When designer Brenda Houston approached WeaveUp about printing her stunning gemstone photographs on fabric, we nearly fainted. Brenda Houston is a renowned designer, known for her uniquely detailed mineral photography applied to wallcoverings, textiles, furniture, and accessories. We picked Brenda’s brain about the state of the industry, her aesthetic, and how digital printing is changing everything.

Be sure to shop the Brenda Houston curated & customized collection of WeaveUp designs here!

Tell us about your latest pillow collection.

The textiles launched as a result of our highly successful wall coverings line. We wanted to create fabrics that compliment our custom murals.

How did you leverage WeaveUp’s on-demand printing for this collection?

WeaveUp is a great partner for us because the detail in which they were able to print met our standards in offering our clients the highest quality imagery available. The purpose of the line is to truly capture the beauty of the stones and fossils, highlighting nature’s beauty. No one has come close to producing this imagery the way we do.

Have you noticed more digitally printed textiles being used in high-end interiors?

There is a rise in people wanting more personalized rooms, interiors that are one of a kind, and the ability to change according to the seasons. Textiles allow these goals to be achieved. I am fortunate enough to work with the top 100 in the design community and these are designers who are always looking for something new, unique, bold: they want to make a statement and digitally printed materials have finally come into their own in high-end projects. I think this is mainly due to the advancement of the machines producing top quality imagery.

Your work is so heavily influence by natural elements. When did your love of minerals and fossils start?

The imagery is taken from my personal collection of grade A minerals that I have sourced throughout the world – Morocco, China, Australia, Russia, Madagascar, Bali, etc. I am constantly looking for new pieces to add to my collections. It took roughly a year to develop the technique we use to capture the inherent beauty found in stone in a highly-detailed image.

How would you describe your design aesthetic?

I like interiors that reflect a person’s history and experience. My background as a Visual Director influences the way I create interiors as I always want the ability to change things up. I love my stone collections in textiles creating the juxtaposition of hard surfaces translated into soft materials.


How has the interior design industry changed since you started?

I think that people continue to work with designers but now want to work closely with them to accommodate their personal style as well. Millennials seem to prefer interiors that reflect who they are and are not interested in a set look.

What advice would you give a designer, interior, textile, or otherwise, who is just starting out?

Be original and seek inspiration in all avenues! You will never gain respect copying other’s work so open your mind to all sorts of ideas. Rules were made to be broken so experiment and go with your gut.

Any other exciting things from you we should be looking forward to?

I have several exciting collaborations happening this year. I really enjoy working with other artists and discovering new ways to merge talents together. Stay tuned!

Shop Brenda Houston’s curated collection of WeaveUp designs here. You can follow her on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and at her website.

Brenda Houston is an American award winning designer who’s collections are inspired by using organic minerals. Houston launched the collection in 2008 with lighting and has since added furniture, accessories, wall coverings and textiles. Houston’s works can be seen in high-end hospitality and residential projects worldwide.