Elissa Harvey brings storied textiles like mud cloth and indigo to Victoria, furthering the trend toward handmade craft and patterns in modern interiors.

Founded in 2015 by Elissa Harvey, Drift and Nest is a collection of one-of-a-kind pillows made from textiles sourced during Harvey’s meandering travels to Central America and from the massive flea markets that dot the west coast of California. “I’ve always had an interest in other cultures and how they represent themselves,” says Harvey, who claims her long-standing interest in textiles and handicrafts was honed studying anthropology at the University of Victoria.Noticing the use of textiles from Mali, Guatemala and Mexico by interior design firms like Amber Interiors, and with her personal collection of materials sitting idle, Harvey taught herself to sew by watching instructional videos on YouTube, opened an Etsy store and started making the rounds at Victoria’s markets. Her pillows, available in a variety of dimensions from lumbar to throw-cushion, are filled with down or hypoallergenic down alternatives and range in price from $50 to $100.Harvey says handmade materials and objects are an unexpected counterpoint to modern spaces. “People want that worldly aspect to their homes—a handmade feeling that comes with time and effort.” Storied textiles have long been popular in the U.S. (“It’s taken a little longer to reach us up north,” says Harvey). We can’t wait to see more.Harvey is currently on the road and is best contacted through driftandnest.com.

Get the Well-Travelled-Meets-Modern Look:

1. For his new table lamp ($179) for West Elm, South African designer Adam Court paired a sculptural, turned-wood base with brass accents and a linen shade. westelm.com2. For their latest collection, Cole & Son collaborated with South Africa’s storied Ardmore Ceramics to produce a series of wallpapers inspired by the continent’s lush plants and wildlife. leejofa.com3. Widely imitated today, Kaare Klint’s iconic Safari chair (from $1,285) was first issued in 1933. Available in caramel leather or natural (pictured). dwr.com4. L.A.-based Commune Design has made this look its signature, grounding clean-lined spaces with kilim fabrics, Moroccan rugs, and their own line of cement tiles. In the firm’s second collection for Exquisite Surfaces, they referenced four Scandinavian and Native American textile patterns. (Above: Stockholm subway cement tiles). communedesign.com5. These Round Table baskets (from $70) are handmade in Montreal using renewable materials and available in red, tan, or black. nineteenten.ca

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Rosemary Poole

Rosemary Poole