Creative director Cally Chan on weaving the tales of Mother Nature into her textile work

One of Chan’s cherished childhood creations was a magazine cover she drew when she was eight, and which earned her an award at school. It featured several drawings of Snoopy, the beloved beagle character from the Peanuts comic strip, sheltered by a large tree, symbolising how the school supported its students. Her interest and confidence in illustration grew the more praise she received for her work, but the craft remained a hobby.

Only after moving to the UK in 2006 for secondary school did she begin exploring the possibility of turning her interest into a career when her paintings caught the attention of a teacher, who later encouraged her to develop her talents further. Chan decided to intern with interior design firms during the summer holidays and found herself drawn to the industry. While the profession is distinct from the traditional art industry, she saw similarities in how both are about “crafting narratives through the careful combination of materials, colours and elements”.

After graduating from Chelsea College of Art and Design with a bachelor’s degree in interior and spatial design in 2012, Chan worked at two design firms—Aedas and AB Concept. The experience gave her a crash course in this line of work, teaching her the basics and leading to her developing her soft furnishings niche. She also worked on projects for Four Seasons hotels in London and Kuala Lumpur, where her knack for abstract design started to shine.

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In the early days of Coltex Furnishing, Chan and her co-founder and husband, Jacky Hung, approached their business as potters approach a lump of clay. “You’re never quite sure what the final form will be,” she says. They began by offering a kaleidoscope of design styles—Chinese, east-meets- west and abstract—allowing clients to explore and define their aesthetic preferences. Quickly, the abstract designs emerged as the studio’s signature.

Chan also ensures that its furnishings tell a story that resonates with both the brands it works with and their customers. Some of her approaches include adding elements that provide context based on the venue’s history and align with its purpose. It’s even more rewarding when her products are used in unexpected ways, as it broadens her perspective. For example, at Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong’s British bar The Chinnery, her classic basket weave pattern—typically suited to casual settings—is transformed into sophisticated upholstery by adding a leather trim.

Despite the popularity and success that Chan and her team have enjoyed over the last nine years, she says they always prioritise focusing on the present instead of chasing expansion or accolades—and this has led to their creating exceptional work and finding joy. “What if the world ended tomorrow?” she asks. “It may cost you a lot to get to the place you think you want to be. Focusing on small pieces can lead to big steps, and it might just take you somewhere.”

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Here, we ask Chan a quickfire round of questions to discover more about her artistic preferences and inspirations. 

Do you prefer hand-drawn or digital design?

Cally Chan (CC): Hand-drawn design. It’s easier for me to review what I’ve drawn. 

What is your favourite pattern scale: tiny or large?

CC: Large. 

If you could collaborate with any historical artist, who would it be and why?

CC: Claude Monet because I can stay at his place with a beautiful garden. 

What is one trend in fabric design that we should pay attention to?

CC: Geometric abstraction.

What do you do when you hit a creative roadblock?

CC: I would talk to my friends. Most of them are in the interior design space, and we can bounce ideas off each other.

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