ELM’s Ella Munro
Good morning Paper Peeps and welcome to FRIDAY morning!!! Today we have the lovely Ella from ELM. Another fabulous South Australian based designer of stationery for all occasions ELM is about to release a new collection and you know we love to be in the paper know!
What is the essence and vision of your business ELM that you strive to bring to your customers?
I set out to design a beautifully packaged and quality product that is at a good price point. I like the idea that each year or season a new range is released, this is the exciting part (although can be a tad stressful too!). It was also quite important that the papers used are from a sustainable source and our cards are printed in Australia with a printer that has good green ticks of approval.
What brings customers to purchase a product by ELM?
I hope they love the way it is designed, and that it triggers that oohh I must have or that would be a good gift. I love using colour palettes that are in season and am inspired by the trends in homewares and fashion. There has been a lot of flower prints in fashion this year so I have created my interpretation of this inspired by 1900′s botanical etchings, old worldy but modernised to feel now.
What is the best thing about owning your own business?
The freedom and flexibility, especially while raising my young 2 y.o toddler, I like to try and strike a good balance between both, it’s not easy though juggling both, feel like am never going to have the perfect balance, its about managing it as best as I can I guess. I read a great comment by Mia Freedman in a recent column, she was talking with her husband about a certain task that had to be done that day, and he asked her so will we do that in the day or night shift, its nice to know your not the only one doing both!
NEW ELM Designs SS12
How much of your style flows into how you live, how you dress, what you read?
100%, naturally I design in my style, I like a clean and simple aesthetic, my former Editor described my style as Helmut Lang, I have noticed and I’m not sure why but I do tend to add more colour to my product even though I wear pretty much all grey/black – much to Mum’s horror who loves colour! Also the pieces I collect for my home are also very neutral, chocolate browns, earthy and rustic mixed with modern furniture. Perhaps my product is an outlet to a bit of colour!
We know what we love about ELM but what do you love about Paper Runway?
A great creative and inspiring zine, showcasing whats happening locally and internationally in paper art and all things gorgeous and papery.
What enlivens your creativity day in, day out?
So many things, from my inbox of new design blog posts each morning, reading magazines, fashion books, being inspired by unexpected details when out and about and being connected to the world by internet, gosh what did we do before this!!!
NEW ELM Designs SS12
What makes you happy?
Family, good food and enjoying the company of great friends. Oh and for some frivolous fun window shopping on Net-a-porter! And importantly being creative, I have always followed what I love to do, a large amount of my career has been spent working in magazines, I loved the buzz and connection to the latest news. My dream was to be art director of Vogue from school, so I thought well why not give it a go, I worked hard to see if I could make it happen, it did although it did come with its ups and downs, having to move to a completely new city without knowing anyone, it was quite lonely for a couple years, but I soon found my groove. Hopefully part 2 of my career, my other dream to build my own business will also bring lots of wins and happiness amongst the hurdles along the way.
Which blogs do you read daily? Your best blog find?
The staples are Design Sponge, The Design Files, Daily Imprint, and also Fete and style.life.home. All are really inspiring. I also love a bit of fashion-y gossip from fashionista.com too.
What is your favourite paper product?
I love the flat packed furniture that Karton are making with recycled cardboard and also the Flatout Frankie range, thinking about a present for my sons 2nd birthday, its really cool stuff made out of cardboard for young kids.
NEW ELM Designs SS12
What is your relationship to paper?
With my background as a graphic designer, have always been surrounded by paper swatches, I was recently deciding between some paper stocks and I said out aloud they’re all so different, I turned to my Husband and said I just can’t decide, he looked temporarily confused and said they all look the same to me.
How different is working on paper to working with any other medium?
When I was at Uni I remember hearing some good advice from a guest speaker which is to start your ideas on paper, the creativity flows, he was right I find if I stare at blank computer screen it doesn’t flow that easily.
What is next for ELM?
Keep expanding the stationery range, my long term goal is to create a homewares and lifestyle range.
ELM Christmas 2012 sneak peek!
