Photograph by Emily Followill
ADAC is known for antiques and internationally respected lines—more than 1,200 of them, in fact. However, for their next tour on February 24, designer Anna Braund will be highlighting the center’s “hidden gems,” Southern bespoke collections from small regional makers. “These are the boutique lines that I am really passionate about,” Braund says. “There’s a soul to the work when it’s from a small maker.”
Photograph by Christina DeVictor
She plans to focus especially on handcrafted fabric lines. When patterns are etched or drawn by hand, they have a “relaxed aesthetic”—which is even more evident when the materials are also block-printed or silk-screened by hand, Braund says. The look is “imperfectly perfect and affects the way a room feels.”
Many of these lines draw inspiration from nature, which makes them feel “honest,” she says. “Color combinations feel delicate and natural rather than manicured.”
These lines offer practical benefits too. Though reasonably priced, they offer custom options unavailable from national brands. For example, notes Braund, small makers are often willing to design different colorways; so you’re not limited to standard variations.
Perhaps most appealing of all is the “storytelling” aspect of these collections. “Many pull inspiration from history, Southern vernacular architecture, or personal references,” says Braund. For example, one of Atlantan Clay McLaurin’s fabrics is “Weeping Willow,” an homage to a tree that served as the neighborhood clubhouse when he was a child. “There is a story behind what inspires these makers, and people feel a connection to story.”
Join Braund on this free tour, sponsored by Atlanta Magazine’s HOME, at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 24. Highlights include visits to R. Hughes, Ainsworth-Noah, Schumacher, Fabricut, and Designer Carpets. Register here.
