Interior and exterior confidence
Create Academy has been such a great resource. I'm in the middle of renovating a bungalow with a very large garden and the courses have offered a wealth of inform...
Harvey
Jun 10, 2026
Understanding textiles - Part 2
with KATHRYN M. IRELAND — Renowned interior and textile designer. AD Top 20 Most Famous Interior Designers, Elle Decor A-List.
Lesson 5 of 23
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Kathryn takes you through a simple scheme and continues to guide you how to put fabrics together in a room, including how to mix different styles and scales to give a sense of depth.
From the Lesson Workbook
Understanding Textiles - Part 2
Although I like to keep my schemes quite calm so nothing is 'shouting', it's also important to have enough difference to give a sense of depth.
- I gather together a number of different fabrics that have pattern & colour, but are quiet, which then enables me to add stronger colour in other ways.
- Headboards are a great place to bring pattern and colour into a room.
- I try to avoid having plain on plain. Rooms need some pattern somewhere, and having it on top of something plain can actually help it stand out more.
- When using smaller fabric houses be aware that dye lots differ, so if you order the same fabric a couple of months apart, the colours might be slightly different. Similarly, I never try to match colours exactly across mediums (paint to fabric for example). Decorating is not perfect!
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May 31, 2026
Magic in small spaces
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Interior and exterior confidence
Create Academy has been such a great resource. I'm in the middle of renovating a bungalow with a very large garden and the courses have offered a wealth of information to dive into and explore new ideas. I'm...
Harvey
Jun 10, 2026
Absolutely love Create Academy
Absolutely love Create Academy! The instructors are extremely informative, and it is beautifully filmed. Create Academy is great value for money and plan on renewing my subscription yearly because there are ...
SG
May 31, 2026
Magic in small spaces
Butter's creativity is stunning! Her ability to incorporate brilliance in small gardens is magical!
Carla
May 30, 2026
Your Instructor
Kathryn M. Ireland
Renowned interior and textile designer. AD Top 20 Most Famous Interior Designers, Elle Decor A-List.
One of the most influential interior designers in the world, Kathryn M. Ireland is known for creating comfortable, down to earth interiors that enhance everyday living. Focusing first on the needs of family life, Kathryn deftly mixes practicality with a considerable dose of effortless cool and unpretentious grandeur. She designs real spaces for real people - as well as creating homes for a cult following of A-listers too. Born and raised in the UK but now based in Los Angeles, Kathryn has also travelled extensively, contributing to her eclectic aesthetic. The author of five books and the designer of her own fabric line, she has been internationally recognised with multiple awards, most recently the 2022 Design Icon Award, and is consistently named as one of Elle Décor's A-List designers.
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