A childhood by the sea inspires a career of design.

A Mashpee native and daughter of local Mashpee sign maker Mike Day, Dayna Hartford grew up surrounded by art and the natural beauty of Cape Cod. Both influenced the patterns she drew as a kid with markers, and the watercolors she creates with the more sophisticated hand of an adult. As a graphic designer, Dayna found a way to marry her whimsical watercolor patterns with her more technical design skills, and in 2020, founded Dayna’s Textiles.

Dayna’s patterns are rooted in a studied precision that is beautifully melded with her clear passion for all things nautical and Cape Cod. “That feeling you get when you’re on the Cape—the lifestyle, the ocean, bike riding down the coast—it’s always stayed with me,” says Dayna, who now lives on the South Shore with her husband and son. “I love being inspired by nature and marine life on the Cape. For me, it’s about finding the special places and things that make each town unique.” A current project features watercolor toile patterns representing each of the towns on Cape Cod, with the town’s characteristics brought to life by Dayna’s imaginative skills.

As a business owner and hard-working mother, Dayna has built a brand rooted in passion and creative vision, transporting her customers to worlds of watercolor sailboats and vibrant marine life. All of her products are handmade, using materials from the USA. And Dayna offers design services for companies, like accent walls for local offices or print designs for wholesale products, as a way to connect with her local community. “I want people to know that I can design anything. I love sitting with clients and going over motifs or objects that they want in their patterns to make sure that every collaboration is just right,” says Dayna. 

Whether it’s a one-of-a-kind collaboration, licensing deal, or product from her online shop, Dayna’s patterns all have one important thing in common: Cape Cod. “I want people to remember their special moments on the Cape; whether they live here or vacation here.”

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