Just one leaf can be enough to send designer Charlotte O’Reilly into a spin of inspiration – a leaf found on an early morning walk with her dog, or the flora and fauna of far-flung lands. Her designs, drawn by hand and then coloured digitally, all centre around nature and the natural world. From giant palm leaves to quirky lemurs, the world around her is a thread running through all her work for her company, Charlotte Jade. And connecting with nature is a key part of her daily routine, which begins with immersing herself in fresh air and the great outdoors.
“I am 100% a morning person, I’m always up every day between half past five and six,” says O’Reilly. “It’s peaceful. It’s quiet. That time is important to just reflect and be on my own. No one’s awake, because it’s a crazy time to be awake! I just sit there, with a cup of tea, my cereal, and I think about things, which I don’t normally get the chance to do.”
No doubt, this quiet time in the morning allows her to clear her head and is key to stimulating her creativity for the rest of the day. But before she does that she has to get outdoors and into nature, usually by walking Riley, her cockapoo.
“I either walk him for an hour, or do HIIT, or a run, because I get really inspired by being outside, and nature. To me, routine is important because, having your own business, you have to be careful of your time management and make sure you’re not wasting time, otherwise you can procrastinate and not do what you need to get done.”
Whether it’s local wildlife, or plants in far-flung lands, nature is key to Charlotte’s designs and she has always got her eye out for something new to inspire her.
“I live a very ‘outdoorsy’ life so I’m always absorbing inspiration from daily dog walks, running outside and so on. I take photos and videos of striking features of nature as I go about my day and look back at them when coming up with ideas and initial drawings, to see what is inspiring for a design,” she says. “If I ever have a design block, I go for a walk or visit somewhere like Kew Gardens, or a wildlife park, to reignite my imagination.”
Travel, when possible, is a key part of the inspiration in nature, too, she adds. “Whenever I travel somewhere new I make a conscious effort to absorb my outdoor surroundings, take photos of and sketch different flora and fauna I see, so that I can capture it in my imagination for future design work.”
O’Reilly began her company in 2015, and has worked with designers such as Kelly Hoppen, in addition to crafting her own range, which includes wallpapers, homewares and yoga mats. Her work is all about nature in your home and she creates big, bold, feisty patterns, made possible through her technique of combining drawing and technology.
“In my final year of study I specialised in digital patterns,” she says. “Now I hand draw everything in pencil and then I scan those pencil drawings and I colour them using [design software], so it’s like a layer over the top of my detailed artwork and that creates a really detailed, vibrant finished piece. I combine traditional drawing and design with modern design, so it’s a mismatch of both. I just love the final effect it has, because it’s so bold.”
O’Reilly’s projects include collaborations with clients – such as designing bespoke wallpaper for a popular coffee chain – so she often has meetings, either online or, now, in-person.
But before she leaves her home, her love of routine kicks in. “I don’t think I’ve ever left the house without cleaning my teeth, because it’s up there with a top priority. I use Listerine every day, that is definitely part of my oral care routine, alongside brushing my teeth, then after having a shower I’ll start work.”
Her early mornings demand early nights, and the wind-down time to rest and sleep is as important to O’Reilly as making the most of the first hours of the day. Self-care includes a shower, pyjamas and, following her oral care routine.
Signing off the day as it began – with self-care and nature in mind – brings O’Reilly full circle, ready to rest before another day where the world around her will continue to inspire.
“You never stop thinking about work. I’m running my own business so I’m always checking my emails or replying to someone on social media. It is quite hard to switch off in the evenings, but I do try to leave the studio and get home by around 6pm. In the summer it’s lovely because I can nip Riley out for a walk to end the day.”
“I’ll have a shower, brush my teeth, get into my PJs and watch something on TV. I don’t look at social media or email in the hour before bed, otherwise, you might see something while you’re falling asleep and that’s all you can think about.
“I love being in bed early because getting enough sleep is key – if you don’t, you feel rubbish and it’s hard to make good decisions. When I have to make decisions, I need to be in a good mindset.”
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