Sian Elin
www.facebook.com/sianelindesigns
85 // Sian Elin Thomas is a designer based in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, UK. Sian studied Typography and Graphic Communication at the University of Reading and now sells her own range of home decor products. Her design inspiration comes from Moorish and Islamic design and architecture. Sian likes to take the essence of patterns, abstract them, and create bold and graphic shapes combining Scandinavian sensibilities with Eastern flair. Her colour palette is inspired by travels throughout Asia, the Mediterranean, and the Levant. Sian is also inspired by most things urban, so lampposts, signs and buildings all find their way into her freelance work and greetings cards. Clients have included Marks & Spencer, Penguin and Oxford University Press. In the future, Sian would like to expand her collection into other products for the home and work on more licensing opportunities. Her dream commission would be to design for Heals or SCP. In 2013 Sian was shortlisted for the Guardian’s Small Business Best Practice Award, and her products have been featured in Elle Decoration, Homes & Gardens and many other top magazines.
Design Heroes: Orla Kiely, Celia Birtwell, Ghica Popa
Cushions
A selection of Sian’s cushion designs. Yellow and grey is her favourite colour combination and looks striking in this collection.
Tress in Grey Wallpaper
Sian’s ‘Tress’ triangles look fabulous on wallpaper in simple grey.
Chevrons
For this design, Sian has cleverly taken a chevron motif and, instead of forming it into stripes, has used it in a tossed layout. Sian hand draws all her designs, colouring them and laying out them out in repeats on the computer before they go to print.
Tress Multi
Featuring bold hand-drawn triangles, some of which are decorated with stripes and scallops in bright pastel colours, this design blends Scandinavian sensibilities with Moorish and Islamic flair.
Rosette Teal
This beautiful geometric design uses rounded rectangles and stripes to form a grid in which you can see echoes of natural petals and leaves. Created as Sian’s ‘graphic modern take on ancient Eastern design’.
Rosette Wallpaper
Digitally printed wallpaper featuring Sian’s ‘Rosette’ design. All of Sian’s wallpapers are printed in the UK, and she is a proud supporter of British manufacturing.