Toile de Jouy is one of the most enduring prints in design history. Born in an 18th-century French factory, refined through centuries of European decorating, and now reimagined by contemporary designers who see its storytelling format as a canvas for modern life. The print has outlasted every trend that tried to claim it because it does something no other pattern can: it tells a story.
At Katie Kime, toile de Jouy is the foundation of everything we make. Since 2013, we have hand-illustrated the landmarks, culture, and personality of beloved American cities into original toile designs that live on wallpaper, pajamas, home decor, and accessories. As noted by Architectural Digest and Vogue, the modern toile movement has given this centuries-old format a completely new life.
The History Of Toile de Jouy
In 1760, German-born entrepreneur Christophe-Philippe Oberkampf opened a textile factory in Jouy-en-Josas, a small town near Versailles. Using copper-plate printing on fine cotton, his workshop produced fabrics with intricate scenic illustrations that quickly became favorites of French aristocracy, including Marie Antoinette. The prints depicted pastoral scenes, mythological narratives, and idealized countryside life.
By the 19th century, toile had spread across Europe and America, becoming a staple of traditional interior design. The format survived because its storytelling quality gave rooms a depth that purely decorative patterns could not match.
Modern Toile de Jouy: How Katie Kime Reinvents The Classic
Real Cities Instead Of Imaginary Scenes
Traditional toile depicted idealized pastoral fantasies. Katie Kime toile depicts real places. Austin, Nashville, New York, Dallas, Charleston, New Orleans, and over a dozen other cities are rendered with hand-drawn landmarks, beloved local haunts, and cultural details that make each design a genuine love letter to a place.
Bold Color Palettes
Classic toile was limited to single-color printing on white. Katie Kime toile comes in three to seven colorways per city, from traditional navy and black to vibrant multi-color, blush, and citron. The expanded palette makes toile accessible to any interior style.
Beyond Fabric
Where traditional toile lived on upholstery and drapery, Katie Kime prints it across wallpaper, pajamas, phone cases, ice buckets, coasters, tea towels, lucite trays, and more. The same city design carries across every product category, letting you build a complete toile collection from walls to wardrobe to bar cart.
How To Decorate With Toile de Jouy
Start with one anchor piece and build from there. A wallpapered powder room, a set of toile pajamas, or an ice bucket on the bar cart. Mix toile with solid colors and natural textures rather than competing prints. The toile shop makes it easy to see how the print translates across every category.