Sophie shares inspirational artists and a restaurant tip...

In the next of our series of interviews with the Willow & Stone team we meet Sophie (pictured above with one of her favourite screen prints). Sophie tells us of her love of detail and shares some lovely pictures.

What is your perfect day in Cornwall?

A perfect day in Cornwall for me would have to be a warm, sunny day at the end of summer when everywhere is a bit quieter.

I would wake up early, trug in hand, cats in tow, and venture into my garden and pick some fresh leaves, raspberries and other scrummy finds. I would make a big salad and pack it into a hamper of treats for me and my friends to take to the beach for the day.

I would head to one of our secret beaches which usually entail a cliff walk and a sketchy climb down rocks to the golden sands. We would spend the day enjoying each other’s company, swimming, snorkeling, rock jumping and spear fishing in the crystal waters.

After a long day, if we were lucky enough to catch anything, we would go back home and cook up the day’s catch and wash it all down with a good bottle of wine.

What do you like about working at Willow and Stone?

 

I love the team at Willow & Stone; everyone is very hard-working, ambitious and supportive of each other, which makes it a really lovely environment to work in.

We are all very lucky to have Sarah as our boss; she is so inspiring, creative and very open to new ideas, as well as being extremely kind and having a great sense of humour!

My favourite products at Willow & Stone have to be our extensive collection of door knobs and door furniture. I really appreciate quality and craftsmanship and I always feel great pleasure when handling these products as they are so well made. A lot of them are made to order and when you have it in your hand you know it’s something really special and of the highest quality.

How would describe your style? 

This is such a difficult question! I don’t know if I have a certain “style” as I am influenced by many design movements, but I definitely know what I like (and what I don’t!).

I like my surroundings to be in order and I don’t like too much fuss.

I find pleasure in the old, used and the unusual. 

I really appreciate good quality materials with a handmade aesthetic, and if it is grey, there is a good chance I will like it.

What inspires you?

 

I am inspired by colour, textures and form. I find it exciting noticing the little details that could be easily missed, something like lichen growing on a branch, the patterns and subtlety of colours in rock formations, the peeling paint on an old door, revealing hidden layers of colour.

Two great inspirations of mine are sculptress Barbara Hepworth, and a close friend of mine and painter Rachel Sudworth.

I have been infatuated with Hepworth’s work for many years, I love the organic forms she creates.

Her material choices of wood and stone are very honest, which is something that appeals to me.

Rachel Sudworth is an absolute inspiration to me, as a person and an artist. A lot of her work is drawn from nature and her travels, she uses an exquisite colour palette in her paintings coupled with thoughtful and interesting mark making which give her paintings a certain dynamic.

 

What do you get up to when you’re not at Willow and Stone?

I am also a freelance designer working for a local furniture business and I have just started my own textile work, mainly textiles for the home but I am also branching out into textiles for children.

What’s the last thing you bought which you love?

 

Oh it has to be my 100% linen duvet cover in a beautiful warm dark grey; my cats don’t mind it either.

Tell us about something you have recently discovered? 

I am absolutely dying to go to The Ethicurean, which is a restaurant located inside a walled garden, just outside of Bristol in the Somerset countryside. They also have a cookbook that I am yet to get my hands on.

“The Ethicurean is founded on a sense of place.

This is the idea of having a connection with the native land, its history and the community who grow food locally upon it. Our family team seek to discover harmonious pairings between the ingredients that surround the walled garden.”

If you’re that neck of the woods, I think it is definitely worth a look, beautiful food and beautiful interiors, all in a beautiful setting, what more could you want...

 More interviews to come...