Emily Daws’ eponymous line of textiles is a form of Lowcountry storytelling, pulling influences from the natural and man-built surroundings of her adoptive Charleston. Ranging from by-the-yard Belgian linen and eco-friendly wallcoverings to pillows, draperies and premium cotton shower curtains, Daws’ items are produced from a sunny studio on Spanish moss-draped Johns Island, delivering what she calls “a fresh, modern twist on traditional coastal design.” Her latest launch, Waterways, “mirrors the rhythmic and organic patterns of the wetlands and the elements that make them up,” she says. Here, Luxe learns what moves her.
What inspires you? The meandering marshes, the beautiful blues and bright greens, the colors of the coast. For me, this is home.
How have you interpreted the Lowcountry landscape through Waterways? With Salt Marsh, for example, it’s as if you’re standing along the wetlands looking out to the horizon. It’s how the grasses look in perspective; those simple strokes. Another, Harbor, captures the effect of choppy water.
River Reef is very popular; what were the visual influences? It’s an example of a shell terrazzo. I was inspired by oyster sidewalks on Kiawah Island; I took that texture and abstracted it.
What’s the best part of your work? When someone who has moved far away emails to say my fabrics remind them of home. I love that these designs can transport people to a different place, but in a subtle way.
