Blythe House visit with Kay

I loved this trip, not only because I adore looking at vintage fabrics. Love big old dusty books. It was a beautiful building, but mainly it brought back memories of my grandad.

I did not know what to expect to see on the tour. I knew Blythe House held the archives for the V and A, and also the science museum. What awaited me was a wonderful collection of fabric and wallpaper samples. I was like a child in a sweetie shop, not knowing where to look first. My grandad as a profession used to design wallpaper for stately homes. I suppose to be more accurate, he was an artist who hand painted and restored wallpapers in stately homes. His house was always filled with samples of his designs, colour wheels, and the smell of paint. As a child I completely took them for granted. Even got told off for scribbling with felt tip pens over some of them. I had wondered why the adults were making such a fuss, "I had enhanced them had I not?" were my thoughts.


Here at Blythe House were samples just like his. Beautiful, delicate designs, and I felt emotional seeing them. It never had hit me until then that I was doing a degree in a field in which my grandad had worked. I knew he had gone to Art College where he studied to become a painter, something his father had done before him. I wanted now to ask him all the questions about his artistic life. All those questions as a child you never consider. Why ?.... he was just grandad. He whistled, and gave me fruity polo's.

Blythe House had a wonderful collection of fabric sample books out for us to look through. Heals fabric sample book for example, an invaluable guide to a company renowned for promoting modern design in Britain. My firm favourite on display was the collection of Presage Paris Fashion Forecast books. Amazing they were, all like pieces of art in themselves the way they had been compiled. I could have scooped them all up and taken them home with me.

It was a wonderful morning, and certainly a source of inspiration, which I would use to research into any future designs I may do. Thank you Kate for introducing me to it, and reminding me what a clever grandad I did have.