In the BOH series What I Love, we’re asking designers to build us a mood board of what’s inspiring them right now.
Fringed plaid, printed tapestries, so many variations of velvet: Anu Jain will never resist the siren song of a sumptuous fabric. For each lush texture or colorway she chooses, she intuits a design story, imagining soft ambient music, sparkling conversation and the changing tenor of sunlight as it travels across each surface. It’s this promise of possibilities that she brings to her interiors.
“My flat lay is born from a feeling rather than a formula; from a visceral pull toward materials that carry history, texture and tension,” says Jain, founder of San Franciso–based firm Atelier Oleana. Sensual, grounded yet luxurious, the elements invite touch, conjuring an atmosphere that’s both intimate and cinematic. “There’s an undercurrent of nostalgia,” she adds, “like walking into a room you’ve never seen before but somehow remember.”
Based on her mood board, those memories might include walls sheathed in cream-colored silk; tactile plaid window shades; and lounge chairs tailored in a midnight-blue botanical print. Tied together by “emotion and patina,” Jain’s russet, gold and fox-red palette whispers warmly, soothed by cool marble and velvet the color of the sea. “This story belongs in a library or salon,” says the designer, “a space meant for lingering among lovingly worn leather-bound books with a glass of an expertly aged amber liquid in hand.” Below, she describes her selections in detail.
1. DARK MARBLE TILE IN LILAC BY ARTISTIC TILE
“This stone feels like it’s been kissed by lightning. The lilac veining is unexpected—romantic but a little dangerous. It’s a grounding moment in the flat lay, but with a crackle of energy underneath the surface.”
2. TIGER BEAT FABRIC IN TABACCO BY DEDAR
“This jacquard velvet textile is a mood: graphic, playful, a wink that doesn’t need to be loud to get your attention. It brings movement and modernity—like jazz in fabric form.”
3. SAYAT FABRIC IN 07 BY ZAK + FOX
“Woven with memory. This linen-and-wool pattern feels like it was found in a tucked-away antiques market in Istanbul. There’s storytelling in every thread; it adds depth and history to the mix.”
4. SMALL ROUND METAL BOX BY ZARA HOME
“Silvery accents like this little storage container catch and reflect the iridescence in the velvet fabrics.”
5. VOUSSOIR MODERNE FABRIC IN SAND BY SCHUMACHER
“Architectural and graphic, but quietly luxurious. It’s the scaffolding of the palette—the bones. Based on an archival art deco pattern, it gives shape to the softness without ever taking the spotlight.”
6. CALACATTA MARBLE TILE IN BLUETTE BY ARTISTIC TILE
“This is where serenity meets sculpture. The soft blue veining feels emotional. It’s a counterpoint to the darker marble—like moonlight on water.”
7. TIMEO FABRIC IN AIGUEMARINE BY PIERRE FREY
“The one true moment of cool in a sea of warmth—and that’s intentional. The silky velvet texture has a lot of movement and shows wear beautifully. It feels super luxurious on the skin.”
8. SCHWARZWALD FABRIC IN BLEU NUIT BY DEDAR
“This textile is the forest at night: lush, picturesque, slightly enchanted. It has a masculine elegance to it, like a vintage linen jacket that’s seen too many beautiful evenings. I love this fabric for lounge chairs!”
9. SAYAT FABRIC IN 08 BY ZAK + FOX
“The Sayat pattern in this colorway is softer, quieter, like a memory echoing in the background. It balances its bolder sibling, giving the eye a place to rest while still carrying that same cultural resonance.”
10. SPIRAL COASTER BY SOPHIE LOU JACOBSEN
“This sand-cast, nickel-plated piece feels like a design smile. Functional, sculptural, joyful, it reminds me not to take any of it too seriously!”
11. MOHAIR VELVET IN FOX TAIL BY ROSE UNIACKE
“Luxury you want to live in. This fabric glows from within, like candlelight flickering against old wood. The color has this golden, russet energy that adds soul to the scheme. Rose Uniacke does mohairs really well.”
12. TIGER MOUNTAIN FABRIC IN FAUVE BY DEDAR
“Painterly, abstract, primal: This jacquard velvet doesn’t just sit there—it moves. It softens the structure of the other patterns and feels like emotion captured in brushstrokes. I used it in my own home for my foyer settee, and it’s such a high-impact piece!”
13. ELKO PLAID IN STRAW BY SCHUMACHER
“This is a plaid with memory. It feels familiar, almost nostalgic, but it lands with a modern softness accentuated by its subtle fringe detail. There’s a warmth here, a ‘golden light at the end of the day’ kind of feeling. I’ve used this fabric in roman shades for sunrooms, and it’s spectacular.”
14. CAPRICCIO FABRIC IN UMBER BY KERRY JOYCE TEXTILES
“There’s something sacred about this textile. It feels hand-spun, sun-faded, beautifully imperfect. The umber tone is rich and worn-in, like a leather journal passed through generations. I used this in the living room of a gorgeous Tudor home.”
15. AMULETO FABRIC IN AMBRA BY DEDAR
“This jacquard velvet has an almost talismanic quality to it—structured, symmetrical, yet still soulful. It grounds the story with a kiss of order and a nod to geometry.”
16. SILK WALLCOVERING IN TIRAMISU BY HOLLAND & SHERRY
“Silk on walls is a quiet flex. The color, like the name, is delicious, and the finish adds that soft, hushed glow that turns any room into a sanctuary.”
17. MOHAIR VELVET IN GLADE BY ROSE UNIACKE
“This green is life-giving. Mossy and rich as a shaded path in the woods. It’s a deep inhale. It’s the wildness that keeps the room from feeling too precious.”
