The Kit Kemp Design Studio is full of creative designers and makers, so this week for the ‘Meet the Maker’, we are celebrating one of our own.
Polly Carter, our Design Assistant has a love for making and creating up-cycled homeware, in particular her patchwork lampshades.
These homemade, bespoke lampshades are made up of leftover fabric cuttings from our interior design projects – ensuring nothing goes to waste.
Each shade features our favourite fabric houses such as Tissus d’Hélène and Turnell & Gigon, who we often work with when designing the hotels.
When it comes to sourcing the trims, beads and feathers, Polly searches high and low. She often wanders down to Shepherd’s Bush where there are plenty of great little fabric shops which sell all sorts of unique trims and textiles.
Polly sees these functional shades as little pieces of artwork. She starts by putting together a colour scheme with the fabrics, matching colours and tones to the intended room.
Each piece is individually designed and completely unique – they are like snowflakes – no two are ever the same.
Ebay and Etsy are also Polly’s go-to places for materials.
”You can find all sorts of colourful, patterned textiles on Ebay – from vintage silk skirts to old cushion covers – I then just cut them up and remove any unwanted marks. It is sustainable design – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”.
Available for commission, these playful lampshades bring life and fun to any room. Colour is so important in everyday life – especially at the moment.