No mood board this month. No time for mood boards. I've got a studio to build!
My self employed life started in a shed at the bottom of my garden, when I lived in Surrey whaaay back in the early noughties. We ran out of room and "home" became a glass office on a business park in Hampshire. I never felt creative in that space; out of place in flipflops in a building full of patterned ties. In 2007 the building suffered an extreme flood and it wiped out...erm everything. I wondered if it was a sign.
Looking back on my shed with such fond memories I have often longed for the simplicity of a home studio; being able to draw late into the night without worrying about the walk to the car park. Being able to wander into a creative space on a saturday and having the luxury of being able to spend an hour on a project. Being creative is consuming and for me, having an office a bus / cab / train ride away was very restricting.
From a client perspective, inviting brides and grooms-to-be into your home makes work even more personable. I've missed that. In the early days I had a famous chef sitting at my kitchen table (before the shed even), whilst I apologised for the lack of studio and room, he said experiencing the start of someones dream was an exciting place to be. I worked for him once again in 2009 and he said my formal set up wasn't as much fun as the early days, he liked the glimpse into my home life.
Almost as soon as I left my shed, and most definitely since "floodgate", it has been my absolute dream to build an office at home and we've been searching for an appropriate home for over a year. In April we found our dream home, after months of waiting we moved in. 17th September was a glorious day. Now I am having my office built and I just cannot wait for the plaster to dry and my design life to have a new dimension.
Below is a photograph of my new view. I feel extremely lucky to be part of this landscape and you are most welcome to share this with me - I'm bringing our diy courses to my new studio (as soon as it's finished) and client appointments will be here, rather than in the production unit. Until then, from the yet to be unpacked boxes, and amidst the yet to be organised office, see you next month - I'll feature two glorious months work. Promise.
Time for a tea break!
N x x
