Textile Designs with a Flair

Speaking of artists, decades later Josef Frank’s designs are thoroughly modern. While quick search showed many of Frank’s designs, there was surprisingly little information about Josef Frank’s life. To learn more I went the old-fashioned research route, perusing Google eBooks library. Some interesting contradictions emerged.

Though Josef Frank is synonymous with Swedish design, he was born and lived much of his life in Austria in the heyday of worldly thinkers and artists. Frank came to Scandinavia only in his 50s, fleeing Nazis. While it is Josef Frank textile designs that have a cultish following today, he was also an architect with a penchant for function (hard to believe looking at the exuberant prints).

There is much said about Josef Frank’s design influences but looking at his patterns I think of Art Noveau and Medieval tapestries. This leafy one is one of my favorites!

The ripe vegetables and sea creatures look like a gourmet mise en place.

This print makes me thing of the Tree of Life!

Swatches from JustScandinavia

Josef Frank originals do not come cheap so I settled for the next best thing for the playroom’s curtains – this Scandinavian print from Ikea. Photos in another klatch!


Swatch IKEA

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