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Photographs via lumedecor
From ceramic planters to geometric lamps, the work coming out of Brisbane based design brand lumedécor is a collection of precisely designed functional art. I caught up with Mia Parcell, the creative mind behind the growing brand, to have chat about her bright designs and how to turn a project into a business.
The brand name can be taken literally; lume translates to ‘full of light’. “I thought it was a pretty bright idea for a name,” Mia laughs. “Pun definitely intended. I wanted my products to really stand out in a room and reflect quality design, so I thought lume was a perfect match. It’s based behind creative expression, creating new ideas and finding that lightbulb moment.”
The concept for lumedécor started as an idea for Mia’s final year university project, and her first design was made by hand-scoring sheets of polypropylene and folding them into the one-piece light shade. “Fortunately, technology introduced me to a laser cutter,” Mia says. “Crisp, laser-cut lines make a perfectionist’s dream.”
Mia says that during this project she fell in love with designing. “After I graduated it wasn’t something I could let go of just yet. I took the next year to develop it further into something that had a chance in the industry.” Mia’s advice to others wanting to turn projects into businesses is simple, though she acknowledges it is easier said than done: “Surround yourself with like-minded do-ers and dreamers, and believe you’re good enough. Most importantly, know your ‘why’. The purpose, cause and belief that inspires you to do what you do – create a strong foundation on that.”
By combining modern techniques with the aesthetic of origami and paper folding, Mia says her pieces focus on the beauty of simplicity. The result is high-quality pieces that utilise modern techniques, such as laser-cutting, without sacrificing traditional design qualities. This allows her collections to be both relevant in modern design, while also paying homage to age-old design aesthetic.
Elaborating on the beauty of simplicity, Mia quotes Dieter Rams: “Good design is as little design as possible. Less, but better – because it concentrates on the essential aspects, and the products are not burdened with non-essentials. Back to purity, back to simplicity.”
Mia continues, saying that impetus for her designs come from everywhere, but particularly from nature. “I’ve grown up on the coast so I’m no stranger to the ocean. I seem to always fall back to nature,” she says, adding that while she loves Pinterest, it can be hard to ‘stop the scroll’. “It’s really important to step away from the digital world and inspire yourself,” she concludes.
The future of lumedécor looks bright (pun intended). Mia says new collections will soon be in the works, and that she hopes to collaborate with other artists and designers to create some special pieces in 2016.
To see more of Mia’s designs, visit the lumedécor website.