P R E S E N T I N G
M O U N T H O R A I
T H E N E W D E S I G N S E R I E S
Mount Horai is a place reached only via the imagination. Its impossible beauty is captured here in a series of masterful visions that draw us into to an ornate, beguiling world that has us revelling in the majesty of nature.
The designs are inspired by nature, appearing vividly imagined and exploring a wonderous synthesis of lavishly drawn flowers, leaves and plants overlaid with a nuanced air of technology. This is implied in the graphic perfectionism of the artwork and the carefully selected palette of sumptuous colour evoking scenes of the surprising beauty of an undiscovered plateau of wildflowers and animals.
Inspiration came from films such as Black Narcissus, Akira, and The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. This was enriched and rendered more opulent by the close study of Japanese enamelwork. The resulting collection creates a distinctive design vocabulary of grand unfurling flowers elaborately hand drawn with wild creative force. The result is a complex and arresting series of designs that enliven the senses and prompt us to wonder at the stupefying beauty of our organic surroundings.
The collection asks us to pause, take a moment, observe the marvels of nature, and then lean in and look even more closely. That nature can then reveal itself to us in new ways and, whether in a torrent of colour or a subtle whisper, bring us into greater alignment with its power. The aim of this collection is simple, to create a moment of boundlessness and possibility, helping us all to create beautiful interiors that lead us into the future.
A Landmark collection
It has been a decade since the brands conception and now, with several collections and best sellers within the studio’s back catalogue, Kit’s new designs explore colour, scale, and imagery. Borne out of one hundred individually hand-drawn artworks, Kit carefully selected and finished each artwork and combined them with a specially curated selection of colours to create new levels of detail and quality.
From our archive
Our archive of artwork is continuously fed and nourished with sketches paintings, and drawings varying from the size of a hand all the way up to artworks which can only be seen in their entirety if hung on the wall. In time, the studio seals these works into a secret place where they lay dormant until the day they are called upon to be brought to life.
Colour
Tonal development is a key part of this group of designs. Kit’s research included references from Japanese film, art, and technology. He even looked to ancient fragments of textiles, discovered in the British Museum’s archive, for clues on striking new colour combinations.
KITMILES on I-Tunes
Playlists edited to accompany the new design series, selected to set the mood. Click here and listen whilst you brows.
T H E D E S I G N S
P I N E F O R E S T
PINE FOREST
Pine Forest negotiates between wild naturalism and orderly repetition in an impressive yet calming design.
Finely drawn needles scatter out like sparks from seed pods. They adorn gnarly, textured bark which almost seems as if it is peeling, giving the design a tactile dimension. The rhythm and repeat of the twisting branches and candle-like pines suggest an ornamental forest marvellous in scale that is augmented by a muted, sophisticated palette. The pared-back simplicity of the motif brings a sparseness and serenity to the composition.
Click an image to order samples
R O Y A L I R I S
ROYAL IRIS
Royal Iris unfurls in a magnificent profusion, glimmering as if one has discovered an untouched Plateau composed entirely from the rarest and most precious flowers.
Butterflies and rare flora create an almost otherworldly scene. The rich palette of golden ochres, inky blues, and verdant greens imbue this curious realm with depth, luminosity, and opulence. The intricacy and control of the draughtsmanship is given full expression in this magnificent scale, speaking to the distinctive design vocabulary of the studio. The super-wide design has no horizontal repeat which intensifies the dramatic impact of the design whilst also significantly reducing waste.
Click an image to order samples
A K I R A
AKIRA
Akira’s abstract composition and rush of pigments prompts illimitable flights of imagination.
Click an image to order samples
P E O N Y J A P O N I C A
PEONIE
JAPONICA
Peony Japonica sees flowers awaken in a magnificent night blooming display. Layer upon layer of brightly coloured petals open to reveal jewel-like stamens amidst their regal, delicate crowns.
Known as ‘The king of flowers’, these Peonies grow among branches intertwined with tendrils of blue wisteria, coiling lyrically between birds and leaves. Shocks of brilliant oranges, pinks, and blues that leap from muted tones let the finer details of this composition sing up close as well as from a distance. This large-scale wallcovering packs both subtlety and impact.
Click an image to order samples
P A L M G R A N D
PALM GRAND
In this exuberant yet purposeful play of colour and form, Palm Grand imagines a wild thicket of life on the banks of a river.
Click an image to order samples
