Lisa Fine of Lisa Fine Textiles Shares Design Advice and Inspiration

Mississippi-born textile guru Lisa Fine is the founder of Lisa Fine Textiles, which specializes in hand-printed linens that are sold in sixteen showrooms worldwide. With a southern drawl and a truly adventurous spirit, Fine splits her time between New York and Dallas with frequent trips to Paris and India. Over twenty years ago at a camel festival in Jaisalmer, Fine fell in love with India. The colors, the patterns, the Mughal palaces, and gardens were her original inspirations for Lisa Fine Textiles. Since then Fine’s far-reaching travels have continued to influence her collection, where exotic and traditional prints in vibrant and romantic colors feel both worldly and timeless.

Fine’s work has appeared in Departures, Elle Decor, House & Garden UK, House Beautiful, The New York Times, The Herald Tribune, The World of Interiors and Vogue. Prior to designing textiles, Fine worked as a contributing editor for Elle Decor and House Beautiful. She is currently a contributing editor for Town & Country. Her book, Near & Far: Interiors I Love, will be published this October by Vendome.

Tell us a bit about your day-to-day – and what you love most about what you do.

I travel a lot and my days vary depending on where I am. When I am in New York or Dallas I like to start the day early with a long dog walk. It’s the time when I think best.

What made you want to become a textile designer?

I love color and pattern. On my first trip to India over twenty years ago, I knew that was what I wanted to do.

Where do you find inspiration?

All over the world in many forms: archives, museums, other textiles, geometric patterns on pottery. My favorite place is The Calico Museum in Ahmedabad, India.

Do you have a specific person that’s inspired you or mentored you, that one specific person that’s really influenced you?

My friend Carolina Irving, we spent a lot of time in India together designing for our small fashion company Irving & Fine. We were constantly inspired by India and each other.

What has been your most challenging project? How did you tackle it?

Trying to produce in India was the most challenging. I now produce mainly in the United States.

Can you walk us through the story of how one of your favorite textile designs came to be? What inspired it and how that inspiration transitioned to a textile?

I once saw a drawing of an unfinished poppy painted on a wall in an Indian palace. I took a picture of it and my interpretation is one of my favorite designs: Samode from the Samode Palace.

What’s been your favorite project you’ve worked on and why?

Every project is my favorite at the time I’m working on it.

What apps or software can you not live without?

That’s not a good question for me because I don’t understand most of them. Google?

What 3 pieces of advice would you offer to someone looking to update a space?

Buy something new that you love. No matter the value or the size, it always makes you feel good and brightens up a room. Paint your walls a new color, one that may even be a little daring. Add texture, either with pillows or a new rug.

Lisa Fine spoke at The Seekers of New Design – Near and Far discussion on September 25 at DISCOVER ADAC.