The Inspiration Behind the Toile of Tallahassee™

The Inspiration Behind the Toile of Tallahassee™
By Amy Hart

Last September my husband Chris and I took an amazing trip to the Cotswolds region of England with dear friends. A few days were spent in London before heading back home to Tallahassee, and our in-the-know friends made sure we took in the London food scene at several choice restaurants and bars. One such establishment was the North Bank Restaurant near St. Paul’s cathedral, overlooking the Thames with a view of the Millennium Bridge.

After taking in the scenery, we were drawn to the eye-catching design on the menus and the wallpaper. Upon further inspection, we realized that it was a toile pattern depicting modern London (see my previous blog post about toile), a London complete with scenes one might expect, like architecture, old and new… but also showing an edgy reality: a homeless person on a bench, a possible drug deal, a hold-up. Wow!! My mind was blown. Toile has changed!! (Upon research, I have found that this quirky toile was designed by a Glasgow firm named Timorous Beasties; love their name!)

This got my mind spinning, and my hands drawing after we settled back in at home in Tallahassee. An idea like this had been nagging in the back of my mind for years, but had lain dormant until now… a toile of Tallahassee.

As a tribute to the adopted hometown I’ve adored for a good part of three decades, I have designed a toile that shows some of its iconic sites and scenes. Depicting venues running the gamut from the new amphitheater at Cascades Park to the 1600’s-era Mission San Luis, I’ve used my sketches to come together in a design that tells the love story of a town full of history, canopy roads, magnolias, rolling hills, beautiful architecture, gardens, and hip new hang outs.

Our family’s shop, The Hare & The Hart, has produced several options for displaying your love for our hometown beyond (but including) the traditional fabric: wallpaper, gift wrap, tote bags, mugs, phone cases, etc. The possibilities are endless, and that’s what inspires and excites us! We are continuing to develop products and more designs (check out our daughter Maddie’s “Woodland Creatures” series!), including currently working on expanding our line of Hometown Toiles™.


At The Hare & The Hart, we live a life that is English at heart with a Southern soul (and a French twist!), and we are thrilled to share our toiles and other lines that embody all three!