Designed by Brooklyn-based Dani Song and Makoto Kishino, the painterly patterns that decorate Bernhardt Design‘s new Human Touch textiles are based on the duo’s silk and tea paintings.

The Human Touch textiles by Dani Song and Makoto Kishino for Bernhardt Textiles celebrates the beauty of imperfections.

While Dani Song has creates painterly markings by brushing ink onto silk, Makoto Kishino stains folded napkins with different types of tea to create abstract repeat patterns.

“There is something beautiful about the art of silk painting,” says Brooklyn-based designer Dani Song. ” Even if I practice the technique, hone the design, or reimagine its ancient heritage – once I put brush to silk, it’s all about the materials, the process and me.”

Kishino’s tea staining technique is equally as organic: “When creating tea patterns, there are decisions I can make, the type of tea, how long it steeps, or the folds of the napkin,” he says. “What I can’t control is what makes the patterns so beautiful – each takes on a life of its own.”

About the designers: Dani Song and Makoto Kishino met as students at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York. The Brooklyn-based designers have worked both independently and in collaboration since marrying in 2005. Dani, a fashion designer, and Makoto, an artist and architectural designer, strive to design functional objects that address both practical and aesthetic needs.

About the manufacturer: US brand Bernhardt Design was founded in 1983 as the commercial furniture arm of the long-established Bernhardt Furniture Company. Bernhardt Design work with a team of internationally-renowned designers to produce high-quality furniture for the architectural and design communities.