On one of last year’s sourcing trips, a small, 36-inch roll of fabric hid in the corner of a historic country house, quietly waiting to be discovered.

This charming print instantly stole my heart, as it reminded me of Colefax and Fowler Seaweed, or squiggle patterns. The leaves were shaped differently from natural oak leaves. I immediately thought it would look amazing on a slipper chair or a pillow.

And my second thought? “I have to show Alice!”
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A bit of history:

Those who have followed me on Instagram know that I started making bespoke pillows at the end of 2020. It was a challenging year for all of us.

Studying at interior design school made me learn more about architecture than I had ever anticipated and designing minimalist spaces. But the biggest eye-opener was realizing after a full year of studies that there weren’t any textile classes in the program.
Maybe my expectations were too old-fashioned for a modern design school—I still believe textiles are the biggest part of room decorating. Or perhaps I just didn't want to build gray office spaces in my future career.  

So after a year of 9–5 online classes, I stopped.

Saddened that my dream profession didn't speak to my heart, I pulled out my treasure box, a suitcase filled with vintage and antique textiles. It’s my personal collection, acquired over many years.

Looking at those gems from numerous antique shops and markets brought me immense joy, like renewing an old friendship, and the first bespoke pillow collection was born.
 
And the rest, as they say, is history...
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Now, back to our leaves and acorns :)

Larger Cross is a little slice of English country heaven and was started by its charming owner - Alice Minnich.

Nestled in the rolling hills and  cozy farms of the picturesque NJ countryside. A perfect retreat from the busy NYC lifestyle.

The shop is a destination for all things English country house style: hand-painted Chinoiserie boxes in the style of John Fowler, woven baskets and wool blankets from Scotland, blue and white China vases, and interior books . . . It's a dream place for any Anglophile and country lover.

I met Alice in 2018 when she first opened her shop. I’ve been devoted to all things Larger Cross since then.

So when I saw the acorn print, I thought of Alice. Oak leaves, green, and an English-style pattern—her name was written all over it.

When I showed it to her, she fell in love with it. No surprise ;)


 

 


We decided on a petite pillow with ruffles—the perfect size for a reading chair.

And so we started.
 
I  vividly remember my nervousness when delivering the first pillows. If any of you have met Alice, you know how attentive she is to detail. Such people always excite me—exceeding their expectations is double the reward.

The little acorn pillows were a hit! We sold out numerous times, and I’ve been on the lookout ever since.

You’ll be excited to learn that I’ve found two more colorways and added tissue box covers and square pillows to the TEA & TABLE line.
 
Hope you'll love the new additions as much as we do and can't wait to hear your thoughts!


With love,
Anna
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