On The couch with Velda, the creative mind behind Almond Tree Designs.
Recently I had the opportunity to speak to Velda, the creative mind behind Almond Tree Designs, a small family owned business with the most extensive and beautiful wall art collection. Almond Tree Design is based in West Melbourne, Australia.
Personally, I have a few of Velda’s wall art and it’s not only beautiful but also enhances our home. Adding style, sophistication and helps to tell a story.
1. What inspires you?
My inspiration comes from the ups and downs of life, the people around me and the beauty of the world in general. I love pretty flowers and soothing pastel colours, so these have inspired a lot of my recent designs. Our inspirational quotes also often have a personal element to them, but they’re often experiences that so many others can relate to!
2. What are some of the things we should consider when picking an artwork for our home? For example, artwork for our living room, bedroom and nursery.
Artwork can be a really personal choice, but the great thing about our artwork is that it’s affordable and so easy to swap over when you fancy a change. I’m a big believer in choosing neutral colours for your big ticket items (eg. furniture), so that you can then give your space a completely different look just by changing up your artwork and soft furnishings (eg. cushions and throws) as often as you like!
I often store extra prints in the back of my frames at home so that I can swap them over when I fancy a change!
3. I noticed that your beautiful artwork comes in various sizes, how do we know what size to pick? Are there rules?
I usually recommend going for the biggest size you can fit into a space, because a gorgeous artwork that fills up a wall space will set the scene for the room and give it that “wow factor”. If the artwork is too small, it can often get lost and look out of place. So I would say that if you were choosing between 2 sizes, go bigger!
4. I often struggle with finding the right frames, can you give us tips on this? Ready Made vs Custom?
I love a classic white frame, because they create a crisp fresh vibe and allow the artwork to shine. We offer both white and black solid timber frames, but white is by far the most popular with our customers. There are some great ready-made options out there too, but if you’re wanting to invest in a good frame that will stand the test of time, make sure you go with a solid timber option. Although the MDF/composite frames are more affordable, they do tend to warp and get damaged easier, especially in areas susceptible to moisture.
6. If you had to pick, what is your favourite artwork?
I’m really proud of our Peony Blush as this was the first floral print we introduced to our range and has proven to be the most popular with our customers. However, I do have a soft spot for La Belle Rose because those soft dreamy peachy vibes create such a soothing and calming atmosphere for me! Our Educational Watercolour series is also one of my favourites as I just love love love the colours!
6. As a busy working mum with two boys how do you juggle it all? Especially during lockdown in Melbourne.
There’s been a lot of late nights working after the kids have gone to bed! But I’m so thankful to have a business with very flexible hours, and a very supportive hubby who helps me with it as much as he can!
Let's Get Personal .......
1. What else are you passionate about besides your work?
As a small business owner, I learnt the expensive way how much time and effort goes into not only the day to day running of your business, but also the marketing, social media and content creation side of things. This led to me creating my interior styling page @stylingmyinterior on Instagram, where I have been able to help create quality content for, and promote, other small businesses. I love creating beautiful images for other businesses and it makes me even happier when I see how much they love and appreciate them.
2. What is your most treasured belonging?
I’m an insanely sentimental person, so I have many treasured items from my childhood, including photos and all my soft toys!
3. What's one thing people may not know about you?
Running a small business and designing artwork is something I’ve only come into recently, as my background is in Chartered Accounting. It’s a switch I made after having my children, as I wanted to have the flexibility of being more present for them, especially in their younger years. The learning curve has been steep, but it’s been fun and exciting at the same time!
4. What can't you live without?
Can I say my family? They truly mean everything to me and are what keep me sane (yet insane at the same time) and so full of love and gratitude.
I hope you enjoyed my chat with Velda and found her tips helpful. I would like to invite you to visit Almond Tree Designs and check out many of Velda’s gorgeous wall art. Alternatively you can connect with Velda via Instagram @stylingmyinteriors.
Please let me know if you have any questions and if there is someone in particular you would like me to interview.
Shop The Look - Cushions
Wall art by Almond Tree Designs
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