The path from fine art to furniture might not have been a straight one for Sebastian Nash, but thanks to his unique approach to classical design, the award-winning artist has forged an exceptional career in fabric development. “If excellent design makes furniture function, it’s the textiles that bring it to life,” says the British-born creative, who develops all fabrics, leathers and rugs for the King Living Collection. It is thanks to Sebastian’s masterful and cohesive vision that the extensive fabric and leather options King Living offers work together and reflect the relaxed Australian lifestyle with which the collection is synonymous.  

After graduating with a fine-arts degree in London, Sebastian worked in fashion, first in sales then in buying, before immigrating to Australia and – as he describes it – falling into managing a furniture store. He was later headhunted to work as a sales manager at Mokum Textiles, a brand that was evolving from being a fabric stockist to an importer of international brands and creating its own collections. “That’s where I really got to liaise on big projects with interior designers and work alongside international textile brands like Kravet, Zimmer + Rohde, Osborne & Little, and GP&J Baker,” he says.  

Hand drawn lines by Sebastian form the unique design of Eden Check (left) and Oceania fabrics.

Forging a path

It’s also the time he brought his training as an artist to the fore. “I won the Fine Art Young Emerging Artists Award at the Mosman Art Prize in 2008 and after that, everyone knew about my creative background,” he recalls of his winning work, created with an experimental watercolour technique, and inspired by animals he’d previously sketched at Taronga Zoo. (The annual prize is one of the oldest and most prestigious local government art awards in Australia, with a past-winners list that boasts some of our most celebrated artists, including Margaret Olley, Guy Warren, and Lloyd Rees.)  

Soon after, he moved to industry-leading Australian textile design specialist Elliott Clarke, bought in 2008 by Warwick Fabrics, and now one of the world’s leading fabric and textiles wholesalers. “That’s when I started to design fabric collections, travelling overseas to first buy then develop and design products. It’s such exciting work. There’s always something new to consider.”  

The Avoca fabric features a fluid watercolour rendering.

Finding inspiration

Today, in his role as Textiles and Leather Development Manager at KING, Sebastian loves that big inspiration can spark from the smallest things. “The most iconic print I’ve done for King Living is a work called Oceania. I tried drawing for a week, but it wasn’t until I looked up from my desk and I spotted a book given to me many years before that inspiration came. The book was about the history of Australian art, featuring both Indigenous and mid-century Australian artists, so I merged the ideas behind the simple, organic, earth-like shapes I saw. It was amazing that the book was there looking at me saying: ‘pull me down!’”  

Given his talent with a traditional paint brush, it’s not surprising Sebastian prefers working by hand as opposed to designing digitally. “I know that makes me old fashioned, but I love getting the brush out, or pens and ink.” Similarly, his collections are shaped and inspired by the classic landscape of his adopted home country, along with its way of life, which is why customers resonate so strongly with his designs. “I think the Australian aesthetic is quite relaxed, but it still must be functional because Australians are very functional people. I see Australian style as a mixture of a contemporary Italian look mixed with a very natural Scandinavian one.” 

Sebastian captured at King Living Support Office in Sydney, Australia. 

Timeless design

Though he regularly travels to international textile trade shows to study trends, new ideas and fabrication developments, the concept of timelessness and continuity is paramount in his own work. “Trends are interesting, but when people ask me what the latest look or colours are, I tell them to go with what they love. If you’re drawn to a colour, then build around a few pieces in that [colour] and you’ll have a house you love.”  

Investing in furniture you love is about more than just good looks, however, as Sebastian explains: “Good design has always been sustainable, particularly in fashion and interiors, and I’m not just talking about the use of natural or recycled yarns. When things are beautiful and you’ve invested in them, you care for them because you want them for longer. That principle is at the heart of everything we create at King Living.”  

Interested in joining a a growing Australian heritage brand? Explore the opportunities of a career with King Living.    

Discover more King Living career stories:   

• Mathew Milne: A global retail career with King Living  
• Zara Fong: A day in the life of a King Living junior designer  
• Adam Cremona: Career progression in retail and customer care at King Living  
• Jamin Daniels: Redefining the King Living customer experience 
• Leanne Evans: 12 years and counting in a rewarding career at King Living