Winter Floral: Behind the Collaboration

Bringing together cult interiors with an inherently Amsterdam flair, and floral inspiration plucked from our very own archive, Anna + Nina enlisted our in-house home expert to collaborate on a meeting of minds in colour. Created with Liberty Buying Manager for Home, Bryony Sheridan, the exclusive Winter Floral collection combines our distinct worlds in one vibrant vision, encompassing ceramics, glassware and unique works in wax. A jolt of vitality in winter, we delve into the story that brought the collection to life…

On coming together…

BRYONY SHERIDAN | I wanted to create a range that honoured the Liberty aesthetic, interpreted through Anna + Nina’s signature shapes and identity, while celebrating an unconventional floral season. The folk-inspired florals are reminiscent of the autumn turn, when you get sporadic bursts of colour from an overly ambitious rose or dahlia, through the wilting leaves. The table twinkles in candlelight, in rich jewel tones that glow through from rich velvety roses and burgundy reds which were once leafy greens.

ANNA+ NINA | Liberty and Anna + Nina have been a match made in heaven for quite a while now. Bryony has become a dear friend and we love everything about that shop. When they mentioned an exclusive collection, we really wanted to make it happen.

On seeking inspiration…

BRYONY | Rich jewel colours only enhance the shift into candlelit suppers. We had ideas of bringing the slightly more rural and rustic florals into reality – imagine setting up camp with your wagon, laying a table in a field and celebrating the autumn sun with a large cup of soup.

ANNA + NINA | We love florals and, of course, Liberty is known for them. We wanted to do an autumn/winter floral, also showing our Dutch roots in the colours. We think it really works!

On capturing their essence…

BRYONY | Anna + Nina both share the notion of playfulness through the home, allowing customers to get creative. Anna + Nina is built on beautiful products, which can be peppered through a collection you already have, or splurged on for the whole aesthetic, starting or adding to your table wardrobe, without being intimidating.

ANNA + NINA | As all the pieces are handmade, hand-painted, and limited edition, it really represents an exclusive collection that we both love.

On finding their florals…

BRYONY | The pops of colour, muddled in the fading leaves are essential to autumn, sharing the stark contrast of turning leaves. We hold on to the last flashes of colour of the stealthiest of florals, with almost folk-like motifs representing the simplicity and beauty of nature without overcomplicating the design.

ANNA + NINA | These florals are quite big and are made in bright colours; they are classic but in a cool way, and carry year-round impact.

On the creative process…

BRYONY | The range evolved from a winter floral story, celebrating the cottagecore, maximalist and floral movements we have loved all summer. This is a more subtle hybrid version: less chintzy with notes of blue, burgundy and orange. A warming colour palette, worked in synergy with both design houses, combining the fashion-forward signatures of Anna + Nina with the boundary-pushing tablescapes and objet famed at Liberty.

ANNA + NINA | Together with Bryony we decided to make it all about table setting. As setting your table is the new getting dressed! First, we made molds, and choose the pieces; we then made a moodboard for the decoration of the ceramics. Giunia, our designer, hand-painted all the florals, which we then sent to Portugal. Bryony came up with the idea to add stripes to the textiles. When the samples came in, we added some decorations and colours, then production started! It was really a group effort!

On ways with styling…

BRYONY | For me, more is more. The range encourages layering of ceramics, glass, textiles, alongside towers of fruit and flowers. The bud vases make for perfect pause moments on the table and a fun contrast against the stripes. The contrasting colours of burgundy and orange lend itself to a festive foray, adding some brass and gold.

ANNA + NINA | We would really style them all together – and don't be afraid to add more florals and stripes. You can't go wrong as it's not meant to be perfect!