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Florence Broadhurst – the incredible life and mysterious death of a design legend whose work lives on in interiors across the world
Florence Broadhurst was an extraordinary designer who lived an extraordinary life before her death in 1977. Florence left behind an archive of over 500 incredible designs which a London-based design studio is reinvigorating for the modern interior.
Charismatic, fearless, flamboyant and eccentric, Florence was a creative genius who lived an amazingly colourful life of self-reinvention. Changing her name, her appearance, even her voice, she travelled the world taking on an array of different personas.
Leaving her humble beginnings in the Australian outback, she became Bobby Broadhurst, a showgirl in the Far East in the 1920s.
In 1940s London, from a salon on Bond Street, she clothed the aristocracy and even the Queen Mother, as ‘French’ couturier Madame Pellier.
Through the 1960s and 70s, back in her native Australia, from her studio in Sydney she created over 500 beautiful wallpaper and textile designs which were sought after all over the globe. Sadly, in 1977, Florence’s prolific period of design was brought to a tragic end when she was brutally murdered in her design studio in Sydney. Her murder remains unsolved to this day.
Florence left behind an extraordinary legacy – her archive. The designs reflect a colourful life, lived to the full, with wildly different chapters.
Beautiful chinoiserie and Far Eastern influenced motifs sit alongside flamboyant florals, pretty botanicals, bold geometrics, intricate brocades, elaborate tapestries and softer scenic designs.
With the trend for minimalism that dominated interiors over the past decade or so, sadly Florence’s work had disappeared from use in the UK.
But, with the resurgence of colour and pattern in the interiors world and an increasing desire for authentic heritage products, Florence’s designs are now as relevant as they were when she crafted them.
All the designs have originated from scans of Florence’s original silk screens, making them truly authentic representations of the patterns she crafted 50 years ago.
WALLPAPERS
The wallpaper collection is a stunning compilation of 61 wallpapers across 12 designs. Like the archive, the collection is diverse with bold florals, pretty botanicals and exotic birds, lattices and oriental screens, geometrics and landscapes. The colourways are equally diverse with bold and bright, dark and moody and warm neutrals spanning the collection.
Florence was a fan of layering patterns. Many of the wallpapers have ‘companions’ which can be used to beautiful effect in the same room – perhaps on different walls, on and around panels, or above and below a dado or picture rail.
The wallpapers are printed by skilled craftspeople using one of a number of different types of traditional printing presses, on paper sourced from managed renewable forests and with low VOC water-based inks. Through the use of traditional printing presses, many of the wallpapers have metallic and pearlescent finishes which enhance the designs and add a luxe feel in much the same way as Florence did herself.
VELVETS AND VELVET CUSHIONS
Bold botanicals sit alongside geometric lattice and cane motifs in a collection of 23 fabrics across five designs, available by the metre and as a range of sumptuous cushions with coordinating piping.
Florence’s travels around the globe are evident in the botanical designs which include bold Japanese Floral, the ferns, flowers and palm fronds of Shadow Floral and the reeds, bulrushes and fluffy papyrus heads of Papyrus.
The geometrics comprise the trelliswork lattice of Pagoda and the cane motif of Octagonal Lattice where a design team has played with the scale of the design to create a large-scale bold version and a daintier small-scale companion.
With Florence’s love of layering patterns in mind, the fabric collection is curated to encourage layering of designs within the same space.
COTTONS AND COTTON CUSHIONS
Japanese Floral is one of Florence’s best known and much-loved designs. The cotton collection champions this beautiful print in six colourways – navy, black, deep pink and grass green coordinate with the Japanese Floral wallpapers, whilst mustard and burnt orange add spicy hues.
The addition to the collection of Double Quarter Inch Stripe and the on-trend chevron design of Small Zig Zag, encourages homeowners to have fun layering the designs.
Available by the metre in two different fabrics – a smooth cotton that is well suited to drapery and a textured cotton well suited to upholstery – and as two sizes of cushion (40×40 and 50x50cm) with coordinated piping, the opportunities to be bold and have fun are limitless.
LAMPS
Florence’s Clover Cane and Floral Spot designs lend a decidedly retro vibe to the collection of floor and table lamps. Lampshades crafted from handmade buckram paper with a hand-rolled edge sit atop stunning flagon bases made from recycled glass with a vintage style fabric covered cord.
Available in three different sizes, the lamps are named in honour of three of Florence’s most treasured employees, Nerissa Bingle, Sally Fitzpatrick and Leonie Geyson. The tall Bingle and the short chunky Fitzpatrick are perfect floor lamps to add a statement glow whilst the oversized Geyson table lamp is perfect to add interest to a sideboard or writing desk.
The lampshades and bases can be mixed and matched, and the lampshades are also available to purchase without a base.
RUGS
The stunning hand-tufted wool rugs are statement pieces that feel luxurious underfoot. Florence’s iconic Japanese Floral design is available in a bold midnight blue or softer oyster, while the geometric Turnabouts design is available in striking monochrome. In addition to two standard sizes, rugs can be made-to-order with bespoke measurements.
At the studio where Florence Broadhurst’s designs are brought to life, is a small team with a passion for wallpaper, textiles and all things interior and a mix of design and retail backgrounds.
Through the imaginative and modern interpretation of Florence’s work, the team is thrilled to be applying her designs to create an array of new products which are curated to be as diverse and eclectic as the archive itself.
CREDITS
Photography: Holly Jolliffe
Styling: Tanya Goodwin
