For The Love Of Tortoise Shell- Our Root Cellar Designs' Version on Fabric & Wallpaper
Why In Design Column:
The Beautiful Tortoise
Boasts a Gorgeous Shell,
But Puts Them In Harms Way!
root cellar designs Honors This Creature
and Their Shell With This Tortoise Shell Pattern
Bringing nature-inspired designs into the home is something that enriches our environment. Many patterns we utilize in the interior design world have been channeled from Mother Nature- look at the Hexagon design which is very popular for floor and wall tile and it comes straight from the bee's honeycomb. One glimpse at many historic fabric and wallpaper designs, it is plain to see how much we love flora and fauna. And, we also enjoy how tortoise shell showcases the beautiful designs of the tortoise and turtle shell.
Many of the tortoise shell designs channel the hawksbill sea turtle, which has been listed as a Critically Endangered species. The shell is a protective cover keeping the animal safe from life's dangers. The Hawksbill has a distinct look from other tortoise with their narrow head and pointed mouth, similar to a bird's beak making it easy for them to reach hard to get to crevices in the ocean and coral reef. Their shell is beautifully colored with a very unique pattern of overlapping designs. There's been a lot of controversy over tortoise shell since many animals have almost gone extinct due to poachers and hunters killing them to sell their shells on the Black Market.
Instead of pining away for the real thing, we relish the design, the patterns it creates and all the beautiful things we can make from our fabric and wallpaper to honor the turtle and tortoise. We print and sell wallpaper and fabric in our tortoise shell design to the design trade and to the consumer on our Shop Page, we create home products like table linens and pillows in this design.
How it came to be...a few summers ago, while working in my East Hampton, Long Island garden a lovely turtle saddled up next to us. I quickly grabbed a pen and paper to illustrate the design, and from there we created this pattern (which has become one of our most popular designs) to add to our collections. Regardless of the exotic sea tortoise or the backyard turtle it appears these lovely creatures are in peril. Take a look at all the possibilities with color and design and all inspired by this lovely shell...
Box Turtle photo via East Hampton Star
"Many isolated forests of East Hampton have experienced a total loss of their box turtles, but they still thrive in many larger woodlands. They require large, connected habitat, as they often move between high and low areas in response to rainfall, and slowly walk a wide loop to ensure a steady food supply." -East Hampton Star
serving a delicious pumpkin pie
on our coral and grey tortoiseshell table linen
pie from @GoodiesbyGab
tortoiseshell pillows showing how different the design becomes when you
bring in various color combinations-
lilac, indigo, peridot and camel
root cellar designs makes placemats,
tea towels, cocktail napkins and table linens and sold on the
printed on linen/cotton below and in colors indigo, camel,
summer blue and peridot
root cellar designs' wallpaper in indigo color
Happy Nesting
XO Tamara
