Textile Practice and Work for Luxury Interiors with Charlotte Krone

What can a historic textile teach us, and what happens when an old technique is given a new purpose? Textile and print designer Charlotte Gaunt, founder of Rediscovered By, explores these questions through her work with archives, historic interiors, botanical specimens and traditional craft. In this talk, she will share the stories behind a selection of projects, revealing how research, drawing and experimentation come together in the journey from an initial discovery to a finished piece.

At Burghley House, Charlotte collaborated with hand embroiderer Lucy Martin to create a bespoke Chippendale chair inspired by the estate’s wildflower meadows and native butterflies. The project brought together archival research, carefully placed botanical motifs and hand embroidery to create a piece connected to its historic setting. Her work with Gainsborough Weaving similarly began with research into Burghley’s allegorical ceiling and the symbolism of the Three Fates, before an original drawing was translated into a woven design.

A collaboration with Knots Rugs, exploring how pressed flowers and botanical imagery were developed into richly coloured, hand-knotted rugs through a detailed process involving colour selection, yarn dyeing and skilled artisan production. For Keythorpe Hall, flowers from the Victorian walled garden inspired the Sweet Pea collection, with pressed specimens arranged by hand before being translated into printed wallpapers and textiles.

Research at the V&A into a Dolce & Gabbana silk dress led to a closer examination of hand-painted motifs, the application of paint to silk and the relationship between historical design and contemporary print. Her wider explorations include flocking, screen printing and silk painting, alongside research into techniques that have become less familiar or fallen out of use.

Through these projects, Charlotte demonstrates how close observation, historical research and collaboration with skilled makers can bring new life to traditional craft. Rather than reproducing historical designs, her approach is to understand the techniques behind them and discover how they can be reinterpreted for contemporary interiors and objects.

Charlotte is the Creative Director of http://www.rediscoveredby.com/ (@charlottekrone_studio), an independent textile and wallpaper studio specialising in the research, revival and contemporary reinterpretation of historical textile techniques. Trained in Fine Art at Goldsmiths, University of London, with further study at the Fabric Workshop and Museum in Philadelphia, her practice is rooted in material exploration, historical research and traditional craft.

Working across print, embroidery, weaving and surface design, Charlotte draws inspiration from museum collections, historic archives and the natural world to create textiles that bridge heritage and contemporary interiors.

Her work explores how historical making processes can be reinterpreted through modern design, celebrating the skill, ingenuity and enduring relevance of traditional textile practices.

Alongside her studio practice, Charlotte is committed to sharing specialist knowledge through teaching, encouraging students to develop a deeper understanding of historical techniques, materials and craftsmanship while fostering confidence in creative experimentation.

Her approach combines practical making with historical context, inspiring students to discover how traditional processes can inform contemporary textile practice. Charlotte has collaborated with heritage organisations and leading makers including Gainsborough Weaving, Burghley House and Knots Rugs. These projects have involved researching and reinterpreting historic collections through printed textiles, woven fabrics and embroidery, as well as translating her original artworks into hand-knotted rugs crafted by master artisans in Nepal.

Her work has been featured in Homes & Gardens, The World of Interiors, Period Living, Tatler, Country Living, The Times and other leading publications.