Design Flash: Juliana Antique Textiles

Last week, in the middle of the rush to get the next issue out, I managed to sneak out of the office for lunch with a complete stranger.

No, I'm not talking about a blind date.

I'm talking about the kind of lunch where I get to meet face to face with artisans and designers about their work. I've said it before, but the most interesting thing about design, at least to me, is what's behind it. When I see something beautiful, I want to know where it came from, how the designer came up with the idea, how it was made. It's not about the consumption part of it;  it's about learning something.

In this case, it was a young designer from Columbia, South Carolina, Juliana King, who owns a company called Juliana Antique Textiles. Funny, unpretentious, and enthusiastic about her work, she had me from "Let me show you this pillow." A couple of examples follow below.

Her pillows are made using 19th century French galloons [elaborate trims], many of them remnants of antique ecclesiastical garments, sewn onto rich velvet. The metallic cording used to finish the pillows dates from the turn of the twentieth century.

I like the simplest designs that Juliana has come up with best, because I just like simple things in general. Her tone-on-tone examples are my favorites.

And because I like pairing fine things next to humble ones for contrast, I think these pillows would look great, after they were a little worn in, on a casual linen sofa or chair rather than something fancier.

How would you use them?