Brooklyn-based textile designer Ellen Van Dusen cites a variety of influences in creating her clever, colorful prints: “midcentury resort architecture, Italian industrial design, Scandinavian textiles, Google maps and handwriting.” For her clothing label, Dusen Dusen, these custom prints — a new batch each season, paired with simple silhouettes — are the unmistakable through-line. A recent expansion into home goods seemed only natural.
The first Dusen Dusen interiors collection features throw pillows, blankets, bedding, towels and poufs. Think: loopy black lines on a crisp white pillow; multicolor stripes on a knit throw; tiny uppercase letters scattered across a duvet like noodles in alphabet soup. New bedding and towels will be introduced in the spring, and the animal-loving designer also intends to add dog beds.
In a recent interview with the website Style Caster, Van Dusen said the roots of her design aesthetic run deep: “My parents are both architects, and I think I got my sense of geometry and balance from them. Growing up, my house was very colorful, and I have always been drawn to color.” Dusen Dusen certainly isn’t for the pattern — or color — shy, but it strikes a thoughtful balance between whimsy and abstraction — playful but not totally youthful.
When anchored by a bold, graphic print, any home item becomes a statement piece. See more at www.dusendusen.com.
Laura Pearson is a freelance writer.
Twitter @tislaurapearson