What’s in a name? Shakespeare famously said that “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet”. Yet for most designers, naming their label is a deeply personal exercise that becomes almost existential in thrust. Take Indigo Love, the growing Australian homewares brand based on the South Coast of NSW.
Founders Tara and Danny Solberg found inspiration for their label from multiple directions. Initially, it came in the unlikely form of the gleaming indigo feathers of their next door neighbour’s bowerbird, which fossicked daily and grudgingly shared her breakfast with the Solberg’s lazy pooch. Being collectors themselves, the Solbergs felt an immediate connection with their feathered visitor! Their proximity to the ocean was another resounding influence. Tara describes their relationship with the sea as an unconditional, unswaying love. Their brand name channels the deep, mesmerising glow of warm ocean water – that somewhere between purple and deep blue that is so intrinsic to the pacific.
The final part of the equation was simple – love, baby. To echo John Lennon, all you need is love. The Solbergs are passionate people and their goal is to not only bring love to their work but to have people love what they do. Danny and Tara both have design backgrounds and originally worked together at a surf company. With a strong passion for homewares and interior design, they could never quite muster the requisite enthusiasm for the ‘palm trees and hibiscus flowers’ approach. Hence Indigo Love was born, as well as their first store on the South Coast of NSW in Huskisson, Jervis Bay.
Whilst the aim has always been to import unique and hand-picked products from around the world, it is natural that their surroundings also inspires them. Time almost stands still in that part of the world; tomorrow can seem very far away. This works to their advantage in that they aren’t exposed to the latest trends and fashion influences every day; they can focus more on timeless, organic pieces, with a few modern touches – taking in deep breaths of ocean air along the beach for inspiration.
Indigo Love Lewis Classic Leather Chair
Their days are hugely varied, traversing between the home office and the warehouse. The great, seductive bonus of owning one’s own business is being able to arrange time around family. Spending more time with their little boy Jonah and their large Newfoundland Keelah is a luxury afforded by flexibility. Or working business meetings around catching the right wave! That’s not to say that there isn’t an awful lot of work to get through and the buck always stops with them. Most days start with wading not through the surf but a thousand emails, new product development meetings, discussions with suppliers and chasing shipments and production status.
Regardless of where they are in the world, they wake up and check emails in the middle of the night and it is the last thing they do before they go to sleep. The other huge influence on Indigo Love is travel, with one overseas trip per month. Although it is unfair to ask any designer to pick one country of influence, Tara says that India is an integral part of her inspirational journey…
“With such a rich culture and European influence it is a melting pot and somewhere that will always inspire, even after so many visits, there’s always something new to discover”.
Indigo Love Vintage Hmong Fabric Cushion with Embroidery
Indigo Love stand out from the crowd because they concentrate on the whole story; the whole interior. They aim to curate a range that will stand the test of time, rather than fast fashion interior design styling. For example, their current hand knotted rugs are classically beautiful, as are the throws and cushions, which have had a great response. Their handmade rugs can make the most incredible different to a room.
Indigo Love will be exhibiting at Decor + Design in Melbourne this year. As a young brand, they are looking forward to the exposure at a show that will feature over 10,000 trade visitors, including leading buyers, designers, stylists and interiors media.
Register now to visit Decor + Design 2016 in Melbourne, 21 – 24 July.