The first book from the imaginative and playful mind of Coral & Tusk, a textile designer, whose lovely animal and natural designs have become popular staples for interior designers and embroiderers everywhere.

Coral & Tusk’s playful and sophisticated nature-inspired embroideries evoke joy with their whimsical animals, intricate habitats and organic forms. Stephanie Housley’s original designs are beloved by interior designers and laypeople alike for their endearing imagery on linens for the table, living room, walls, upholstery and beyond. 

This book presents Coral & Tusk’s most beloved designs and explores Stephanie’s creative process: hand-drawn illustrations that come to life as embroidered textiles. Each animal character, home and scene has a backstory, from playful foxes donned in overalls to mushrooms that double as quarters for inquisitive chipmunks. The end result? An exploration of the mind, craft and process of a designer who sends a love letter to the natural world with every stitch. 

From the seas to the woodlands with encounters from pocket animals to inspired pattern and mark making, the world of Coral & Tusk connects us to a simpler joy, reminding us to look outside for inspiration within.

About The Author

Stephanie Housley studied textile design at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) and worked as a professional interior textile designer in New York City. She founded Coral & Tusk with a single embroidery machine in her Brooklyn apartment in 2007. After living in New York for two decades, she has since relocated to Wyoming.
John Derian is an artist and designer who transforms printed images from the past, and in doing so transports the viewer to another world. He established John Derian Company Inc. in 1989, and his decoupage plates, platters, paperweights, coasters, and bowls are still entirely handmade in his studio in New York City, where he employs a small staff of artisans to assist with production.