Kindly Woven Artist Feature: Kristina Graf

There is a quiet poetry in structure—in the rhythm of repeating shapes, the pause between lines, the way color and geometry can come together. For Zurich-based artist and architect Kristina Graf, pattern isn't just design. It's language. One that speaks to memory, movement, and the delicate beauty of balance.

Kristina’s journey to textiles is as layered as her designs. Born in Bulgaria and trained as an architect, she spent nearly two decades shaping buildings across Europe. But in 2024, a shift occurred. “I discovered a new dimension of artistic expression through designing textiles,” she shared, trading floorplans for freehand shapes and facades for fabric. The transition felt natural. “Pattern design is a universal language,” she says—a language that speaks across cultures and  time periods.

Meet the Artist 

Kristina brings a unique fusion of architectural structure and playful storytelling to her surface designs. Influenced early by the intricate works of M.C. Escher, the refined play of Sophie Taeuber-Arp, and the boldness of Mid-Century Design, she also draws deep inspiration from Bulgarian ornament and the visual poetry of cities like Copenhagen and Paris, where she used to live. But it’s not just art history and place that shape her work—it’s music, seasons, and the clarity that comes from a quiet mind.

“I draw inspiration from nature—especially by season change,” Kristina says. “And from music, with its multiple layers and shapes.” That synesthetic spirit comes through in every line she draws and every color she layers.

Why Woven? 

For Kristina, woven textiles aren’t just another canvas. “Overlaying art onto textiles gives it purpose,” she says. The physicality of woven work—its weight, its structure, its tactility—brings her art into daily life, where it can be felt as much as seen.

She sees the woven format as a metaphor in itself: a layering of intention and craft, history and future. “The woven structure gives the artwork another dimension… it showcases the art of manufacturing and durability, which is so important in the fast-consuming society we live in.”

Design Inspiration 

Her two Kindly Woven blankets, Quinn and Tilda, are quiet studies in rhythm and character.

One is gently geometric—softly structured with thoughtful play. The other, crisp and cheerful, carries a hint of cottage charm. “Each piece begins with a fascination for balance, repetition, and the ability to create rhythm,” she says. “There’s something grounding in their simplicity—something that invites reflection.” Whether it’s Quinn’s geometric elegance or Tilda’s structured sweetness, both designs stem from Kristina’s love of harmony and her search for beauty in the essential.

The Creative Process 

Creating in a woven format presented unique joys and challenges. Working within a limited color palette brought unexpected clarity. It forced Kristina to refine her forms, allowing shape and rhythm to speak louder than hue. And the process of seeing her designs come to life in textile—with all the texture, nuance, and structure of the woven form—was deeply fulfilling.

"It feels like it’s made to last and designed to bring joy every day."

Final Thoughts 

What Kristina hopes most is that her designs offer people a moment of peace—a feeling of clarity, joy, and calm. “It’s something steady to return to,” she says. These blankets are made for the thoughtful home, for the friend who treasures well-crafted gifts, for the quiet moment when everything feels aligned.

Kristina’s work reminds us that design isn’t just about decoration—it’s about meaning, memory, and presence. It’s about making space for beauty that lasts.

Explore the Collection 

Discover Kristina Graf's blankets, Quinn and Tilda, and the thoughtful geometry they bring to your home. Each one is a quiet celebration of design, structure, and the soulful potential of textile art. Browse the full Kindly Woven collection here.

Discover more of Kristina’s work on Instagram @atelier.kristina.graf.