My Inspiration
My love of soft furnishings stems from my Swedish mother Brigitta. She always created a very welcoming home for us. She was a weaver and had a textile shop in Falkland Scotland where she sold all manner of things from weaving looms to traditional Swedish Christmas decorations.
It was also my very fond memories of our long summer holidays with my grandparents in Lerum Sweden that hold very happy times for me. Enjoying the pristine Swedish countryside. Swimming in the sea and lakes, eating blueberries in the forest, picnics at the beach and … well... being totally spoiled!
One of my favourite memories was in the garden of my Aunt Eva. Mum and Eva dying their own spun wool in cauldrons above an open fire, then hanging them in their various colours off the fruit trees to dry like an assortment of colourful spaghetti.
This was when I learned that boiling onion skins can create a rich ochre colour and dried up beetles can produce the most perfect red. I was fascinated.
Scotland too of course should also get a big mention. It was quite a contrast being surrounded by such rich historical buildings. The Scottish decadence, opulence and warmth can be quite a contrast to the more simplistic Swedish style.
My Great Grandmother Janet Hamilton-Meikle affectionately known by the family as "Ganga" has also inspired me. She was a patron of the Wemyss School of Needlework in Fife Scotland. She had hand embroidered some elaborate curtains during WWII. These hung in our Livingroom and I am still in awe at the skill and magnificence of these curtains that my sister now hangs proudly in her home in Edinburgh. They still have the original black out linings required during the war to protect the home from the threat of the air raids at that time.
Experiencing both of these first hand has given me a broad appreciation of the diversity of Interior Design which in turn gives me the ability to be very open and flexible in my work.
Having completed multiple projects here in stunning New Zealand I have also encountered a wide range of needs and tastes from my clients over the years. This has kept my work interesting and extremely enjoyable to do.
Mood Boards
"She had blue skin and so did he. He kept it hid and so did she. They searched for blue their whole life through. Then passed right by and never knew."
Poem by Shel Silverstein
Inspiration from Nature
I live in the Waitakere forest where I feel very lucky to be surrounded by astounding forest, sand and sea. Nature has always been a true inspiration to my work and I have always had an interest and an appreciation of how clever it is. You never for example see a flower or leaf colour that clashes with the next or a tree or mountain that looks disproportionate.
