Striking a modern but vintage retro look with her simplistic 1960s UK inspired designs, Orla Kiely’s textiles is amongst one of the most desirable looks in wallpaper design. Often referred to as “Happy prints” that make you smile, her designs strike a union between old and new and it is easy to see why so many people in the UK are looking to buy Orla Kiely designs for their home.
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Retro and geometric decor has had a resurgence in interior design in recent years with geometric styled wallpaper one of the popular looks on-trend. Oral Kiely style wallpaper is a good alternative to buying the original as it turns a blank living or bedroom space into a real retro feel room or just a large splash of colour with a statement wall in any room.
Mid-century modern styled wallpaper trends come and go but Oral Kiely’s simplified designs puts a modern twist on a 60’s theme, bringing colour and shape breathing new life into an old design. Textile Futures loves her use of colour and shape drawing you into a world of multi stemmed curtains, retro printed lampshades, simplistic childlike huge flower designed walls. We aim to show where and how you can recreate her and buy her look in the UK without spending the earth on original Orla Kiely textiles.
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Who is Orla Kiely?
London based Dublin born textile designer Oral Kiely studied at The National College of Art in Dublin, her first role was in New York designing wallpaper and fabrics where her talent for textiles became clear. Coming from a mathematical science influenced household, when asked she would suggest her inspiration for design came from her Irish grandmother.
Moving to England whilst studying for her master’s at the ‘Royal College of Art’ in London she developed her creativity majoring in knitwear and producing a unique collection of hats in her final show which was quickly purchased by Harrods.
Freelancing for both Marks and Spencer’s and Habitat, when attending London fashion week with her father comments that, no one where’s a hat anymore but everyone carries a handbag. Prompted by this idea she started to explore laminating fabrics for designing handbags, this was a break through in 90’s design and with her husband, in 1997 they formed The Orla Kiely Partnership.
From this point on her textile designs were growing in popularity with the Guardian describing her as “the Queen of Prints” and a recent Scotsman article describes how Orla Kiely inspiration for temporary 1960s designs which were influenced by Scandinavian living have taken on a new appear in décor design, her designs are one of the most recognised from kitchen Tupperware to wallpaper designs.
Why Orla Kiely Captures the Right Mood
Everyone craves good design and wallpaper is a striking way to stamp your signature on a space you live in, geometrics coupled with muted retro colours are a great place to start and Oral Kiely’s original and now classic designs capture the right mood for this vintage-inspired look.
Curved repeat designs and large almost childlike drawn flowers and foliage make up what her mid-century modern collection in home textiles is all about.
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The simple truth is that Oral Kiely has encapsulated a trend in wallpaper design and textiles, becoming one of the best looks in 60’s inspired design. Her most sort after patterns are Multi Stem wallpaper designs, this pattern comes in new colourways as she reinvents it to reflect changes in season and fashions, with the design printed in giant stems, linear stem and the classic multi stem.
Giant abacus flower or multi-striped petal, are two more sort after designs with a large simple four petal flower as the basis for the print. Creating the right mood with these strong minimalist patterns
need to not have the high-ticket cost of buying designer original wallpaper with Oral Kiely style wallpapers in similar designs available at a fraction of the cost.
How to Get the Designer Orla Kiely Look on a Budget
Having a fabulous vintage look kitchen or living room doesn’t always include the need to buy original wallpaper or textiles, with this modern twist on a 60’s print being found in other wallpaper designs at much lower cost.
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Similar designs to Orla Kiely are available in high street stores across the UK, a good look through shops like B&Q or Homebase should enable you to find something suitable as a replacement which should create you the feel you are looking for. John Lewis and Next are two of the big-name brands where you can buy Orla Kiely original wallpaper and other textiles for the décor snob who just can’t live without the real thing.
Buy Orla Kiely at the Lowest Price
Buying online is by far the best option for Orla Kiely style wallpaper. With stores like Wayfair plus online wallpaper shops and small decorating retailers on eBay.
With a push you can find something to suit all budgets from original Orla Kiely multi stem wallpaper to a retro leaf print or simple retro styled flower designs.
Amazon UK however, offers a great variety in designs – here you can buy both Orla Kiely style wallpaper and authentic Orla Kiely, lower-cost accessories.
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Boutique and specialist wallpaper outlets on Amazon stock wallpaper from printed textile companies like Arthouse and Debona, just like Orla Kiely’s designs, with a retro simple feel they include geometric leaf print wallpapers and floral brown-orange leaf wallpaper. Prep work is of course key and before you start to paper your wall with designer paper then please go out and buy the best wallpaper stripper you can get your hands on. Cheap products never make sense – purchase the best you can afford.
Debona Jasmine Glitter Wallpaper, Arthouse retro house Floral yellow wallpaper plus Arthouse retro leaf prints in subtle retro colours are the best substitute to the original, with these designs costing around a quarter of the original designer price tag. They also sell Orla Kiely textiles including curtains, fabric and lampshades to complete the look, at the lowest prices available both online and on the high street.
Retro Designs in Modern Living
Retro living with its mid-century feet planted firmly in the 21st century décor, brings a calming smooth look to your home – with the use of simple shapes and hints of colour mixed with neutral shades they complement each other.
Two eras moving closer together in terms of design shape and colour. Finding alternatives to replace design classics can sometimes create the look you needed for a space in your home, but more often for that perfect finish, you need a touch of class maybe an original lampshade or curtains, bedding or jars something that pulls the design together.
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Whilst deciding on a retro sitting room with Orla Kiely style wallpaper themed you may still be able to combine other branded textiles whilst keeping to a tight budget, by adding multi stem cushions from Orla Kiely or lampshades, both products are available on Amazon ready to buy with free delivery options.
With her stylish look, you can mix and match adding original textile products here and there enhancing the overall look. Original products are usually printed on well-made and designed materials so there’s no need to worry about quality as her products are high end and always in demand with great reviews.
The retro look is one of our favourites at Textile Futures here Orla Kiely has managed to encapsulate the basics of what mid-century modern is all about, her designs or similar can really enhance your home with light and airy textiles in neutrals, filling a wall or room with her linear stem prints or a more colourful burst from a giant stem pattern in muted greens or blues.
50s and 60s Nostalgia Themed Wallpaper
There is something about this look that has the feel-good factor, maybe it’s the 60s nostalgia or just the feeling it has a hint of cool, but the designs are deep-seated in shape and colour combined with that graphic 21st-century edge.
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Creating this fun atmosphere in your home is why her designs have become a must in residential décor, its simple and almost childlike. Timeless designs are often the most sort after whether you are using original textiles from designers’ brands or Orla Kiely styled wallpapers and textiles you should be able to challenge your creative spirit, so have fun take your time to make the right choices for the room or space you intend to create and don’t forget why you chose her designs, keep it simple and fun.