Art has a profound influence on interior design, and that connection comes to life as world art forms inspire the latest collection of Sunbrella^® fabrics by Joe Ruggiero, set for introduction during June Showtime in High Point.

“Of all the defining characteristics of humanity as a species, none is more basic than the inclination to make art,” Ruggiero said. “My career has taken me to many beautiful parts of the world, where I have been able to appreciate and interact with various art forms. It’s these experiences that have influenced my latest designs for Showtime.”

The three art forms that Ruggiero draws from include the Bauhaus movement, haiku poetry and indigo dyeing.

Bauhaus Movement

Bauhaus was an art school in Germany in the early 20^th century which was heavily shaped by modernism. Ruggiero was drawn to the use of geometrics, especially in home décor, and translated this use of geometric figures to his pattern Artscape. Varied rectangles and subtly shifting color make Artscape very much of the Bauhaus time period, yet easily adaptable to today’s interiors. Artscape is available in Parchment, Pebble, Denim and Lime.

Haiku Poetry

A traditional form of Japanese poetry, haiku’s simplicity inspired thoughtful designs from Ruggiero. He focused on the meditative nature of haiku to create Wire and Organic. Wire features a simplistic, honeycomb design with a soothing repeat, and it is available in Indigo, Teal, Classic, Pebble, Melon and Lime. Organic showcases the advancements in Sunbrella textiles with a lace-like leaf skeleton, once only able to be accomplished with hand embroidery. Organic is available in Melon, Lime, Slate, Charcoal and Indigo.

Indigo Dyeing

Indigo is among the oldest dyes to be used for art and textile dyeing, and it is experiencing a resurgence in home décor. Kinza was inspired by Japanese design and is similar to a distressed herringbone. Highlighting an Ikat pattern throughout, Kinza has an intriguing optical effect and is available in Indigo, Sky, Stone, Wren and Melon.

Indicative of many ancient indigo designs, Nara has a pattern similar to tribal island body decoration, as Ruggiero sees cultural influences are trending in home décor and textiles. Nara is available in Indigo, Teal, Ebony, Stone, Taupe and Putty.

Azore is a beautiful stripe in watercolor-like shades – the perfect interpretation of traditional hand-dyeing techniques. Azore is available in Lagoon, Mist, Slate, Wren and Moss. Ruggiero created Stix as a whimsical take on chopsticks. This playful design lends itself to accent pieces and is available in Indigo, Lime, Taupe and Stone.

Huntsman, a chenille, features a soft texture and deep color range. A wonderful go-with pattern, Huntsman is a staple textile for larger upholstered pieces. In addition to Indigo, this fabric is available in Lagoon, Stone, Earth, Bark, Latte, Putty, Flax, Pebble and Salt.

“Art is a universal language, and I hope the fabrics in my newest Sunbrella collection further illustrate these varied and uniquely-beautiful world art forms,” Ruggiero said.