richards. ‘That’s what makes it special – it’s personal.
‘There’s something magical about knowing a piece we painted here in Hampshire ends up on someone’s sofa hundreds of miles away,’ she continues. ‘That connection is why we do what we do.’
From the first sketch to the finished fabric, Linwood’s Maru printed linen collection embodies the spirit of modern British design: expressive, enduring, and made with care. A celebration of creativity that transforms not only interiors but the everyday spaces we call home.