Kate Miller, the innovative artist and designer behind Elworthy Studio, has made a name for herself with her eco-conscious wallcoverings and textiles. Designers and homeowners alike appreciate her signature style—opulent and moody, romantic yet edgy—and that distinct aesthetic is on display in her latest wallpaper collection, Altered States, designed to promote both individual and collective healing.
How did you become interested in sustainability? When I was living in Shanghai, I started to have some physical problems—headaches, digestive issues, energy, things like that. And it’s known to be a place where there are a lot of environmental toxins that are outside of an individual’s control. I decided to educate myself as to how I could control the toxins I’m exposed to within my apartment. When I launched Elworthy Studio, I wanted to create products that were safe and had minimal impact on Mother Earth. I created a business plan that—from sourcing to production—factored in environmental impact. That means using natural fibers and finding mills that are just as committed to the environment as I am. And everything is printed to order, so there’s minimal waste.
What inspired your new collection? I’ve been going down a physical, mental and emotional healing path, which led me to multicultural shamanism. One of the practices is the shamanic journey, which usually involves the steady beat of a drum to put a person into a trance-like state. In these journeys, I noticed that I would get so much visual input—colors, shapes and scenes. I set an intention to journey specifically to gather imagery that could be supportive to people in their healing and well-being. The new collection was a result of months of taking journeys and gathering different ideas in my sketchbook.
