Introducing A Splash of Colour
This week I got in touch with Natasha Broady, owner of A SPLASH OF COLOUR, a new online shopping destination for those who embrace colour and love great design. The website name contained 'COLOUR' so immediately I was curious, and when I visited, I was not disappointed!
When you launch ASOC on your browser, your spirits are instantly lifted. There is colour everywhere but with clever minimalistic design, Natasha manages to showcase her products in a fun and uncomplicated way: by colour coding them. Natasha managed to eliminate clutter easily (my goal for the season) and has incorporated a good range of colours, from pastels (trending, see Season of Mists on Elle Decoration Sep15) to neon to muted greys.
The website launched just two weeks ago. Its owner is a seasoned marketer who has been working in the PR and communications industry for over fifteen years and is self-confessed interiors junkie (we joined the club as well!). Here, Natasha talks to me about her inspiration, priorities when choosing products and (drum roll) reveals her favourite colour! Or does she?
Q. What 3 words best describe your online shop?
A. Stylish, colourful and simple.
Q. What would you say are your main influences when adding a new piece in your collection?
A. First of all I have to love it. Usually when I’m picking products for the site they make my heart beat a bit quicker when I see them - then I know they are the right fit. I look for things that tell a story and would genuinely add personality and a little bit of something special to someone’s home.
Q. What part of owning your own online shop excites you the most? Selecting the products, developing your portal or spreading the news about the website?
A. Definitely finding beautiful products to share with the world. It is such a happy feeling to send off a package of something beautiful, when you know so much has gone into finding it.
I always hope that the buyer will love it as much as me. I’d love for customers to send me pictures of the products in their home - that would make me really happy.
However seeing how people are reacting to the site has definitely been exciting, too. I put a lot of time and energy into creating the perfect home for such beautiful products, with easy to use search functions and clear, precise descriptions. I love to hear all of the positive feedback. It really does make it all so worthwhile!
Image credit: GALULA Studio, showing the Tres light cork side table
Q. What comes first: design, functionality or colour?
A. For me the colour wouldn’t work if it didn’t have a strong sense of design at the heart of it. Everything has to have a strong combination of design and colour because I’m trying to ensure that everything I sell would genuinely become a talking point in someone’s home. The perfect product to demonstrate this is the Tokyo II side table; it is stylish but also has a very functional aspect with hidden trays that are exactly what you need when entertaining.
Q. Cork is a material that we begin to see more of in design. The GA LULA Tres stool is one of the designs that incorporates it. Is it durable?
A. There has been a real resurgence of cork in design over the past couple of years because of its green credentials and its versatility. As a material it is very durable. In fact it is very resilient to pressure, as well as being very lightweight, making it the ideal component for designers to experiment and develop. It also makes it much easier to move furniture around in the home… no more heavy-lifting necessary!
Q. Which piece from the first collection is your favourite and why?
A. That is such a difficult question as I genuinely love everything that I sell. It is so hard to pick one but I do love the Alpha Concrete Lamps shown below. Firstly because I have a small obsession with concrete, and secondly as I just love the way the lamps combine design and colour in such a simple way. These really would look cool on a unit in a lounge or on a desk. And with a choice of colours, you can match them with any decor!
Alpha Concrete lamp, £88 (comes with Edisson globe bulb)
Q. In which celebrity's home would you like to see your products?
A. It would have to be Alexa Chung as she’s super stylish and has her own unique style. (At this point, Seasons in Colour stops for a big *sigh*).
From Left: GA LULA Tres stool dark cork turquoise side table £84, LJ Lamps Alpha concrete lamp, in blue, complete with Edisson Globe bulb £88, Holly Sharpe A3 limited edition signed Giclée print, £30.
Q. What style do you follow in your home?
A. I use colour as an accent to my home and over the years I’ve collected ‘pieces’ that make me smile and make me enjoy my space. I’m a real collector, especially when I travel. This would be my biggest tip - search for art and crafts in other countries and bring a little piece home from everywhere you go. It creates a great talking point, is almost always unique and they are usually always colourful. This picture is a close up of some buddhas I picked up in Bali, and a painting I brought at the side of the road in Ecuador when I went there on a trip with Cancer Research.
Q. A tricky question now. Do you have a favourite colour?
A. I’m a little like a mood ring – I change my mind depending on my mood, but blue is a fail-safe!
Q. And finally, a lot of online shops have blogs attached to their websites. Should we expect something similar from ASOC in the future?
A. Absolutely - watch this space!
IztheWiz limied edition A2 giglee print, £45
Lean Man side in magenta by And then Design, £190
Special thanks to Laura Baldry, Interiors PR Consultancy who made this interview happen.
This post is not sponsored.
