Designer insights with Julia Grant

Julia Grant is the founder of Winter’s Moon, an online store offering colour and patterned collections from Chichester. Julia offers a quirky mix of vintage and modern homeware, including furniture designs and fabrics. Originally Winter’s Moon was the name of a house where Julia held open house sales, but when establishing the firm and launching the website in 2009 this name became the obvious choice for her new venture. So we are proud to bring you the Designer Insights of Julia Grant.

Designer Insights - Julia Grant

Image Credit: 1) Kreis Design 2) Sofa Workshop 3) Atelier Stella 4) Donna Wilson 5) Goose Home and Garden

- Transcript -

1) In your own words describe your unique style and creative aesthetic?

I would describe my style as colourful and quirky. I know that colour and pattern just make my home a happier place to be and that translates to my work.

2) When starting a new project, what is your creative process?

It usually starts with the function of a piece and then the colourful creative thinking follows, alongside lots of practical research on how to actually get the item produced.

3) Out of the creative people you have worked with, who is it that you respect and admire the most?

In a previous life I worked with a British interiors photographer called Jan Baldwin, she is really well respected in the industry but is so down to earth and encouraging. Apart from just being lovely to work with she taught me a lot about how to make a product look the best it can in a photograph. This training helped hugely with development of my website.

4) When looking for inspiration is there a particular thing you do to get inspired?

I find that ideas need to brew for a long time and often have lots of different ingredients, but I often refer to my library of vintage textiles, and vintage childrens’ picture books if I need some visual stimulation.

5) What has brought you to this point in your career? And what is your advice for people looking to follow in your footsteps?

The desire to be in control of my own working life is a big drive to making my business work, that and the love of doing what I do & a determination to ‘just keep swimming’. Having a supportive partner really helps and a real confidence in your own style and identity – there is little point in just replicating what is out there already.