How do you balance whimsy and elegance in designs meant for children’s spaces
My initial inspiration for the prints in this collection started with my take on Central Park as a child who grew up in New York City and focused on natural elements like the plants and animals that are surrounded by iconic features like the rowboats at the Bow Bridge, the Kerbs Boathouse which stores the model boats, as well as the horsedrawn carriages which I associate with fairytales so very fitting with a children’s room collection (but I am forever partial to fairytales and fables so I think it’s inclusive- children and adults alike!), and the beautiful Bethesda Fountain depicting a graceful angel. Meshing the animals, nature, and some if the iconic more architectural references was my starting point to create a pattern that connects the urban with the natural which is what very much defines Central Park. I used the idea of having little scenes/vignettes (like animals interacting with one another, the birds chatting with the fish or a couple rowing under the bridge) connected by a ribbon like shape of grass and water so the eye can travel all the way around the lampshade, very similar to the winding paths that are in Central Park.
How do you balance whimsy and elegance in designs meant for children’s spaces
I source so much of my inspiration for my work in general from my memories of the children’s books I grew up with as well as the classic movies my parents exposed me to at a young age like Sabrina or Gone with the Wind so balancing whimsy and elegance in the designs meant for children’s spaces comes from a place of wanted to create illustrated worlds that don’t necessarily assume a specific audience’s age but rather play around with formal or classic things by using a looser line quality or embracing all the inaccuracies, mistakes, etc that inevitably come up while I draw and paint.
What emotions or experiences do you hope families feel when they bring these Shades into their homes?
My intention for the shades is to add a subtle yet playful levity to a space in the home while still remaining elegant and decorative.
What part of New York did you grow up in, and where do you live now? What was the house you grew up in like?
I grew up in downtown Manhattan. My childhood home was a brownstone in west Chelsea and because my parents were both painters as well, I was surrounded by a very creative and open environment with all the art supplies at my disposal so I’ve been drawing ever since I can remember. My grade school was on the Upper East Side which is how Central Park became such a familiar place, I walked or drove through it most mornings and afternoons.
How long have you been drawing, and how has your work evolved? Where would you like to see it go next?
I’ve been drawing and painting ever since I was really young, like three years old and my parents were very encouraging. They were both painters and naturally surrounded me with art and took me to galleries and museums. I really enjoyed the stories behind the paintings or taking place in the paintings and that narrative aspect in images is the most compelling part of making art to me today. Children’s books are a huge point of inspiration for my work and it creating an illustrated story is where I would like to see my work go in the future, with the right story.
Any other thoughts/questions around the collaboration you think are important to highlight, please share!
This project with Tulip is really something I’ve been wanting the opportunity to do because it folds in a lot of my interests and inspirations. Fabric, prints in particular for interiors has so much room to be playful and narrative within a formal structure so this design is almost like a continuous children’s story all contained on one lampshade.
Get to Know Pauline de Roussy de Sales
How do you balance whimsy and elegance in designs meant for children’s spaces
My initial inspiration for the prints in this collection started with my take on Central Park as a child who grew up in New York City and focused on natural elements like the plants and animals that are surrounded by iconic features like the rowboats at the Bow Bridge, the Kerbs Boathouse which stores the model boats, as well as the horsedrawn carriages which I associate with fairytales so very fitting with a children’s room collection (but I am forever partial to fairytales and fables so I think it’s inclusive- children and adults alike!), and the beautiful Bethesda Fountain depicting a graceful angel. Meshing the animals, nature, and some if the iconic more architectural references was my starting point to create a pattern that connects the urban with the natural which is what very much defines Central Park. I used the idea of having little scenes/vignettes (like animals interacting with one another, the birds chatting with the fish or a couple rowing under the bridge) connected by a ribbon like shape of grass and water so the eye can travel all the way around the lampshade, very similar to the winding paths that are in Central Park.
How do you balance whimsy and elegance in designs meant for children’s spaces
I source so much of my inspiration for my work in general from my memories of the children’s books I grew up with as well as the classic movies my parents exposed me to at a young age like Sabrina or Gone with the Wind so balancing whimsy and elegance in the designs meant for children’s spaces comes from a place of wanted to create illustrated worlds that don’t necessarily assume a specific audience’s age but rather play around with formal or classic things by using a looser line quality or embracing all the inaccuracies, mistakes, etc that inevitably come up while I draw and paint.
What emotions or experiences do you hope families feel when they bring these Shades into their homes?
My intention for the shades is to add a subtle yet playful levity to a space in the home while still remaining elegant and decorative.
What part of New York did you grow up in, and where do you live now? What was the house you grew up in like?
I grew up in downtown Manhattan. My childhood home was a brownstone in west Chelsea and because my parents were both painters as well, I was surrounded by a very creative and open environment with all the art supplies at my disposal so I’ve been drawing ever since I can remember. My grade school was on the Upper East Side which is how Central Park became such a familiar place, I walked or drove through it most mornings and afternoons.
How long have you been drawing, and how has your work evolved? Where would you like to see it go next?
I’ve been drawing and painting ever since I was really young, like three years old and my parents were very encouraging. They were both painters and naturally surrounded me with art and took me to galleries and museums. I really enjoyed the stories behind the paintings or taking place in the paintings and that narrative aspect in images is the most compelling part of making art to me today. Children’s books are a huge point of inspiration for my work and it creating an illustrated story is where I would like to see my work go in the future, with the right story.
Any other thoughts/questions around the collaboration you think are important to highlight, please share!
This project with Tulip is really something I’ve been wanting the opportunity to do because it folds in a lot of my interests and inspirations. Fabric, prints in particular for interiors has so much room to be playful and narrative within a formal structure so this design is almost like a continuous children’s story all contained on one lampshade.