I am thrilled to announce the opening of my new retail boutique and design studio at 215 Commercial Street in Portland, Maine's historic Old Port District.
It is a great compliment to see other designers recognize my work. The Thrill of the Print referenced my Flying Point Pillow in a recent post, excerpted below. Thank you – kind words from someone as obsessed with fabric as I am mean so much.
“This barkcloth print from the recent Garnet Hill catalog caught my eye. This lumbar pillow cover is part of the Nicola Home Bedding collection designed by Maine Interior Decorator Nicola Manganello. I love the retro touch of the print, which reminds me of a suburbanized Grandma Moses landscape.”
Prints Charming
Brooklyn, New York, United States
Brooklyn, New York based textile designer specializing in printed silk accessories for men and women.
I love the French label and combining burlap with ticking.
I love changing my home accents with the seasons, and autumn is one of the seasons that excites me the most. Fall in Maine is uniquely beautiful and inspires so much of my work. As Maeve and I start shopping for her school clothes or spotting splashes of reds and golds in the trees, I start thinking of ways to bring the warmer fabrics and richer colors of fall into my home décor.
As I’ve often told clients, adding a new decorative pillow to a room is like accessorizing a favorite outfit with a new handbag. Pillows can transform an entire look in an affordable package. They are the perfect opportunity to indulge in expensive fabrics, or experiment with bolder, more eclectic materials. This fall, inspired by a vintage find at the Brimfield Antique Show, I made my own pillows from reclaimed feedsacks—a cost-effective way to add rustic warmth and a splash of whimsy to my living room.
Transforming food sacks into useful items for the home—even clothing!—has been a common practice anywhere resources are scarce. From the flour sack dresses of the Great Depression to squares of salt bags worked into quilts, ingenious women have transformed workaday textiles into so many beautiful things. We’re all trying to do more with less, and this project celebrates thrift and craft while accenting a room in style.
How to Make a Feedsack Pillow
Find the right fabric. You’re looking for any sturdy, utilitarian textile from days gone by, and a fun contrast fabric to use as backing and binding. While I was drawn to the nubbly texture and printed lettering on old feedsacks, you might prefer flour sacks for their finer weave. You could also wake up your breakfast bar with a coffee sack, or search out cornmeal, salt, potato or rice bags at flea markets or even on eBay. The artwork and lettering on many of these sacks will surprise you with its colorful sophistication. Choose your backing and binding fabrics to accent the sack; they don’t need to match to make a good set.
Have the feed sack professionally cleaned. My feed sacks were dry cleaned and spot treated to even out imperfections. You don’t want your textiles to lose their antique charm, but you do want them to look clean, and to repair any rips, tears or holes. If the sack was stored folded for a long period of time you will want to relax the creases and check for fraying.
Choose a fill and closure. This can be as simple as cotton batting or as indulgent as down. Zippers are practical and make cleaning the pillow easier, but I love buttons or ties paired with vintage fabrics. An antique or mismatched buttons can add even more whimsy to the pillow.
Assemble the pillow. Sew it yourself, or bring the project to any professional seamstress. There are wonderful free patterns available online, in all shapes and sizes.
Start decorating. Feedsack pillows are such a versatile layer. Does your sack contain text and illustrations? Play them off of solid colors in hues that highlight the artwork. If you worked with a more neutral sack, combine different textures to get the best effect. The humble feedsack can mix well even with highbrow silks and velvets, so don’t be afraid to experiment.
Juxtaposing old and new pieces in original and compelling new ways, interior and home designer Nicola Manganello creates extraordinary living spaces for clients with distinctive taste.
As I’ve often told clients, adding a new decorative pillow to a room is like accessorizing a favorite outfit with a new handbag. Pillows can transform an entire look in an affordable package. They are the perfect opportunity to indulge in expensive fabrics, or experiment with bolder, more eclectic materials. This fall, inspired by a vintage find at the 
Transforming food sacks into useful items for the home—even clothing!—has been a common practice anywhere resources are scarce. From the flour sack dresses of the Great Depression to squares of salt bags worked into quilts, ingenious women have transformed workaday textiles into so many beautiful things. We’re all trying to do more with less, and this project celebrates thrift and craft while accenting a room in style.
