Designer Tidbits: Zen Chic

Type, color, design, Comma by Zen Chic for Moda Fabrics has it all. Brigitte used her extraordinary zen eye to create this collection. Filled with both small and large scale prints, bold oranges and muted grays, Comma is full of diversity. Keep reading to hear a bit about Comma from Brigitte herself!

Q: Where did you find your original inspiration for Comma?
A: While reading blogs I stumbled upon this picture on Design*Sponge. It's the living room of the Swedish designer and photographer Elisabeth Dunker and I instantly felt in love with the atmosphere. The calm colors reflect my zen style; the contrast of chalk and charcoal, the mix from modern and vintage elements and the graphic style. This sparked the image of a typewriter with old keys, with special characters like the asterisks, periods and commas. I had to make something out of it.

Q: What TV show or movie does your collection fit best in?
A: I would say it matches the home of Diane Keaton in the film Something's Gotta Give.

Q: Tell me about your sewing machines. What kinds do you have and how many?
A: I have about four sewing machines. I learned sewing at the age of six on an old Pfaff from 1920. I have all kinds of sentimental feelings for her. My Grandma taught me patiently every stitch to sew and my grandpa even built the sewing furniture from the finest burl veneer. In my twenties I bought an electrical Yamaha with about 25 decorative stitches which I thought were heaven. Once I started patchwork and quilting I gave the Yamaha to my daughter and invested in my beloved Bernina 440 QE (this is really heaven) and a couple of years ago I additionally bought a long arm quilting machine.

Q: What is your favorite part of the fabric industry?
A: Building up a new collection. One morning I wake up and I know this is the day, creative juices are flowing, and nothing can stop me from playing with colors, patterns, designs. I try and drop and try again. I forget everything around me, my meals, my groceries, my urgent emails. It's just as if I live in another world. My heart sings, I am obsessed and work until midnight. By then the most of the new collection is done. Everything else is fine tuning in the next couple of weeks.

Q: From what aspect of your life do you draw creativity?
A: From pictures, just yummy pictures. And I find them everywhere - in magazines, on Flickr, on Pinterest.

Q: What is your design process?
A: I illustrate on the computer, mostly from scratch.

Q: What is your favorite print in the collection?
A: That's really hard to tell. I love each and every print, but if I have to pick one than I pick "News" (available in chalk, slate and black).

Photo via Apartment Therapy

Q: What are your favorite and least favorite colors and why?
A: Apple green is something I can so easily relate to, it's fresh, it's modern and it has many faces. I have a hard time to created with dark, dull colors. They just don't speak to me.