Hill Home Design meets - Zeal Interiors
The Studio.
Nestled in Bristol’s grade 1 listed Portland Square is a studio belonging Holly of Zeal Interiors, maker of bespoke curtains, blinds and soft furnishings. Behind the solid wood paneled front door and sandstone walls the whirr of the sewing machine can be heard and creativity runs rampant. Enchanting fabrics hang from the walls, trims are displayed and threads in every colour adorn the walls. There’s a huge cutting table in the middle of the room but the real showstopper is the arched window at the end, as an Interior Designer I LOVE a good period feature, and this just takes the biscuit.
Holly took great delight in showing me around her light-filled studio talking about different fabrics, trims, colours and linings and I asked her about how she got into this industry.
It turns out her mum is a curtain, blinds and soft furnishings maker and her dad is an upholsterer and after a career in TV Holly decided to follow in their footsteps. She now has over 10 years in business creating fabulous soft furnishings for residential clients in Bristol, Bath and beyond.
Holly took great delight in showing me around her light-filled studio talking about different fabrics, trims, colours and linings and I asked her about how she got into this industry.
It turns out her mum is a curtain, blinds and soft furnishings maker and her dad is an upholsterer and after a career in TV Holly decided to follow in their footsteps. She now has over 10 years in business creating fabulous soft furnishings for residential clients in Bristol, Bath and beyond.
The product
Each piece is made to order and Holly has an encyclopedic knowledge of fabrics, trims, lining and basically anything required to make those soft furnishings extra special as well as practical for modern living! I took a look at some of her work in progress and the level of detail and craftmanship is brilliant, even down to the little pockets she sews into the backs of the curtains to hide the cords. You just don’t get this level of quality off the rack in the shops and every detail is considered to make them last, from suitable linings to correct fabric type to ensure these items stand the test of time.
The Service.
The service is fully end to end meaning Holly will:
Visit you at home to discuss design direction, what work you are wanting done and measure up.
Recommend fabrics and anything else required for the project.
Source all fabrics and hardware required.
Make the product in her studio.
Recommend local pole and track fitters.
Deliver and dress-in the bespoke commissions, including in situ steam-pressing to create a lived-in look.
I asked Holly what her favourite project was to date and she tells me it’s this interlined pencil pleat bay window curtains with brush fringe trim for period home in Clifton shown below - they epitomise timeless elegance. The heavy thermal interlining and pooling hem line provide strong insulating properties while adding to the luxurious look. The neutral colour, textured woven fabric is a sensible choice for longevity; if the client decides to change the decor in the future, the curtains will suit a plethora of colour schemes.
Sustainability
As a designer and creative myself it’s always so inspiring to see things being made and crafts being upheld in to the future, there’s so much out there in the world being mass produced that it’s wonderful to see that process being slowed down and things being created one by one, each one totally unique and made to last. The process is highly personalised and creative, and Holly will use her knowledge to suggest ways to take her work to the next level! With sustainability in mind the fabrics she sources are from British brands so if sustainability is your jam what could be better than getting bespoke soft furnishings made locally in Bristol using sustainable British-made fabrics and materials.
Holly tells me her favourite fabric to work with is definitely Linwood. A British brand that places creativity at its core. Their use of colour and pattern draws on classic English style, but imbues it with a contemporary spirit. I think the designs are brimming with playfulness that you just don't see with the more mainstream fabric brands. It's also really great to see Linwood developing sustainable, more ecologically responsible fabrics that are as beautiful as they are practical.
What’s next for Zeal Interiors.
2024 is set to be an exciting year for Zeal. We're settling into a new work space in BS2 that we'll be offering consultations from as it's such a city central, beautiful location. We'll also be offering a workshop series starting late Autumn, in collaboration with local artists & creative professionals, including interior design mood boarding, lampshade-making and Christmas textile decoration making (tickets will be available on our website and through our social channels). We are also busy making up luxury scatter cushion and homeware accessory stock ready for sale at Primrose Hill Christmas Festival, and hoping to trade at some other more regional fairs over the festive season too.
FAQ’s for Zeal Interiors.
Q - Can I (the client) supply the fabric?
A - Zeal Interiors will not work with fabrics procured via third party websites etc. We offer an end-to-end service, which includes sourcing all fabrics, linings & trims directly with the manufacturers to ensure provenance, quality assurance and streamline ordering/delivery processes.
Q - What are your leadtimes?
A - It depends on the scale of the project, but as an example, a floor length pair of curtains for French Doors would take approx. 6-8 weeks from ordering stage.
Q - Do you offer a home consultation?
A - Yes, we offer a consultation service, which includes a thorough measure-up, creative/design spec rationale, and detailed quote (please note a fee of £120.00 is payable if the project does not convert). Follow up meetings are offered at our Portland Square (BS2) studio, with access to our extensive fabric library including linings, trimmings and hardware (track/pole) samplers.
Q - What is interlining?
A - Interlining is a thermal mid-layer (sandwiched between the decorative 'face side' fabric and the lining backing) that comes in a range of densities, depending on the level of insulation required. It is a sensible addition to Roman blinds and curtains for draughty or single glazed windows. Not only does it keep rooms warmer in winter and cooler in summer, the extra density makes the product look more luxurious.
Q - Do you offer smart / automative blinds and curtains?
A - Yes, as well as traditional hand-drawn Roman blinds and curtains & hardware, we also supply rails, tracks and poles that can be remote controlled (fully automative), as well as synced up with smart home systems/devices.
How to work with Holly
Examples of Holly’s work can be found on her website along with her contact form for getting in touch and starting the ball rolling with your soft furnishings project and she’d love to hear from you.