When Patterns Dream of Childhood: A Meeting with Julie and Mélissa

How did the meeting with Charlie Crane come about?

Julie: Alongside our Season Paper brand, we run a pattern design studio in which we create print collections for other brands. So Thomas (editor's note: the founder of Charlie Crane) and I have been seeing each other at trade shows for a long time.

Thomas: Season Paper is a brand I have admired since its early days. I have always been drawn to their universe — at once poetic and graphic — which resonates perfectly with our vision at Charlie Crane. We share the same love of beautiful materials, the commitment to responsible production, and the ambition to create products made to last. This collaboration came together naturally as a meeting of shared aspirations and values.

How did you adapt and choose your pattern for Charlie Crane furniture?

Julie: After lengthy discussions and browsing through over 10 years of Season Paper patterns, we ultimately chose a timeless and poetic pattern, Mouvement. We reworked it in autumnal, deep and soft yet characterful colorways — a warm, natural brown/fawn. It's ideal for brightening a room, adding warmth and light to a neutral, pale space. It pairs easily with a wide palette of colors, whether bold, striking, or soft and pastel. We wanted a pattern that was neither childlike nor overly figurative. It leaves room for the imagination and can exist in any interior.

Mélissa: We wanted a print that you never tire of — all softness and curves, and above all with the "hand-drawn" signature style of Season Paper. A print that could easily fit into a modern interior. This Mouvement print was very successful in our collections, so it felt only natural to bring it to a beautiful Charlie Crane collection.

If you had to decorate a newborn's room, what would you do? 

Julie: Neutral, light tones for brightness, natural and soft materials, vintage furniture. Newborns make me want to strip everything back and return to the essentials. But babies grow fast! And that's when color can cheerfully make its entrance with very colorful objects and pieces.

Mélissa: Ah, this is very much a current topic for me. I want to create a small protective cocoon for a newborn, so they can discover the world gently. The choice of materials is therefore very important — super soft cotton, fleece, light wood, all kept quite pared-back. You enjoy that simplicity at the beginning. It's the moment when you can truly decide on the look of the room… before Frozen takes over against your will!

When it comes to décor, are you more mix and match or monochrome/monoprint? 

Thomas: The more time passes, the more I appreciate boldness in décor: mixing patterns and colors inspires me enormously. But when my children were young, I favored soft, bright tones and a soothing, almost minimalist atmosphere. That cocooning, pared-back spirit is also what drives Charlie Crane. Each of our collaborations allows us to explore new horizons, offering prints that are more colorful or more arty, like those in this capsule with Season Paper — a nod to the world of Henri Matisse. It's always a wonderful opportunity to add a more assertive touch to our universe while staying true to our identity.

Julie: It's all or nothing for me! Either no print at all, or I just can't stop. I design so many patterns and have so many around me that after a while they start to overwhelm the eyes. I therefore need calm spaces in the home. But what I love about patterns is being able to combine them, juxtapose them, watch colors blend and vibrate together. A single pattern is never enough for me.

Mélissa: It depends on the context! I would say mix and match for kids' clothing to create a bit of a wild look, but for décor I don't mix things that much — I like the idea of one standout print paired with beautiful solid colors and well-considered material combinations.

As an expert in beautiful things, how would you advise combining children's décor with adult décor?

Julie: Not really any décor as such in our home… It's more a matter of materials, light, and a few carefully chosen pieces of furniture, somewhere between vintage and iconic design pieces. And while we tend toward minimalism in our choices, that definitely doesn't apply to our children! That said, our children's rooms started out quite understated — white walls, ecru carpet, and secondhand furniture — so they could let their imagination and creativity run free! The result is rooms full of primary colors and drawings stuck to the walls, where wooden objects coexist with all kinds of flashy toys. There are also artworks (lithographs, photographs, drawings) and light fixtures that were in other rooms of the house and have since migrated to their rooms. Not to mention their toys, which often end up in the living room. In the end, there really is no distinction between children's décor and adult décor — everything ends up mixing together, and it's all rather lively and joyful.

Mélissa: I would say the key is to create a fairly "neutral" base that can easily evolve over time as tastes change quickly. Children's rooms (and parents' living rooms) are quickly overrun with toys, colors, and clutter. It's lovely but it can be a little overwhelming. The most important thing is to have practical, well-thought-out storage everywhere so you can quickly tidy up when things spill over! And not to overthink things in terms of adult décor versus children's décor — simply choose materials, colors, and shapes carefully to create a beautiful overall harmony. Also, depending on each child's personality you don't always want the same things, so decorating as a parent is a constant work in progress.

What other Charlie Crane pieces can be mixed with this collaboration? (H3)

Thomas: The Mouvement print by Season Paper integrates perfectly into our existing palette, particularly thanks to its camel tone, which matches the same shade as our collection. If you fall for the KUKO x Season Paper bassinet (my personal favorite from the collab!), you can easily pair it with the LEVO bouncer in camel for a softer, more harmonious look. For a more vibrant touch, the print also pairs beautifully with our nude, a warm and deep color.

What are your favorite Charlie Crane products? 

Julie: The LEVO bouncer. For me, it has become an iconic piece of design. What a shame I no longer have a child young enough for a bouncer, because I can perfectly picture it in my living room.

Mélissa: Team LEVO bouncer here too — it really is the Charlie Crane signature piece. I love its very pared-back base and the fact that you can change the cover along the way!

Thomas, which Season Paper wallpaper would you choose for an elegant, minimalist, cocooning, and children's room?

For an elegant bedroom, I would go for the pearlescent wallpaper, with art deco inspirations. For minimalist décor, I would choose a graphic wallpaper, like the Season Paper x Heju collab. Looking for a cocooning touch? I love the bird wallpaper, which is one of my favorites from the Season Paper collection. It makes you want to stay home just to admire it. For the kids' room, I love their dachshund wallpaper, both fun and not overly cutesy.

The Charlie Crane team