Bold Prints, British Roots: Meet ModeAbode

We sat down with Rhianna Miller, the CEO, founder, and creative force behind ModeAbode—a British, family-run lifestyle brand known for blending vintage charm with modern design sensibility. Since launching the company, Rhianna has remained steadfast in her mission to create beautiful, design-led homeware and stationery with a conscience.

From 100% organic cotton cushion covers to eco-conscious greeting cards, ModeAbode brings together bold graphic patterns, meaningful storytelling, and a deep-rooted commitment to sustainability. As an exhibitor at Spring Fair, the brand continues to champion thoughtful design and local craftsmanship while offering products that not only elevate interiors but also reflect a more mindful way of living.

In this interview, Rhianna reflects on how the brand has evolved, the inspiration behind its latest collections, and why collaboration, colour, and sustainability remain central to ModeAbode’s creative journey.

 

 

How has your brand evolved, and what core values still shape your products today?

Our brand has evolved with a clear focus on sustainability and craftsmanship. We began with filled cushions in materials like faux suede and standard cotton, but soon felt the need to align our products with more eco-conscious values. Today, we proudly offer 100% organic cotton cushion covers, ethically made in the UK by trusted British manufacturers. Sustainability, quality, and local production remain at the heart of everything we do. In recent years, we’ve also placed greater emphasis on original design—working closely with artists and designers to create exclusive collections that bring fresh, creative perspectives to our range. Alongside this, we now collaborate with interior designers to develop bespoke cushion cover collections tailored to specific themes or projects, offering a truly personalised design service.

 

You’ve recently launched an exciting new product range — can you tell us about the inspiration behind it?

We’re proud to have recently launched the Yin & Yang cushion cover collection in collaboration with celebrated colour expert, author, and interiors writer Amy Moorea Wong. This striking collection reimagines the iconic Yin & Yang symbol through a series of contemporary graphic patterns, curated by Amy in a palette of carefully considered, expressive colours. Her playful yet refined use of colour brings together unexpected dusky and dramatic tones, striking a balance between calm and boldness—inviting people to explore colour more confidently in their homes. As always, the cushion covers are crafted from 100% organic cotton and sustainably made to order in the UK, using eco-friendly inks.

 

What role does storytelling play in your brand and product development?

Storytelling is central to our design process. With backgrounds in art direction, graphic design, illustration, and textile design, we approach each collection with a strong visual narrative in mind. Our aim is to create cushion covers that not only complement an interior but enhance its story. Whether through bold graphic patterns that echo a room’s theme, a curated mix of plain cushions in over 140 carefully selected shades, or unexpected colour and pattern combinations that bring a playful twist to a space—every design is developed to add depth, character, and cohesion to the interiors they inhabit.

 

What advice would you give to other brands looking to build successful partnerships?

Focus on finding partners who share your values and creative vision. Successful collaborations are built on mutual respect, clear communication, and a shared commitment to quality. Be open to new perspectives—some of the most exciting ideas come from combining different skill sets and points of view. It’s also important to stay true to your brand identity. The strongest partnerships enhance what you already stand for, rather than dilute it.

 

How do you balance maintaining your unique identity while evolving to meet retailer and customer expectations? We stay true to our core values—sustainability, thoughtful design, and creative collaboration— while remaining flexible and responsive to our customers’ and retailers’ needs. Our focus on original, design-led cushion covers allows us to evolve in a way that feels authentic, whether that’s expanding our colour offering, introducing new collaborations, or offering bespoke solutions for interior designers. By continually refining our collections with intention and integrity, we’re able to grow without compromising the identity that sets our brand apart.

 

 

Colour is a strong part of your product personality — how do you approach colour in your design process?

Colour has always been at the heart of our creative practice. With backgrounds in art direction, graphic design, illustration, and textile design, both of us have spent years working closely with colour—understanding how it shapes mood, atmosphere, and visual storytelling. Our approach to building colour collections is both instinctive and considered. Many of our palettes are inspired by the natural world—drawing from the changing seasons, the tones of flowers and foliage, and the subtle colour shifts found in landscapes. Whether we’re developing a bold graphic print or curating a selection of plain cushions from our range of over 140 shades, we always look for harmony, contrast, and emotional impact. Ultimately, colour is more than just an aesthetic choice for us—it’s a powerful tool that helps shape the personality of a space and bring a design narrative to life.

 

How do you ensure your products stand out visually in both online and physical retail spaces?

In such a fast-moving and competitive industry, staying visually distinctive is key. Our made-to-order model gives us the freedom to be agile with design—allowing us to explore bold patterns, unexpected colour combinations, and fresh ideas without the constraints of holding stock. This flexibility not only keeps our collections current, but also allows us to take creative risks and push boundaries in a sustainable way. Because each cushion is made to order, we can respond quickly to emerging trends while still maintaining our own design identity. Whether viewed online or in store, our products are designed to capture attention—through striking graphics, rich colour palettes, and thoughtful details that reflect our passion for original, design-led homeware.

 

What colours or trends are inspiring your team this season?

This season, we’ve been particularly inspired by the richness and contrast found in nature—from the deep aubergine purples and dark magentas of seasonal foliage to the soft, dusky pinks of flowering cherry blossom. The fresh, vibrant greens of new spring growth continue to be a constant source of inspiration for us, especially when paired with delicate pastel tones that echo the subtle beauty of the season.

Our recent collaboration with colour authority Amy Moorea Wong on the Yin & Yang collection also encouraged us to explore more unexpected and playful colour combinations than we might have chosen previously. Her distinctive approach to colour, regularly seen in Living Etc, has pushed us to think differently about how bold and balanced a palette can be—often pairing moody, dramatic tones with lighter, uplifting hues to striking effect.

As always, our palette choices are rooted in observation and emotion—reflecting both current design trends and the natural world around us.

 

Sustainability is such an important conversation in retail right now — what does it mean to your brand, and why is it a priority?

Sustainability is at the core of everything we do. All of our cushion covers are made to order in England by experienced British manufacturers, which allows us to avoid overproduction and reduce waste. This slower, more considered approach means our customers may wait a little longer for their cushions, but they receive a product that’s been thoughtfully and responsibly crafted— something we believe is well worth the wait.

Unlike mass-produced items manufactured overseas in large quantities, our model avoids the environmental cost of overstocking, long-distance shipping, and excess waste. It also allows us to support local craftsmanship and ensure high production standards across every piece we create.

For us, sustainability isn’t just about materials—it’s about making conscious decisions at every stage of the design and production process, and helping to shift consumer expectations towards more mindful, responsible purchasing.

 

How do you support bricks-and-mortar retailers in showcasing your products effectively? We work closely with our retail partners to ensure our products are presented in a way that reflects our values and quality. We encourage retailers to display our cushion covers with premium cushion fillings from one of our trusted British suppliers—offering both ethically sourced feather and vegan, climate-pledge-friendly options. This helps to present the product as a complete, high-quality offering for customers in-store. Each cushion cover is clearly labelled to share our story: we’re a small, family-run business creating unique designs on 100% organic cotton, sustainably made to order in Britain. These details help our retail partners communicate the value of our products and connect with customers who are looking for considered, design-led and environmentally conscious homeware.

 

 

How do you bring that commitment to life in your product development – from materials and manufacturing through to packaging and distribution?

Our commitment to sustainability is considered at every stage of the product journey—from the materials we choose to how each item is made and delivered. All of our cushion covers are crafted using 100% organic cotton and printed with water-based inks, ensuring our designs are as eco-friendly as they are beautiful.

Each product is made to order in England by our trusted manufacturing partners, whose values strongly align with our own. As a family-run business, their ethos is to “put quality in every stitch,” and we’re proud to collaborate with them to support skilled British craftsmanship.

Packaging is intentionally minimal and uses recycled materials, reducing unnecessary waste. Orders are shipped directly from our UK manufacturers, eliminating the need for excess transportation and allowing us to keep our environmental footprint as low as possible.

By focusing on made-to-order production, responsible materials, and thoughtful partnerships, we’re able to offer a product that reflects our values while encouraging more conscious consumption.

 

What’s your approach to online merchandising and creating a compelling digital shopfront?

Our online presence is designed to reflect the same care, creativity, and quality that go into every product we make. We focus on strong, cohesive imagery that highlights the texture, detail, and colour of our cushion covers—helping customers visualise how they might work in their own spaces. We carefully curate our collections to make browsing intuitive and inspiring, whether customers are searching by colour, style, or seasonal themes. Storytelling also plays a key role—each product page shares the story behind the design, the materials used, and the sustainable values at the heart of our brand. By combining thoughtful design with clear, informative content, we aim to create a digital experience that’s not only visually engaging but also meaningful and transparent.

 

What’s your approach to online merchandising and creating a compelling digital shopfront?

Until recently, our business has been focused exclusively on selling directly through our online store, so creating a compelling digital experience has always been a priority. We carefully curate our product photography and page layouts to capture the tactile quality of our designs—from the softness of the organic cotton to the richness of our colour palettes—helping customers connect with the product even without seeing it in person. We place a strong emphasis on storytelling, clear navigation, and thoughtfully grouped collections to make the online experience both intuitive and inspiring. That said, we’re excited to now offer our products through select retailers too. We know that being able to see and feel our cushions in person —appreciating the craftsmanship, texture and colour firsthand—adds a new dimension to how customers engage with our brand and makes the decision to purchase all the more compelling. Our aim is to offer a consistent and meaningful brand experience, whether online or in-store.

 

Have you noticed a shift in how customers discover and engage with your brand — in-store vs online?

As offering our products through retailers is a relatively new venture for us, it’s still early to make a direct comparison between in-store and online engagement. That said, we’re excited by the opportunity for customers to discover and purchase our cushions in a more immediate and tactile way—without the 10–14 day wait that comes with made-to-order delivery. We believe that being able to see and feel the quality of our organic cotton, experience the richness of our colours, and engage with our designs in person will offer a new level of connection with our brand—especially for customers who value both craftsmanship and sustainability. Our online store will always remain a key part of our business, but this new retail presence opens the door to a more dynamic and accessible way for customers to experience what we offer.

 

What’s next for your brand? Are there any exciting developments on the horizon? Looking ahead, we’re excited to continue building on our commitment to creative collaboration. We plan to work closely with both established names in the interior design world as well as rising stars —artists, illustrators, and designers who are producing imagery in bold and unexpected ways. Championing original design is at the heart of what we do, and we’re particularly passionate about supporting emerging talent, including recent art school graduates and those exploring innovative approaches to image-making. These collaborations will allow us to expand our collections in exciting new directions while continuing to offer unique, design-led homeware that tells a story. There’s so much creative energy in the pipeline, and we’re looking forward to sharing the next chapter of our journey.

 

 

What kind of retailer do you think your latest range is best suited for?

Our latest range is particularly well suited to small to medium-sized retailers who value thoughtfully made, design-led products with a strong sustainability ethos. We love working with independent shops and boutiques that champion British-made goods and are looking to offer their customers something truly unique. Because all of our products are made to order in the UK using 100% organic cotton and eco-friendly inks, we’re a natural fit for retailers who are conscious about both quality and environmental impact. Our flexible, small-batch production model also allows us to offer bespoke collaborations—something we’re currently doing with an independent, design-led retailer to help bring their own creative vision to life through a custom cushion cover collection. It’s these kinds of partnerships—creative, collaborative, and values-driven—that we find most rewarding.

 

Finally, what would you say to someone discovering your brand for the first time?

We’re a small, family-run brand creating original, design-led cushion covers made from 100% organic cotton and sustainably produced in the UK. Our collections are born from a love of colour, creativity, and craftsmanship, often in collaboration with artists and designers who inspire us. Every piece is made to order, which means no waste, no overproduction, and a more thoughtful approach to homeware. Whether you're drawn to bold graphic prints or subtle seasonal palettes, we hope you’ll find something that brings joy, character, and a sense of story to your space.

 

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