Today we’d like to introduce you to Charlotte Marra.
Hi Charlotte, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My background is in Fine Art and I earned my Master’s degrees in Art History, Theory, and Criticism. These studies embedded me firmly in the art world and subsequently, I spent ten years working in commercial galleries across the globe as a gallery director. My career has taken me from New York, through Chicago, Zurich, and London to my current home in Charleston, SC. The urge to return to a more creative bent set me on a path to transform the ways in which we design and equip our children’s nurseries, playrooms, and bedrooms.
This began as a personal crusade when my daughter Audrey Ottoline was born. The great design impresario William Morris once famously said ‘have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful or beautiful.’ I took this dictum to heart when decorating Audrey’s bedroom-come-nursery in our small cottage in London. As any parent will know, anything that can aid sound sleep for little ones is an absolute must, and blackout blinds and shades will often be at the top of new parent wish lists. However, I found only drab greys and white pull-down shades in my searches, which while clearly ‘useful’ could not quite claim to be beautiful.
Faced with a plain blackout blind and a lack of attractive options on the market, I took matters into my own hands and painted a mural on a blind – something that Audrey Ottoline could look up at and be comforted by, something that was beautiful – and so Audrey the Bunny, shade #1 was created. The shades were quickly followed by reading stools, quilts, sheets, pillowcases, sleeping bags, and more – each thematically linked together and presented in my hand-painted style to feature elegant bunnies and friendly giraffes. This was the point at which Ottoline Interiors truly was born as an idea and an ambition.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Shipping delays and inflated pricing from suppliers have been difficult challenges this year. Ultimately, any frustration has been tempered by the fact that we are dealing with a global pandemic in which lives are at risk. I feel truly thankful that I still have my business!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Ottoline Interiors places a child’s sophisticated imagination at the heart of our ethos. Inspiration for the designs comes from a rich variety of sources; but in particular, I have always been drawn to Victorian illustrations, botanical drawings, French lithographs, and Italian textiles. Further to pure design credentials, the spur of a bygone age informs the creative bent behind Ottoline Interiors. There is an aim to imagine a time where children were free to drive their imagination themselves and have the opportunity to peer into different worlds without the need for guidance by television or video games. My goal has always been to take classic form and classic subjects and render them in an engaging and timeless manner – intricate enough to keep any child fascinated but still retaining simple pastoral themes that have wrapped up children’s minds in dream-like wonder for centuries. My hope is that Ottoline Interiors allows children to be completely immersed within that fantastical dream-like world.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Our business is four years old and is continuing to grow. We saw an increasing interest in our bedding which is why we recently expanded the line to include larger quilts and sleeping bags. We are hopeful that this interest will continue!
Pricing:
- $48 – Twin & Crib Sheets, Pillowcase sets
- $188 – Quilts
- $158 – Sleeping Bags
- $220 – Hand-painted Stools
- $560 – Hand-painted Blackout Blinds
Contact Info:
- Email: OTTOLINEDESIGNS@GMAIL.COM
- Website: https://www.ottolineinteriors.com
- Instagram: ottoline_interiors
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ottolineinteriors/
Image Credits
Thomas Leaman
Thomas Carson
