Introduction
Nature is at the heart of every pattern I create. From quiet woodland walks and garden hedges at home in East Lothian to colourful spring flowers spotted on travels, the starting point for my designs is almost always a real place and a real moment.
At Nicky Web Designs, my surface pattern collections don’t begin on a screen or in a sketchbook. They begin with a photograph — capturing colour, texture and detail exactly as I find it outdoors. These photographs become the reference point for my illustrated designs, with the colour palette drawn directly from nature itself.
From Photograph to Pattern
Each collection starts with an image I’ve taken while out walking, travelling or simply noticing something beautiful in everyday life.
The Glen Tanar Mushrooms collection began with a photograph taken while hiking through the Glen Tanar Estate in Aberdeenshire. The bright red of the Amanita muscaria mushroom against the muted forest floor created a colour story that felt both bold and calm. That moment became a repeating pattern now seen across tea towels, oven gloves and mugs.
The First Flowers collection came from a photograph of Everlastings in Kings Park, Perth, Western Australia. The joyful burst of colour at the start of spring inspired a playful floral pattern used across kitchen textiles and homeware.
Even the quiet variegated box hedge in my own garden in Dunbar became the starting point for the Variegated Boxwood table runners and napkins, proving inspiration is often right outside the door.
Designing with Real Colour Stories
Because my patterns are taken from real photographs, the colours are never guessed or trend-led. They are lifted directly from nature.
This creates designs that feel:
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Balanced
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Calm
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Timeless
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Easy to live with in the home
Whether it’s the earthy tones of woodland mushrooms or the bright optimism of spring flowers, the palette already works in the real world — which is why it works so well in kitchens and homes.
Surface Pattern Design for Everyday Living
I design patterns to be used, not just admired. That’s why they appear on practical, everyday items like:
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Organic cotton tea towels
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Double oven gloves
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Table runners and napkins
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Fine bone china mugs
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Cotton linen tote bags
These are pieces that bring colour and personality into daily routines, making ordinary moments feel a little more joyful.
Nature, Sustainability and Fabric Choices
The connection to nature doesn’t stop at the design stage. It also influences the materials I choose.
Many of my kitchen textiles are made from organic cotton, cotton or thoughtful fabric blends, chosen for durability, texture and a lower environmental impact. The aim is to create products that feel good to use and good to own for years to come.
Why Nature Continues to Inspire My Work
Nature offers endless pattern, rhythm and colour. There is always something new to notice — from the way leaves overlap to the contrast between flowers and soil.
This constant source of inspiration means my collections grow organically, each one rooted in a genuine place, photograph and story.
For me, surface pattern design is simply a way of capturing these small, beautiful moments and bringing them into the home.
Explore the Collections Inspired by Nature
You can see these nature-led designs across my collections:
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The Glen Tanar Mushrooms Collection
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The First Flowers Collection
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Variegated Boxwood table linens
Each one begins with a photograph and ends as a pattern designed for everyday living.