On the button

Published on by chariswhitestylist

As is so often the case with fashion or interior design, it is the finishing touches that have the power to elevate a design into something truly special. Along with ruffles, piping and passementerie, bespoke covered buttons are once again being specified onto upholstery and smart soft furnishings too. With this in mind, the blog takes you behind the scenes of Button Covering Services, an inspiring artisan button covering business on The Roseland Peninsula in Cornwall.

Bespoke interiors couture

Whilst I love an interior with relaxed and even makeshift styling, there is also something very appealing about the poise of tailored upholstery and soft furnishings. These finishes delight the eye and change the tempo of a room either with the punctuation of fabric-covered buttons or with a luxuriously lined curtain complete with button detailing.

Artisan button covering business

Owner of Button Covering Services Helen Worton took over the business in April 2023 following a career in textile design specialising in woven fabrics. After Helen’s textile degree at The Central School of Art in London, Helen began designing collections for textile mills in the North of England as well as eventually working for companies such as Warner Fabrics in London.

Ultimately, Helen became showroom manager at Pierre Frey at The Design Centre Chelsea Harbour in London. This was a job she adored because it took her onto the other side of the business where with her expertise as a textile designer she helped interior designers with fabric and wallpaper choices for their projects.

When the opportunity came up to buy the Button Covering Services business and to work from home in Cornwall, it was a no brainer. Helen hoped that all her previous skills and experience could help provide her new clients with a top-quality button covering service.

Helen Worton, owner of Button Covering Services in her workroom at home in Cornwall. Photo: Charis White

Orders arrive by post each day for a myriad design projects from fashion couture to interiors, each day is different and Helen is absolutely loving producing with her hands (as she was originally trained to do) a beautiful end product for clients. Helen is able to complete same-day orders, sending bespoke covered buttons back to clients by return of post.

Some of the tools and fabrics used to make covered buttons. Photo: Charis White

The Button Covering Services workroom at home (previously a living room) is surrounded by Helen’s husband the artist John Worton’s paintings along with her own textile designs and cushions from her time as showroom manager at Pierre Frey in London.

Workroom desk. Cushion on the chair was from Pierre Frey. Photo: Charis White
Covered buttons for a recent client order, sitting on a striped fabric Helen Worton designed as part of her final textile degree show at Central St Martin’s in London. Photo: Charis White
Buttons galore in Button Covering Services workroom. Photo: Charis White
The view of the garden in Cornwall with striped upholstery fabric designed by Helen Worton and art by John Worton . Photo: Charis White
Workroom view of the garden in Cornwall. Photo: Charis White

Working from home

Here is a little peek at some of Helen and John’s artistic Cornish home.

One of the beaches near Button Covering Services in Cornwall. Photo: Charis White
French door lead into the Button Covering Services workroom. Photo: Charis White
In Helen and John Worton’s upside down house in Cornwall, one of John’s sculpture leads the eye upstairs to the open plan kitchen, living, dining room. Photo: Charis White
John Worton’s sculpture and art on the wall of the kitchen, living, dining room. Photo: Charis White
One of John Worton’s extraordinarily beautiful paintings. Dahlias from their Cornish garden. Photo: Charis White
View from the sitting room to the dining room at Helen and John Worton’s house in Cornwall. Photo: Charis White
Cushions in ‘Tikal’ fabric by Pierre Frey in the guest room at Helen and John Worton’s Cornish home. Photo: Charis White
Sea thrift on the cliffs of The Roseland Peninsula May 2023. Photo: Charis White
John Worton’s art lines the walls of their ground floor where a bucket of wetsuits and shoes are stored for trips to the coast with Helen and John’s sea kayaks. Photo: Charis White

Vintage at Charis White Interiors

Just a little reminder of my online vintage shop which now has a dedicated Instagram if you would like to follow. It is @vintageatchariswhite

This vintage watercolour of a Cornish cove, framed in a new bobbin frame on wallpaper is currently available in my online vintage shop, £50 plus £7 shipping.

Vintage Cornish coastal watercolour available in online vintage shop at http://www.chariswhite.com. Styling and photo: Charis White

Styling Box

Styling Box is my interior design service that offers bespoke designs, and samples all wrapped in a beautiful and useful Styling Box. The perfect gift for you, for friends and family. Please get in touch if I can help you with a bespoke interior design and follow Styling Box on Instagram.

Thank you

Thank you so much for reading, if you have enjoyed this and would like to receive email alerts for future posts, please just press the large Subscribe button either at the beginning or end of a post. And don’t forget to leave a message if you fancy responding in anyway to a post, as I love to receive them!

With best wishes,

Charis x

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