Chromakane studio tour: Resetting my energy with a revamp
About
Hey, dear reader! You may not know it but Chromakane was on a short hiatus until recently. Relaunching with new collections this year – what better way to clear my energy than with a complete reset of my studio space? Read on if you’re curious about the thinking that went into it…
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Mood board Motivation
Your personal space is one of the best ways to express your personality, whether passions or quirks. I could spend hours trawling through ideas for interior and home decor design, going down one rabbit hole after another. As with any artistic project I tackle, compiling a mood board was an absolute must for me! This helps me make sure I’m keeping on track with bringing to life a consistent final look and feel, where all parts come together to make sense as a cohesive whole.
I was inspired by a minimally zen wabi-sabi aesthetic, with furniture low to ground to give an almost meditative feel, whilst maintaining pops of bold, eclectic fabrics and patterns, and an overall modern look which still feels clean and cosy. Head on over to my Home Decor & Interior board on Pinterest to check out my ideas.
A versatile creative space
One of my bigger goals for this studio was being able to use it as a makeshift lifestyle space to photograph my art, homeware and other lifestyle products in. So the vibe would need to match Chromakane’s product aesthetic, where patterns, fabrics and colours brought into the studio wouldn’t clash with existing collections – making a neutral palette much easier to build around.
Whenever I’m not working on Chromakane, I’m juggling various graphic design projects. I love how they inject a good amount of variety into my day-to-day, and their corporate nature also helps keep me grounded with a more structured routine. So my studio space would need to be flexible and versatile enough to accommodate those too. I’ve picked out furniture and finishings which all contribute to my needs here, from sheer curtains to maintain enough brightness in the space while creating privacy, and storage solutions and appropriate desk space for all my tech and art-making needs, to a professional standard for client calls… all whilst also being a space that I can still make a mess in!
A love for eclectic art & nature
A creative studio isn’t complete without, you guessed it, art! I love collecting charming pieces and bringing these into my space. It helps when they feel intentional too – so even though I’ve enjoyed collecting multiple smaller art prints and statuettes for instance, I won’t necessarily display them all at once. I’ll rotate them in my space, to feel like I’m switching things up and seeking inspiration from new or different sources every now and again. As much as I can appreciate eclectic or maximalist interior design, I’m also a firm believer that a tidy space makes a tidy mind.
And no interior space truly feels like home without a little bit of nature, either. Bringing the outdoors inside is a great way to keep the air clean, spirits lifted, and also creates an interesting sensation that your space has come to life. Added bonus: everyone loves seeing a bit of greenery in your background so it’ll give you a warmer and more approachable vibe, whether you’re creating new content or catching up with a client virtually.
Top tips for your next spatial revamp
Use a visual mood board (or at the very least, a brief list of keywords) to build consistency and avoid any stylistic clashes.
Be pragmatic. Opt for smart storage solutions with easy access to everything you need, especially if you’re working within a smaller space.
Keep it welcoming and flexible, with the potential to allow for collaborative work, or for content creation where a styled lifestyle setup comes in handy.
Enhance natural light as much as possible. Some ideas include sheer curtains to diffuse harsh light whilst providing privacy, reflective and mirrored surfaces for light to bounce around on, and warm lightbulbs – all creating a more inviting space which works hard for you day and night.
Be selective with your decor, making sure everything added to the space feels intentional (and useful to you, wherever possible).
Eclectic is great, until it begins to clash. Careful curation of patterns, textures and colours may be required, unless a maximalist style is what you’re aiming for, and this is especially true if you’re wanting your own artworks to stand out when photographed in the space.
Make it fun, and bring in the green. Make your space feel as warm and welcoming as you want to come across! ✺
A creative studio isn’t complete without, you guessed it, art! I love collecting charming pieces like this matte black classical bust, and smaller prints like Claire Spencer’s ‘Faces’ embossed lino print – filled with personality and emotion.
I’m often on the go most, working from co-working spaces or cafés for my different corporate projects. When at home, I’ll usually set up my laptop with a drawing monitor or trusty Wacom tablet (which is over 15 years old!)
No interior space, studio or other, feels like home without a little bit of nature. Bringing the outdoors inside (like with this monstera plant I’ve turned into a hydroponic experiment) is a great way to keep the air clean and spirits lifted.
I love surrounding myself with textures, from soft bouclé upholstery to eclectic home decor with an east-meets-west aesthetic. These create a more visually exciting space, and will in turn inspire my collections over time.
The soft furnishings I selected, such as the neutral/beige bouclé cover of this day bed or the geometric rug design, needed to also complement the style of work I create. Too many fabrics can also end up clashing otherwise!
With this revamp in particular, I found a lot of ideas and inspiration looking at traditional Moroccan and Turkish furnishings in particular – drawn to their bold prints and geometric designs – and felt these complemented my own works in a subtle way.
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