Parrots of Australia Pattern Designs

The brief for this project was to create three new patterns for an Australian-based textile house known for its celebration of native flora and fauna, combined with the dynamic energy of Australia’s urban environments. Their textiles are designed for diverse applications including cushions, furniture upholstery, and soft furnishings, with a focus on limited colour printing—using only two colours per design.

I chose to focus on Australian native parrots, drawing inspiration from their vibrant feather patterns. Each of the three designs represents a unique interpretation of these patterns, with colour palettes inspired by three distinct Australian climates: tropical, arid, and alpine.

The project began with research into native flora, fauna, and the environmental characteristics of the three climates. I sketched and traced various motifs from parrot feathers to explore different layout possibilities. Once the motifs were developed, I created bespoke colour palettes for each climate zone and refined the final designs into seamless repeating patterns using InDesign.

To demonstrate the practical application of the textiles, I digitally overlaid the patterns onto furniture and soft furnishings, providing a realistic visualisation of how they would appear in a retail or residential context.