My Name is Laura, I am a designer, illustrator and pattern maker,
I grew up in brighton and was heavily influenced by the vibrant and colorful scene of art and people.....
I now live in Rye East sussex,
I was drawn to this area by its incredible and inspirational landscape and vibe, and am now happy to call it home.
Everything in life inspires me, from my small dog pixie and my cat misty to people.
I am a huge romantic and love anything with a history and a story to it....
I would defiantly describe myself as a micro rather than a macro
and derive pleasure out of the smaller details of life and nature.
What do you do?
I create visual imagery that translates into usable accessories for the home and decoration,
I produce ready to buy pieces from large drum lampshades and cushions
to smaller unique prints framed in one off frames sourced from flea markets and auctions.
I also have a range of furniture that takes,
reuses and adapts with new materials to create striking one off statement pieces
my bespoke range offers people the chance to reinvent pieces of furniture
blending the old with the new. ... I believe that new and exciting design
doesn't mean that you have to discard all your beloved old pieces of furniture,
you can transform and reinvent what you already have to create original and vibrant interiors and spaces.
Become a fan on the facebook page for regular updates:
www.facebook.com/lauraoakes.co.uk
visit my website on: www.lauraoakes.co.uk
and of course follow me on twitter : lauraoakesrye!
In rye There are many great vintage shops, one of my favorites is Mcully and Crane
www.mccullycrane.com
It has a great mix of objects and furniture.
Marcus the owner has a way of putting random things together
to make them look as if they were always meant to be there.
I Love a new shop thats opened recently in Rye called “Violetta”
it has some wonderful things that touch all the senses,
gorgeous perfumes and candles to die for, with a great selection of vintage new jewelry (great for pressies :))
If I want some clothes fun I tend to go to Hastings for my quick fix!.....
there are some great small boutiques in the old town and a friend of mine
owns a lovely vintage shop called Little treasures
www.littletreasuresvintage.co.uk
I sometimes go there and we dress up an have a good giggle trying on all the stock!
SIGHT
What is the most inspirational thing you have seen this month?
The most inspirational thing I have seen this month
has been the discovery of everything mini!
I have been collecting old vintage dolls house chairs and other furniture for a project
that im doing at the moment and I am officially hooked!
I have even been developing a minture cushion range to go with the mini chairs!
This recent facination has fueled further mini things such as vintage dolls clothes,
the fabrics are amazing and a lot of them have been lovingly hand made.
Ill be posting up some images of these great finds on my facebook page,
so all can enjoy, so watch this space!
HEAR
Tell us about a new tune/artist that you will be listening to throughout 2011
When it comes to music I am a bit of a romantic and get really nostalgic by songs of the past, I have recently downloaded all of Nina Simone's albums and have been loving Django Reinhardt : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRL895C0fHM There is something really quirky about it and it makes you feel uplifted and happy.
I think there's an honesty and integrity to the sounds and his voice, that speaks in volumes.
I regularly trawl TasteKid : http://www.tastekid.com I can spend hours on this site, its a great way to find new and more obscure bands and musicians.
TASTE
Do you have any yummy recipes or food must haves you wish to tell us about ?
Mmm yummy food, lets think...My favorite food is probably Thai food,
the flavours and textures are always great, my favorite dish is probably sea bass.
But I tend to always be drawn to something with a bit of spice in it!
Im not a big recipe follower as I tend to do things by colour and by eye rather than by measurement.
The fun is going with the flow and seeing whats in your kitchen cupboard
to play with. this can sometimes end in some wonderful accidents (occasionally not!).
Food to me should always be fun and enjoyable with a sprinkle of chilli!
SMELL
What is your favourite smell this month ?
This month there have been some amazing smells in the air.
It finally feels like spring is in the air,
yet its that transition time when the log fires are still burning as the nights are still chilly
but the mornings are beginning to become dewey and fresh with the smell of the budding flowers...
This morning there was a thick mist in the air and you could hear the fog warnings
from the boats down at the harbor. I
f you take a moment you can then smell the salt from the sea in the mist.
TOUCH
What home interior updates do you have planned this year ?
This month has been really busy for me preparing for my summer collection of bright florals. I have a new card range, cushions, lampshades, vibrant prints that will be on sale in the gallery. I have also been preparing for the Brighton festival as I will be exhibiting some bits at http://www.framing-studio.co.uk/end-of-range-offers
So make sure you come down to see :)
As to home decor, its always difficult as there never seems enough time in the day to work and play
and Im really waiting for the boot fair season to start.
The last few months have left me very ‘boot’ deprived.
tend to re-jiggle things at home and love putting up treasures cards and found objects and images,
you only need to take a look at my studio to see what I mean!
I
Laura
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