Baby's got the blues

Colours and textiles fascinate Sibella Court. Photo / Supplied

For a long time I've been in love with the song Indigo Blues by Llorca. There's one line in it which makes me smile and sing along every time - "Smokin', drinkin', never thinkin' blues" - and the title gives me one more excuse to be obsessed with the colour of the same name.

The origin of indigo

Call it serendipity or simple coincidence, but it seems just about every colour to which I'm drawn has a textile alter-ego. Indigo textiles have origins rooted in the ancient times of many Asian countries, in particular Japan, as indigo dyes from the flower of several species of plant were one of the easiest to source and most inexpensive natural colourings available.

My favourite of these are Boro, the repeatedly mended rags worn or used for bedding by rural peasants in Japan. Often heavily stitched and patched, the shades of blue give them a depth of history that is irresistible.

Other favourites are the variations of indigo used in traditional textile printing techniques: the waxy geometric work of Laos; fine batik work from the Miao hill tribes in China; Japanese shibori, the pinpoint precision technique that includes tying, stitching, wrapping and dyeing fabric; and the pleated skirts in rubbed purply indigo of the Thai Dong hill tribe. Then, there's the Western version of indigo textiles: good old utilitarian denim. While denim may not be elevated by the craftsmanship of its manufacturing process, the spectrum of blues in each of these is exceptional and worthy of great consideration.

A colonial influence

One of my favourite trips was to Hanoi. The people, pace and fragrance of the place are etched in my mind, as are all things visual, in particular the melding of French and Vietnamese sensibilities. This colonial crossover, the outcome of European settlement in Asia - the English in Hong Kong and India, and the Dutch in Indonesia are other examples - results in the generally vibrant and colourful local aesthetic subdued with more neutral tones to create a superb styling genre all of its own.

So, while the name of this chapter might suggest blue is the one and only, other hues are vital in their ability to change your decorating tempo by making some rooms dynamic and stimulating, other more restrained. For me, linen, which I love in all its forms - crunchy, fine, peasant, oatmeal, bleached, neutral, dyed and starched - is the perfect starting point. I can always find a use for vintage linen from France, the traditional home of linen; thick, heavy and crunchy styles from Belgium; Korean ramie, a finely woven ancient linen that's translucent and airy; the muslin-like texture of the Japanese version; and coarse, rough and durable homespun from America.

I collect and treasure antique, handcrafted fabrics from all over the world. Those made on a narrow loom, essentially the width of the weaver's body, are particularly lovely. Consider the many ways in which the fabric was used: panels stitched together to make trousseau sheets, artists' smocks, nightdresses, table linen. The individual stitches, whether delicate French hemming or coarse blanket stitch and sometimes the monogram of the sewer, that hold them together reveal a personal style, but are all beautiful in their own right.

The beauty of pre-loved

Like all my themes, Indigo Blues is not just about colour but the telling of a story. Aim a devotee of all things old and often even broken. Give me a second-hand store or an auction over a day at the mall, invite me into your attic or let me loose at a flea market and I'm happy.

My love of pre-loved objects is twofold. First, the patina of age gives so many things - fabric, furniture and paper, tableware and ceramics, wood and metal - unique textural and colour markings. Look at the way a silver tea set tarnishes or the linen on a hardback book fades in the sun. Feel the crumbling paint on a second-hand chair or the smooth handle on an old hammer. These imperfections are hard to mass-produce and the marks of age tell a story of life lived. This is my second reason for being drawn to things old. I look at the tea-cup stains on a table and wonder what conversations occurred around it. I pick up a discarded leather suitcase from an op shop and imagine the journeys it has been on. So many stories, so many styling opportunities.

* Etcetera Etc by Sibella Court retails for $49 and is published by Murdoch Books.