“It was one of those moments that you come across someone and just know you’re speaking the same language.’ This is how Michal Silver, Creative Director of Christopher Farr Cloth, describes her introduction to Newfoundland-born interior designer Scott Yetman, which would mark the beginning of a kinship through something that was, in Michal’s words, ‘even bigger than design.’

Upon meeting, Michal had just come from an exhibit at the Tate Modern centred on Agnes Martin, whose abstract expressionist paintings had resonated with her deeply. Scott had been a long-time admirer of the Canadian artist’s crisp lines, dots and sense of purity, elements which were apparent in his own projects, from the interiors of sleek townhouses to lakeside getaways. The two connected over a spirituality they had both found in Martin’s work and, after a lunch that trickled late into the afternoon, Michal asked Scott to meet again—and for him to come with designs for fabrics and wall coverings that showcased an original point of view based on, simply put, what he thought would make a wonderful collection. 

Being at the helm of a house of fabrics, papers, passementeries and rugs, working with textile designers has always been a natural part of Michal’s process. But the creative director felt the need for a third dimension in the work of Christopher Farr—one that she would soon find with Scott, whose knowledge of texture combined with a greater vision and understanding of space offered that new layer. Scott’s way of approaching colour and pattern seemed to be unlike anyone else’s, and his ability to add a deeply personal touch to a modern aesthetic drew Michal in immediately. ‘He had a point of view that we didn’t have before in the collection,’ she notes in a conversation about the differences between working with interior designers versus working with product or textile designers. ‘Scott really sees a room: he doesn’t just design fabric—he visualises it on the drapes, on the couch… it’s his vision that really makes it all come to life.’  

The unique element in Scott’s minimalistic way of designing lies largely in his ability to layer in a spare way. Moving away from the tone-on-tone style of the 90s, each element of his designs are chosen meticulously and well thought-out, leading to an aesthetic that is at once pure but that urges the viewer to look at a stripe in a different light. Mastering minimalism in a way that maintains warmth is an ongoing challenge for designers, but the subtle New England influence that manifests itself in Scott’s designs makes them, contemporary as they are, unpretentiously preppy—and irrefutably homey. 

He [Scott] started to play with colours we always work around, but it was interesting to see him take our palette and mix it differently,’ says Michal. ‘We would traditionally never do something as graphic as bridging olive green with black, but with Scott it worked. He introduced a fantastic new teal-y blue—dark but with tints of green—and put it with a honey colour that led to such a crisp feel. His intrigue with our original voice and ability to bring something different that nonetheless fits with the brand is undeniable.’

As for the meaning behind each of Scott’s cloths, each one’s name relates to a Canadian place with a sentimental location. Bay Street, named after Toronto’s financial district, draws its inspiration from men’s tailoring, with a delicate stitching that is at once clean and ever so slightly imperfect; Bolton’s subtly yet intricately textured weave wears its topographical inspirations with certainty—we feel as if we are looking over faraway farms and forests. Algonquin’s simple, back-to-the-roots stitching pays homage to the national park it takes its name from, Hudson gives a proud nod to the centuries-old Hudson’s Bay Stripe, and Brome’s fresh and crisp stripes are effortlessly nautical—as if they were made for the soft linens and cottons on which they are printed.

The collection has been featured in publications such as World of Interiors, Mixte Magazine, British House & Garden and House & Home. It is distributed internationally by Christopher Farr Cloth, hand-block printed on Belgian linen in London, with fabrics woven in Belgium.   

The collection has been featured in publications such as World of Interiors, Mixte Magazine, British House & Garden and House & Home. It is distributed internationally by Christopher Farr Cloth, hand-block printed on Belgian linen in London, with fabrics woven in Belgium. The meaning behind each cloth’s name relates to a Canadian place with a sentimental location. Bay Street, named after Toronto’s financial district, draws its inspiration from men’s tailoring, with a delicate stitching that is at once clean and ever so slightly imperfect; Bolton’s subtly yet intricately textured weave wears its topographical inspirations with certainty—we feel as if we are looking over faraway farms and forests. Algonquin’s simple, back-to-the-roots stitching pays homage to the national park it takes its name from, Hudson gives a proud nod to the centuries-old Hudson’s Bay Stripe, and Brome’s fresh and crisp stripes are effortlessly nautical—as if they were made for the soft linens and cottons on which they are printed.

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