Laura Ashley quickly became a household name when the visionary namesake set out to reimagine the art of patchwork quilting as screen prints at her kitchen table in 1953. The success of Laura’s artful fabrics and an apron design prompted her foray into the fashion industry, and the home décor line hit the market in the early 1980s.
Inspired by Edwardian chintz fabric, the Summer Palace pattern first debuted in 1988 and has been produced in more than 20 colorways over the years. For luxe bedding and curtains, the print has been reintroduced this year in classic, muted tones as well as modish, high-contrast versions. Botanical wallpapers, reprising wildflowers of Laura’s beloved English countryside, also nod to prints in the company’s extensive archive.
