The sharp-eyed amongst you may remember Olivia Aspinall from our blog post on Central St Martin’s graduates to watch, back in 2014 as well as on our stand at last years Decorex exhibition. Over the past 2 or so years she has continued to develop her unique style of bespoke and handcrafted surfaces, all of which are made in England.
Olivia’s graduate project, Prime Matter, comprised a collection of textured tiles and wallpaper created using raw materials such as chalk and coal. She is currently working towards a collection to coincide with The London Design Festival.
We caught up with Olivia to chat through her process and inspiration, and to find out what’s next on the agenda:
"Space – I tend to move quite a lot between different projects during the day, so I like to have enough room to do lots of things at once.
"My radio – It keeps me motivated and sets the pace and rhythm of the day.
"My RAL and Pantone books – I use them daily to reference colour and to communicate ideas with clients."
"Well, I'm currently mainly working in Jesmonite. I started using it by accident and it has become the focus of my work recently. I love its versatility and the way it allows me to translate my textile aesthetic into solid materials, allowing me to be playful with colour and pattern."
"I am really proud of a project I recently completed for an interior design studio called Studio Ashby. I made a large dining tabletop for a flat that the team designed in Soho. The piece was a big challenge and even more challenging to install, as it was on the top floor! However, I was so pleased with the end result and the way the piece fits in beautifully with the finished scheme."
"I love the work of Fort Standard. They play with materials in a very sensitive but brave way, pushing singular materials beyond their conventional application. I am also a big fan of Max Lamb, his approach to materials and design is confident and fearless, and his pieces reflect this."
"I am working on a collection to launch during The London Design Festival this year, which I am really excited about. It will have lots of colour and pattern, reflecting my textile background. I want to bring a colourful and playful textile aesthetic to some bold pieces of furniture."
Check out more of Olivia’s work over on Instagram .
