Designed & Made in New England
This post is a little shout-out to some of the people we love in the New England interior design industry. We’re starting with our friend and colleague, Ellisha Alexina—a talented New England fabric designer whose work we’ve admired for years. A Massachusetts native, her designs come to life in Boston, and her textiles are made in Western Massachusetts. We love local. We also love sustainable. It’s a relief to know we’re not shipping across the globe to get thoughtful, high-quality design.
Even better, you don’t have to be an interior designer to enjoy her work. You can buy custom pillows directly from her website. Designer secret: we keep a stash of her pieces in our office. That way, we can bring them to styling sessions and test what works best. Keep reading for a peek at where we’ve used her beautiful fabrics.
A Mix of Neutrals
We haven’t shared this project on our portfolio page, but it’s worth a closer look. This Hingham, Massachusetts family room isn’t right on the water, but it’s located in a coastal and historic town. Inspired by the ocean, we kept the palette soft and airy—a mix of neutrals. There’s a light sand-colored wool striped rug, a pale sectional, and faux-wood wallpaper from Nobilis. Drapery panels in a Kelly Wearstler fabric frame the windows.
A pale blue lounge chair and ottoman. Add a soft grey coffee table and a simple white side table, and you have a gentle mix. For pillows, we layered three of our favorite Ellisha Alexina fabrics: Theo in Moonstone, Ray in Black on Natural, and Harlow in Mahonia. These patterns bring texture, subtle color, and depth. The result is ethereal and anything but boring. The room stays soft and welcoming but full of interest.
Interesting Patterns, Quiet Colors
Another space we haven’t included on our website is a peaceful primary bedroom on Martha’s Vineyard (though we journaled about it a while back.) We used Ellisha’s Novella fabric in Indigofera, an ultra-feminine pattern. Full of soft blues and delicate lines, we paired it with Matouk bedding—just the kind of bed you want to fall into.
Below, you’ll spot one of our favorite South End brownstone projects. This one is on our portfolio page. A classic Knoll Womb Chair holds another Theo pillow in Moonstone. The pattern is geometric but quiet, and the color is a soft neutral. It’s the kind of detail that sets the room apart.
Warm & Cool Pairings
Back in our office, we keep a stash of styling pillows ready to go. Our custom Kravet sofa is upholstered in Schumacher’s faux bois fabric, with light beige leather piping. The back cushion is missing in the middle, by design. On top, we’ve layered two Ellisha Alexina pillows: Cassio in Safflower Root and Lucet in Mahonia.
This pairing feels both warm and cool. It shows how custom textile design doesn’t need to ‘shout’ to make an impact. It can be quiet and meaningful, especially when the palette is just right.
Versatile Looks
One last example takes us to a modern row house in Cambridge. The design is sleek, with mod furniture from Design Within Reach and a pale grey sofa. In this space, we used Ellisha’s Tessa pattern in Navy. Its bold geometry holds the room together.
We love how versatile her fabrics are. They work as well in traditional and coastal spaces as they do in retro or modern rooms. That versatility is what makes her designs so easy to include in our range of New England interior design projects.
New England Fabric Designer: Worth the Wait
If you haven’t visited Ellisha’s site yet, now’s the time. Like we mentioned earlier, you don’t need to be an interior designer to take advantage of this New England fabric designer’s beautiful products. You can purchase her pillows directly. They come in a few square sizes, plus a rectangular one. The lead time is short—usually about three weeks. And yes, they’re worth the wait. A break down of how we use her pillows:
- 14″ x 24″ – A lumbar pillow that fits perfectly along the back of a lounge chair.
- 18″ or 20″ square – Ideal for layering together on a sofa, daybed, or even a lounge chair.
- 24″ x 24″ – Essentially euro-sized; use three across a king bed or two on a queen.
- 18″ x 32″ – Great for a larger lounge chair or placed in front of sleeping pillows on any bed size.
We hope you enjoy exploring her work as much as we enjoy using it. Her custom pillows and textile designs bring something special to every room.
