Melissa O'Connor is the owner and designer of Gray Star Design, specialising in invitations, stationery and decor, as well as sharing her projects on The Design Inspirationalist. Melissa loves creating authentic spaces, as well as inspiring her readers to redesign their home without breaking the bank. She is a Bachelor of Fine Arts graduate and defines her style as clean, fresh and modern with a touch of whimsy. So we are proud to bring you the Designer Insights of Melissa O'Connor.
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1) In your own words describe your unique style and creative aesthetic?
Although I offer many styles to my clients I create modern designs that have a vintage flair and a touch of whimsy overall.
2) When starting a new project, what is your creative process?
I usually have an event or theme in mind, and then collect images and fonts that work well together. I also often look at other designers work for inspiration.
3) Out of the creative people you have worked with, who is it that you respect and admire the most?
I haven’t worked with many other designers due to the field I am in but I have been included in an autumn inspiration shoot by Atlanta photographer Linda Kovtoun recently. She featured my Autumn Floral invitation suite and did such a great job. I love her clean and modern aesthetic and look forward to teaming up with her again in the future.
4) When looking for inspiration is there a particular thing you do to get inspired?
I am often inspired by the weather and my life experiences, so it mostly comes naturally. This helps me create unique themes for my items.
5) What has brought you to this point in your career? And what is your advice for people looking to follow in your footsteps?
I have put in years of design school and time working toward my freelance career. I’ve learned so much along the way about business and customer service, which is very important. I would say to prepare yourself in every aspect of what you’re doing from pricing and packaging to branding.
