Designed By Hope Alderson

All the work you will see here is decorated using the traditional technique of decoupage. For those not familiar with the name, decoupage means, quite literally, "applied cut outs". Of course there is more to it than that, design being a vital element in the success of each product but basically various images are cut out and attached to the object to be decorated. Then up to seven coats of varnish are applied to make for a durable and hard wearing finish.

My first foray into the world of decoupage occurred when a friend gave me an enormous five fold screen in a very sad state indeed. It coincided with my inheriting a large collection of architectural prints and drawings so, after much thought, I decided to put the two together. It was a mammoth task but now, some 25 years later, the screen lives in my bedroom and I still get pleasure from it every time I see it.

I have long been interested in the visual arts studying Art History with the Open University. Eventually the idea took hold that I could become involved in some sort of design work.

In the 1980s I began a small business designing and making table lamps. After my designs had been hand turned in hardwood they were then decorated by me in a variety of paint finishes. These included faux marbling, lapis lazuli, malachite and many more. The lamps went into mainly high end interior design outlets but Jenners in Edinburgh also took them and John Lewis stocked them in Peter Jones. Personal circumstances brought changes which made it impossible for me to continue the business.

But the itch to create never really went away and I suppose it was the gift of the screen all those years ago that has finally decided me to embark on a new venture.

Decoupage has been with us for a long time. I remember, as a child on visits to my grandmother, being fascinated by a large three fold screen covered in pictures from Edwardian magazines. My favourite was a huge lion's head. The screen was the work of my great grandfather.

But the history of decoupage goes back much further, originating in France in the eighteenth century. At its height of fashionability in France fine furniture was elaborately decorated with cutouts from prints that were hand coloured. Even the queen, Marie Antoinette took it up and one work still in existence bears the legend "decoupue faite par la reine" (made by the queen).

But decoupage has never really gone out of fashion and relatively recently both Tiffanys and Cartiers have used decoupaged boxes to display their precious wares.

My aim is to produce original designs resulting in pieces that you simply won't find elsewhere and there is often an interesting story behind the images used and the genesis of the product.

All the work you will see here is decorated using the traditional technique of decoupage. For those not familiar with the name, decoupage means, quite literally, "applied cut outs". Of course there is more to it than that, design being a vital element in the success of each product but basically various images are cut out and attached to the object to be decorated. Then up to seven coats of varnish are applied to make for a durable and hard wearing finish.

My first foray into the world of decoupage occurred when a friend gave me an enormous five fold screen in a very sad state indeed. It coincided with my inheriting a large collection of architectural prints and drawings so, after much thought, I decided to put the two together. It was a mammoth task but now, some 25 years later, the screen lives in my bedroom and I still get pleasure from it every time I see it.

I have long been interested in the visual arts studying Art History with the Open University. Eventually the idea took hold that I could become involved in some sort of design work.

In the 1980s I began a small business designing and making table lamps. After my designs had been hand turned in hardwood they were then decorated by me in a variety of paint finishes. These included faux marbling, lapis lazuli, malachite and many more. The lamps went into mainly high end interior design outlets but Jenners in Edinburgh also took them and John Lewis stocked them in Peter Jones. Personal circumstances brought changes which made it impossible for me to continue the business.

But the itch to create never really went away and I suppose it was the gift of the screen all those years ago that has finally decided me to embark on a new venture.

Decoupage has been with us for a long time. I remember, as a child on visits to my grandmother, being fascinated by a large three fold screen covered in pictures from Edwardian magazines. My favourite was a huge lion's head. The screen was the work of my great grandfather.

But the history of decoupage goes back much further, originating in France in the eighteenth century. At its height of fashionability in France fine furniture was elaborately decorated with cutouts from prints that were hand coloured. Even the queen, Marie Antoinette took it up and one work still in existence bears the legend "decoupue faite par la reine" (made by the queen).

But decoupage has never really gone out of fashion and relatively recently both Tiffanys and Cartiers have used decoupaged boxes to display their precious wares.

My aim is to produce original designs resulting in pieces that you simply won't find elsewhere and there is often an interesting story behind the images used and the genesis of the product.