Accessorising areas of the home that are part adult, part kids’ zones can require a delicate balance of fun and sophistication. When it came to refreshing our family games room I was delighted to discover a new cushion collection that perfectly fits the space.
Child’s Play by Textile Designer Chloe Evans, is a clever range of cushion covers that offers the perfect combo of neutral, colour and print. With almost a tribal look, the nod to children’s fun comes from how the designs were created. It is a print collection inspired by humble childhood arts and crafts through the classic kids’ activity, potato printing!
Green in all its hues is my absolute favourite colour so I zoned straight in on this palette in Chloe’s collection, although there is a lovely sunset range as well for lovers of reds and oranges.
I chatted with Chloe about her designs and how they were created…
So What Inspired This Cushion Collection?
“I was in my Sydney studio during the lockdown last year, and was so desperate to do something crafty and just not think or stress too much about anything. I flashed back to how much I loved doing crafts as a kid with my Mum at home. Homemade playdough, beaded jewellery, clay sculpting, felt making … You name it, we did it. That’s when I remembered making potato stamped cards and how simple and fun it was.
So, after a trip to Woollies, I had my bag of potatoes and just went for it! I didn’t have a plan, all I wanted was to simply enjoy the process.”
“Once I had finished and cleared the aftermath of potato shavings, I looked at my prints and realised these could actually become something.
So, I scanned them all into Photoshop, cleaned the designs up a little and developed them into a digital range of repeating textile prints. I played with colour and scale to create a collection that I think works perfectly with one another.”
Family Games Room Styling
This room is all about relaxing and spending time together. We’re lucky enough to have a dark little room at the back of the house which is perfect for the TV, meaning this space can be TV-free. It’s full of games, electric guitars, a big comfy sofa and a large coffee table for puzzles.
I have print all over the house. I love it. But I wanted the overall look for this space to be calming, mostly neutral with a couple of pops of my favourite green. And it’s a little bit tribal and coastal through the cuttlefish wall art and various timber and rattan finishes. And these cushions fit in perfectly!
There are six cushions in the collection, all featuring two different prints. What I love about this is that it allows you to mix and match, which suits my love of moving things around the house and creating different looks, particularly when new seasons come around.
I also have my favourite one, the Citrus Green Pearl, in the twins bedroom which works so well with the Typoflora wall mural.
So What’s Next For Chloe After Her First Cushion Collection?
“I am now actually doing some self-initiative study into researching different types of traditional textiles around the world. I’m very pro-learning. Just because you’re out of school doesn’t mean you need to stop! So, I can see myself interpreting these traditional techniques and merging them with playful practices for the next range.”
You can find the whole collection over on Chloe’s website as well as follow her on Instagram.
