School of Design Textile Design
Madeleine Macaulay


Marine leisure: Abstraction and Endurance
This work explores marine leisure through the lens of timeless design, focusing on colour and abstraction. Inspired by marinas, boats, and past travels, research gathered through photography has been analysed into colour compositions, ratios, and collaged abstracted forms. Inspiration has also come from 1940s design practices and printed textiles that have endured over time, alongside vintage boat interiors and sustainable design approaches that inform my design decisions. I have experimented with a range of natural fibre fabrics such as silk, linen, cotton, velvet, and bamboo/linen blends, dyeing them to work with my colour palette. Technical exploration includes stencilling, resist printing, bonding, foils, puff, flock, and layering techniques using different binders through screen-printing. Digital design processes have been used to develop collaged drawings and colour work into compositions and patterns. The outcome is a collection of printed textiles that embrace both colour and monochrome, designed for boat interiors and marine-adjacent spaces, as well as domestic interiors. Applications include cushions, wallpaper, curtains, bed sheets, upholstery, wall dividers, and headboards. My project prioritises longevity through thoughtful material, process, and timeless abstract design.