Meet The Essentials Collection: An Inside Look with Bonnie

At Bonnie and Neil, we’ve always been inspired by the beauty of bold patterns, vibrant colours, and unique designs. But sometimes, it’s the simpler things that truly make a space feel complete. That’s where The Essentials Collection comes in - a carefully curated range of cushions and napkins designed to bring a sense of balance, texture, and understated elegance to your home.

We asked Bonnie to share the journey of creating The Essentials Collection, offering insights into the inspiration, design choices, and the thoughtful details that bring this collection to life. From earthy tones inspired by natural landscapes to tactile fabrics that invite you to sink in and relax, this collection is all about creating a foundation for your space - one that complements our bolder designs and brings a natural, harmonious feel to any room.

The Essentials Collection is inspired by a deep appreciation for the beauty found in simplicity and natural textures. I wanted to create a range that, (similarly to all our collections), I would love to have in my own home to pair back with different patterns, textures and prints. The collection draws heavily from the natural world, with earthy tones reminiscent of coastal landscapes, the textures of woven grasses, and the subtle beauty of organic materials. It’s about celebrating understated elegance that perfectly complements our bolder designs, allowing the patterned pieces to shine while adding depth and balance to a space.

While our main collections are often colourful and theme-driven, The Essentials Collection is designed to be a range that ties any interior space together. It’s about creating pieces you’ll love year after year—foundational items that can be mixed and matched with more statement pieces. It’s also allowed me to explore beautiful textures like boucle and woven cotton which add a tactile richness to the collection.

The design process for The Essentials Collection was very intentional and somewhat introspective. The starting point was the colour palette, but also texture and looking at colours that are most harmonious with our printed ranges and shades that we are known for at Bonnie and Neil. We spent a lot of time exploring different materials, experimenting with textures and trims, and refining the colour palette to ensure it felt cohesive yet versatile. As always, our focus was on both quality and craftsmanship, so we worked to create bespoke yarns and unique weaves that are tactile and beautiful.

We are known for our patterns and prints as well as our colour combinations, but I had always felt that there was a great opportunity to create some more pared back textured pieces to sit within our range. These pieces are perfect for complementing and making our patterned designs really shine.

1. Grain Green Cushion - The perfect leafy and acid green combo! My favourite colour and the fringing is next level.
2. Cloud Blue Cushion - This new boucle weave so extra soft and cosy and has a gorgeous two ton effect.
3. Nile Mustard Cushion - I love the linear weave with a raised stripe and this colour is so soft and dreamy.

I see The Essentials Collection as the perfect foundation for any space. This collection is designed to be able to match almost any sofa colour. Whether you’re looking to refresh a room or just add a few new pieces, the cushions are perfect for layering on sofas, beds, or on their own in an armchair - mixing textures and tones to create an inviting space. The napkins are perfect for dressing up any meal, whether it’s a casual lunch or a fancy dinner. I’m sure our customers will love how easy this collection is to use, it's perfect for adding a natural edge to their homes and creating a space that’s totally their own.