INSPIRATION
A trip to Ireland reveals the rich and storied past of our favourite decorating fabric. TEXT SUZANNE MOUTIS | PHOTOGRAPHY STACEY VAN BERKEL
T he lure of
the trip to bountiful The Emerald Isle is known for many things – shamrocks, leprechauns and St. Patrick chief among them – but it’s Ireland’s history as a producer of the finest linen that makes it a hallowed destination for decor lovers. A product of the flax plant, linen has long captured the attention of design aficionados, conjuring up romantic visions of slouchy slipcovers and slubbed cushions in a whitewashed stone cottage by the sea, with soft time-worn sheets and rustic tea towels flapping on the clothesline out back. Style at Home editor-in-chief Erin McLaughlin and home & style director Ann Marie Favot eagerly packed their bags and ventured to Eire last year to experience first-hand the age-old craft of the region’s talented linen makers. After visiting some of the family-run fabric factories that take linen from field to storefront, they discovered that visiting Ireland can indeed bring those visions to vibrant life.
STYLEATHOME.COM SEPTEMBER 2016
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