From Artist’s Studio to Weaver’s Loom
Laura Kirar is an artist first. The painterly appeal of her fabric collection for Highland Court is nothing short of fine art. Elements of modern impressionism are juxtaposed with techno-modern abstracts. There are no errors in nature, only haphazard movements that ultimately link together and form a pattern. Flora, Terra, Azure and Quartz, explore nature through the use of line, texture, scale and custom dyes. As an artist, Laura Kirar draws our attention in ways that help to define a chair, pillow, or window. The Highland Court fabrics were born of original hand drawings created by Kirar and translated into warp and weft. They unveil her design methodology; one which captures the essence of luxury living that is texturally decadent and layered with light.
It’s a collection I’d envisioned for many years- painterly and urban, elegant and earthy, a sophisticated palette of acids and neutrals. I wanted to play both Painter and Alchemist in the textile medium. The process has been a combination of experimentation, challenge and discovery, and it’s been an absolute pleasure to create."
Up close, you can feel the dense texture and see the placement of each thread. Step back, and the room unfolds with detailed florals, crisp stripes, peacocks, and buttery smooth metallics. Uni Azalea, for example, is abstract at its core - sumptuous velvet lines, crossing lines and crossing lines again. Yet, on a sofa, with several 27” repeats, a rich burst of florals emerge from the chaos of intersecting lines. Primavera Aegean, it may be noted, is a one of a kind work of art. It may have began as a sketch and morphed into a watercolor, or began as a watercolor and grew into stained glass. In either configuration, Primavera (Allegory of Spring) is a wash of petals, painted thick and woven flat like a canvas. Whether you decide to stretch a yard and frame it, or run a bolt across an oversized chaise in your bedroom, Primavera is a painter’s masterpiece.
Prosecco Champagne moves within a field of small dots, accentuating light with pops of glossy thread. Diamond Back and Siren offset jagged line with subtle colors. Painterly Stripe creates an opposite effect. Heavy brushstrokes appear to bleed into the soft linen fabric. It is bold. It is dynamic, and it represents a strong statement in a room.
Laura Kirar holds four concurrent product licenses with all four Kohler Interiors Groups: Ann Sacks, Baker Furniture, Kallista Company, and McGuire Furniture. Laura has degrees in sculpture and interior architecture from the prestigious School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She purchased a ancient Moorish-style Hacienda in Mexico and is currently working to restore it to its original significant status and turn it into a place “where people from all different mediums can come and work.”
Duralee launched Highland Court Fabric in 2001 to provide luxury designer fabrics, characterized by superb high-end craftsmanship from the finest mills around the world. The Highland Court brand is about "livable opulence, elegant richly-textured damasks, luminous silks and plush chenilles." Highland Court Fabrics redefine the concept of luxury, running the gamut from modern to traditional design with exceptional quality at attainable price point.
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