Sophie von Oertzen’s Fearless Florals
Written by Robert Leleux
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With a vibrant new fabric collection and a charming Shaker Heights home, the textile and interior designer comes into her own.
Sustainability in design is crucial to Sophie. From her selection of (fully organic) materials to her choice of NoIssue packaging, minimizing her company’s environmental footprint is always a top priority.
For Sophie von Oertzen, “color is confidence,” a quality this intrepid designer has in spades. It’s on dazzling display throughout the historic Ohio home she spent two years renovating and decorating, and throughout Sophie Williamson Design, the vibrant line of table linens, pillows, and lampshades she launched in 2020. After a frustrated (and frustrating) search for fabrics that satisfied both her tastes and her commitment to fair trade and environmental sustainability, von Oertzen felt compelled to create something of her own.
Though design had always been a passion (as a girl she took pains decorating her dollhouse), it was the two-year restoration of her former Shaker Heights home that set her business into motion. It was a challenging process led by designer Dawn Cook, with whom von Oertzen partnered while mostly living in Singapore. During this process, she was always on the hunt for the right colorful and sustainable fabric to use for tablecloths, curtains, or bed throws. “I slowly came to the realization,” she says, “that I had the talent needed, and bounds of creative ideas to create the products that I was looking for.” Since enjoying this emboldening realization, she’s proved unstoppable, and to her surprise, now even creates the illustrations used in her fabric designs.
There’s a pleasing dose of nostalgia in all of von Oertzen’s work. Her sunny textiles and cozy interiors recall the glad days of her German childhood, days characterized by “Gemütlichkeit" houses and warm family gatherings. These early impressions convinced her of the necessity of honoring the souls of objects and rooms. More than anything, it was the character of a house that mattered to her, and she labored to showcase her new home’s architectural legacy, and to contribute to it with reverent renovations. It’s this creative “tension” that von Oertzen says she “can’t live without,” the artful and unexpected pairings of periods, colors, and materials that cause any project to sing. Von Oertzen has grown adept at creating such dynamic tension, just by doing “what [she] was always meant to do.” Today, she “feels ready to really share what [she has] to offer with the world.” It's an offer that admirers of her fearless style accept happily.
There’s no more sustainable design decision than to revitalize historic homes and antique furnishings—an insight that inspired Sophie’s purchase of her Shaker Heights home.
“We took our time and carefully restored the walls to their original glory—they all contribute to the unique character of the house.”
Throw pillows featuring a bold array of fabrics keep the sofa’s botanical print on its toes—and prevent it from seeming too sweet or old-fashioned.
Mismatched chairs loosen up a dining room, and guarantee it will never feel stuffy or pretentious.
Vivid greens and pinks lend an air of springtime to the newly renovated kitchen.
Sophie “can’t live without” creative juxtapositions such as this pairing of contemporary textiles with vintage furnishings. A delightfully weathered table grounds youthful fabrics, while they give it new life.
Color is confidence.
The Blumen Green tablecloth playfully mimics the palette of Sophie’s kitchen.
Sophie says her fabric line would be impossible without her creative partners at Five P Ventures, a manufacturer committed to sustainability and fair trade.
Soft textures and patterns instantly add an element of warmth.
Get Sophie’s Look
French for 'wildflower meadow,' the Pré Fleuri collection is handmade in India from organic cotton and printed with low impact dyes.