Thursday, June 28, 2012

it's not about faces, just places, spaces: patrizia moroso's home designed by patricia urquiola

Now this is a dream team.  
Patrizia Moroso (of Moroso Furniture) and Patricia Urquiola (Furniture goddess).

a bunch o' Pats
Moroso got Urquiola in to design her home.  
Showing off - maybe - but the who cares when you have these results.








Rad home with touches of brilliance and design wizardry.
colour - check
design - check
badassfunkychair - check

'Pat'ch made in heaven.  

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

what doing?

"Oh you are alive!"  I hear you all cry.  Yeah, sorry about that peeps.  

Basically my world has flipped upside down (Fresh prince again).  


In a nut shell...
1. we moved towns (torrential rain in both places)
2. we all got the flu (real bad)
3. left a truck load of really best mates back in christchurch (I miss you all already)
4. packed bags for 3 months in Europe (real diff when it's freezing here)
5. sold a house (our rental not our old house)
6. brought a new house in Blenheim (it's good)
7. planned a european holiday with our family and Jeff's brothers family (promise.. it is a bit stressy!)

If I was a psych doctor that-there-list would ring some serious warning alarms and believe me I was on high alert BUT we got through and I can now sniff the warm climes of France from here.  
We leave in 6 sleeps and golly-gee-whizz I'm getting excited.

We have un-packed our new house and it's set-up ready for our house-sitters.  We have only been here 10 days but already my design mind is going into overdrive with all the possiblities of this place.  

It's a 1903 villa on a good sized piece of dirt.  It's restored within an inch of it's beautiful life and literally is a blank canvas.  IT HAS NO EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE and that alone is a pretty major plus.  In short, it's lovely.  It's safe.  It's warm.  It's going to get the AFD treatment when we are back in October.  Wee!



House keeping:
As you already know, I will be Europe-side for the next couple of months.  This does mean that I WILL be enjoying life and blogging less.  Good for me but not so great for my readers. 
BUT - you can find me on Instagram (AlexFultonDes), happily snapping up a storm.
Facebook and Twitter (AlexFultonDes).  

Please come along for the ride.  It's going to be nuts.



Tuesday, June 12, 2012

good prods: new SPARKK designs

Sparkk fabrics and wallcoverings are getting all ornithology-on-it in their new pattern range.

Original artworks from John Gould's 'Birds of Australia' have been given the Sparkk treatment using colour and scale with terrrrif results.




Styling fail...a tan leather jacket.  Really?! 


Personal fav is the flamingos.  Love a good flamingo and this image does not do that bird justice.  It's all pink day-glo in your face yo in reals life.



Remember that with Sparkk products they can change any colour combos to suit YOUR desires.  Special.  And addictive.

Also (if that's not enough) they have teamed these feathered friends with some snappy patterns...



...or use on their own (ok I will).

Monday, June 11, 2012

let's chat: with lucy laidlaw from shademaker design

I have been asked a few times about making lampshades and even though I love a craft or two, I tend to leave suchlike madskills to professionals.

Today's professional is Lucy Laidlaw from Shademaker Design.  As the name suggests she makeith the shades and said shades are awesome.

I use Lucy to make all my shades for clients and they always turn out beautifully crafted and to the highest quality.




Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do?
 I currently live in Christchurch and am a married mother of three children, one girl and two boys and have just had my 40th Birthday which is a bit of a reality check! 
I run my business from home which has worked well with fitting it into the day to day demands of family life. 
I have always been interested in crafts and design, and grew up with a mother who was constantly at the sewing machine and had a great supply of fabrics on hand. 
I studied Clothing & Textiles at Otago University and Millinery at the London School of Design, and then had the opportunity to work alongside my sister Mary who taught me the skill of hand crafting lampshades. 




I've never attempted to make lampshades but am I assuming correctly that it's a lot harder than you may think? 
Large shades are tricky as they need a large work benches and pattern making can take a lot of practise! 
Smaller drums shades can be easier, but every fabric type and lampshade shape seem to come with it own unique challenges. 
Some of the smallest shades end up being the most difficult to perfect!







Do you have any tips for anyone trying to make one at home?
Start off with attempting to make a modest size shade, thick paper or card for the pattern cut out, use good quality fabric, paper glues.  
I'm quite often asked about what products to use and the biggest problem for the home crafter is getting hold of the correct glues etc as they are mostly only available in bulk.  I buy them that way and I'm happy sell any products you need to try these at home. 
Patience and precision are also helpful!





After seeing your home it's beautiful, bright and full of colour - who/what are your design inspirations? 
Anything which makes me feel happy, or triggers good memories... I just love colours and textures that convey a sense of personality! 
I get a lot of inspiration from magazines, such as Australian Vogue Living and Living etc.... and of course reading Alex Fulton Design blog.





What's on the card for the future of Lucy Laidlaw and Shademaker Design? Focusing on producing shades that reflect my love of  beautiful fabrics, funky colours, and fun designs.
I'm also working on teaching some of my skills in some shade-specific workshops...details to come in the near future!



Thanks Lucy - you are too clever.

Go and 'like' her over at her facebook page.

Images:  Taken by Alex Fulton Design



Thursday, June 7, 2012

sources: handmade2012 part two

As promised here is the second half of source-city.

Quite a few of these were not presented but I've added them all the same as they are still worth-while.


(see at the end of post for chance of free-stuff)










Zoe Murphy's Home via the Design Files




Michael Lett's Karangahape Rd Apartment (HOME Magazine), designed by Katie Lockhart featuring 'Cosmo' sulpture by Michael Parekowhai




Decophoto blog




The School - run by Megan Morton








Husohem Blog




Joseph Cliton Pearce Quote by Amanda Cherie




Image from Swissmiss and available here



I also created a special 'cootie catchie', stickers and buttons to give out and I still have a few spare if you would like me to send you one.  Just email me at alex@alexfultondesign.co.nz with your postal address and I will send out a special pack forthwith.






It's the least I can do to just say thanks for reading me!


Happy linking.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

sources: handmade2012 part one

Righto.  This is a biggie folks.  And it's only part one.

I promised all the lovely people that came to my masterclass at Handmade2012, some links from my presentation.  Share the love and all that!

Thanks again to all those that attended.  What a super weekend and fingers crossed I'm asked back for next year as it was a hoot.




Jesse Arrington 'lucky so and so' blog





Blik wallcoverings




























Felt website





Etsy website




Jen Stark Artist




Christine Reitze Knitting Container Art




Wohnidee blog








Zoe Murphy's House via Design Files








Rice Homewares




Pinterest website




Alex Fulton's Dine by Design award wining room!




Source unknown



Various blogs I read!