How we created our Seaweed Garden Range
Our Seaweed Garden collection has just launched. It's taken months of design, trial and error, planning and - frankly - staring at seaweed.
We've loved every minute.
Our Designer Kareni Lowes talks us through how she and the team brought the collection to life and what makes it such a special project.
The Inspiration
What sparked the idea for your seaweed tile collection?
I have always loved the ocean and the feeling it evokes within us. One of my favourite things to do is explore the world of rockpools and in recent years I have discovered the often overlooked beauty of seaweed. There are so many different colours, shapes and characteristics and this has inspired me in my own creative practice as well as for Decorum Tiles.
How does the Cornish coastline influence your designs?
The coast of Cornwall is an extremely special place. Depending on where you are it can be totally different from one place to the next. We are so lucky to have such a broad spectrum of Landscapes in this corner of the UK and each of them influence different moods and can spark inspiration. The rugged cliff tops on the North Coast, fishing towns in the west, the tranquil pine lined coves in the south, the stories of smugglers and wrecks; each place is a rich source of inspiration for anyone!
The Craftsmanship
How do you translate the fluidity of seaweed into a structured tile?
Different seaweeds have different characteristics and I wanted to capture this in the illustrations. I initially drew the outline of the seaweeds in pencil on paper. Once I was happy with the composition and the character within a tile space, I painted them in watercolour ensuring there were different light and dark tones, echo-ing the sense of them swaying beneath the waves.
Can you share a bit about the process—how each tile comes to life?
Once I was happy with the balance of pink, green and brown seaweeds in my illustrations, I handed them over to Decorum's in house Designer and Senior Artist Holly, to then translate these designs onto tiles by hand.
During this process, Holly worked out which colours to use and how the designs could retain their watercolour quality using the specialist tile paints.
We even decided to paint the range in the delft blue to add a classic style to the collection alongside the pinks and greens.
Bringing the Ocean Indoors
What atmosphere do you hope these tiles will create in a space?
I hope these seaweed tiles bring a sense of curiosity and calm to a space whether it’s a bathroom, a kitchen, outdoor shower or quirky fireplace!
Do you have a favourite way of styling them?
I love the idea of them mixed with plains and scattered on a wall above a bath or walk in shower. These tiles work well mixed with materials that would be washed up from the beach like driftwood, coloured recycled glass, twisted rope alongside large potted plants to emulate the organic nature of the seaweed.
About You
Have you always been drawn to ceramics?
I have always been drawn to ceramics but am terrible at making, throwing and pot building! I did a ceramics course in Bristol and was always more fascinated by the different glazes, textures and decoration techniques. This is probably why I’m a surface pattern and print designer!
What does a typical day in your studio look like?
I work for myself so a typical day involves creating print and pattern designs for various clients. This always starts off with painting by hand before scanning elements in and finishing off with computer aided design. I also spend a lot of time researching current trends, creating mood boards for the Artists at Decorum alongside lots of my own marketing and admin tasks!
Is there a particular part of the creative process that you love the most?
I love bringing ideas to life with pencil, brushes and ink!
Looking Ahead
Has this collection inspired new ideas for future designs?
This collection has definitely inspired ideas for future ranges. We’re currently working on Mural ranges and one of those is a giant seaweed mural which I can’t wait to get my teeth into!
The Seaweed Garden Collection is now available on the website.
