last word
The last WORD
Overcoming creative block
Award winning designer Hanna Francis Laikola reveals how she stays inspired in an increasingly money driven and financially tough marketplace
Staying inspired can be difficult as everyone hits the creative wall at some point, but I tend to believe that if you have a passion burning inside of you then you will find a way over hurdles and through bleak patches. Without passion, you won’t have the drive to push your ideas through.
Hanna Francis Laikola has a ‘Furniture and Product Design’ education from Nottingham Trent University. She also has a succession of awards behind her, and she is now attracting attention across the world of design.
F
inding a place that really inspires you and gives you the peace to be creative is vital. I get my true inspiration from visiting a log cabin in Finland in the middle of a dense pine forest by the lake. Taking time out away from the norm and taking in natures amazing creations always helps me be creative.
Staying true to yourself is key
too. I believe strongly and passionately in beautifully crafted items, made to last with integrity and incorporating the importance of sustainability in design.
I’ve been lucky enough to win a few design awards and this has absolutely spurned me on and gave me a boost in sense of worth and enjoyment. But looking to the future and seeing what I could potentially achieve also inspires me. I look at the bigger picture and have a dream and a goal.
I find I work very well to music – everyone has a genre which sets the scene for them. For me it is ‘revved up’ Tango music which seems to get the best out of me. New concepts fascinate me, so I always try to be as up to the date with cutting edge technology as possible. I love experimenting with materials, manufacturing process,
colour, shape and pattern until I have a lightbulb moment when I know I’ve got it exactly right. It may sound obvious but I try to avoid doing to same thing day in, day out, as that is a sure way to get creative block!
Finnish things such as saunas,
birch wood, nature, snow, simplicity, wild animals such as elk, or wolves, fresh air, blueberries, the endless days of summer and endless nights of winter, silence, Helsinki trams and Alvar Aalto are all things that inspire me. As well as English charm, quaint patterns, old wallpaper, afternoon cream teas, rose gardens, London, rolling hills, politeness, rainy days, pubs, west country ciders, grand open log fireplaces, antiques and manor houses.
HANNA’S TOP TIPS - Taking part in design trade shows is great for motivation, seeing new trends, networking and analysing the competition and finding where the holes in the market are. - Look in to new materials if one design doesn’t work, or try unconventional and alternative ways to use materials.
- Going for a walk or a bike ride – getting outdoors basically, refreshes the body and mind. - Thinking about offering an experience when designing helps me to overcome designers block as it often turns a concept on its head. - Sometimes complex is good, but keeping forms simple and sleek are a sure way for me to keep on track. - A glass of wine and a chat with other creative types always gets the ideas flowing! ■
Hanna has already won several awards including the ‘Future of Design’ award presented by DKNY and the
Association of Interior Specialists - Silver Award 2007. And now her hotly anticipated furniture and interior product
collection has just burst onto the European scene. Inspired by nature and simple in form and structure, the Hanna Francis range includes her renowned VIILUJA occasional table, as well as stylish lights, decorations and bird hooks. Hanna was born in Sweden to a Finnish mother and English father, and it’s her combination of traditional techniques with a contemporary and dynamic approach, Scandinavian simplicity and English charm that make the Hanna Francis brand unique.
www.hannafrancis.com
Hanna’s award winning VIILUJA occassional table
Interior Design Today 47
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