5 minutes with Anna Weylandt

We sit down with Anna Weylandt of furniture and homeware brand Weylandts to chat about her recent trip with her dad, Chris Weylandt, to the East, and upcoming trends for winter…

What’s your main role at Weylandts and how does your day usually unfold?

I am the furniture buyer and designer for Weylandts. The best part of my job is seeing products and ideas come to life. I am passionate about our makers and the materials we use. Every day is very different. When we are not travelling, I am usually planning ranges, briefing suppliers or working on new products and all the admin that goes along with it. But I can’t start my day without a flat white from The Kitchen, Weylandts’ bistros that can be found at select stores.

Candlenut restaurant in Singapore, designed by Paula Navone

Tell us about your recent trip to the East…

We’ve just got back from a mammoth trip around Asia. We visited Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia and China. Ten cities in three weeks! While we visited various trade fairs, we also visited many suppliers. We design a lot of our products in-house, which requires us to meet with these various suppliers to sign off prototypes and look at their production processes. For us, at Weylandts, it is extremely important to see where we make our products and understand the process completely.

Handwoven baskets

What were some of your highlights from your trip?

I personally love Asia – the heat, the spicy food and the friendly people are really something that I always look forward to. But this trip specifically, it was a great learning experience for me, as I had the chance to see processes and some workshops for the very first time.

Local food market in Ho Chi Minh City

Did you bring back any amazing finds for your home?

Definitely! This trip has been by far our biggest shopping spree to date. We have some incredible outdoor products that will launch in September, as well as teak products that have been burnt to give a stunning black finish. It’s all so exciting.

Petrified wood

Can you reveal some of the upcoming home trends for autumn and winter?

We see materials being the hero in autumn and winter. Leather, furs, marble and textured metals are something we will all be drawn to this winter. Our colour palette is becoming warmer; less of cool greys and more of natural, earthy tones with lots of texture.

Sourcing large Munggur Wood table tops in Jepara, Indonesia

Based on your trip, what can we look forward to in Weylandts stores?

We focus on Asian influences that celebrate particular skills and craftsmanship from each area. We have some exciting ranges with hand-carved wood panels and interesting woven patterns in the outdoor ranges (keep an eye out in September).

Stacks of Teak Wood ready to be processed

If you have to give a tip or one word of advice to a homeowner when it comes to purchasing items for their home, what would that be?

Invest in something that is going to bring you joy for years to come.

Street food on the go

Which three items from Weylandts should every home have for the upcoming winter?

An item from our new Damara range: the rich walnut texture will warm up any space. A beautiful natural fibre throw, or something furry to snuggle up with, like a textured cushion.