Philippa Moorfoot and Wesley Sinclair from Fleur Studios
What started out as a personal project making tiled tables for their own home pivoted into a full-time business for partners in life and work, Philippa Moorfoot and Wesley Sinclair from Fleur Studios.
Words: Hande Renshaw | Photography: Courtesy of Fleur Studios
H&F: Hi Philippa & Wesley, when was the idea for Fleur Studios first imagined? Tell us about the journey to where you are today…
Philippa: We’ve been imagining the idea and brand for quite some time. Wesley's background is in design having worked in it for 10 years. He was the director of Highgrove Bathrooms where he spent his time designing and developing tapware, vanities and basins plus a whole lot more, so he has an incredible understanding of form, materials and the construction of products. My background is in marketing and interiors, so our skillsets definitely complement each other. We finished building our home right before we officially began Fleur Studios. A lot of the pieces in our house we designed and had custom-made and we found a lot of the people close to us wanted us to do the same for them - so Fleur Studios was the natural next step for us. We began in the tiled furniture space but that's only the beginning - we have many more exciting plans!
What’s the best thing about working together?
There are so many things, but I would say it's so exciting (and nerve-wracking!) to create and nurture a business together. Wesley has this unique understanding of design and is so passionate - it's pretty inspiring to see him in his element.
How would you best describe the Fleur Studios aesthetic?
An expression of form, materiality and refinement with a unique perspective.
What does a normal day working look like for you both?
Honestly, I wish there was a normal day! We’ve definitely learned that starting a new business has required us to wear many hats so any routine often goes out the window. We always try to start the day off well by going for a run or swim, which sets us up with a clear mind for the day ahead. Wesley heads to work first around 7am and I'm not far behind him. It then flows on to emails and checking in with how each piece is progressing. The rest of the day might be focused on developing new designs, speaking with customers and trade clients to shoot planning or ordering materials which has been challenging with COVID. We're a really small team so we all need to wear lots of hats!
‘We focus on the form and the silhouette of each design. Form can be so captivating and it has the power to completely transform a space.’ Photo: Courtesy of Fleur Studios
“Our home is a sacred space where we spend so much of our lives so it’s important to make sure it’s an inspiring, calm and welcoming environment. This notion is always in our mind when designing. ”
The entire Fleur Studios collection is handmade in Currumbin on the Gold Coast. Photo: Courtesy of Fleur Studios
‘All you need is one stand out piece – it has the power to completely transform a space,’ says Philippa Moorfoot. Photo: Courtesy of Fleur Studios
The Butter Rectangle Floating Coffee table by Fleur Studios. Photo: Courtesy of Fleur Studios
‘The Fleur Studios aesthetic is an expression of form, materiality and refinement with a unique perspective,’ says Philippa Moorfoot. Photo: Courtesy of Fleur Studios
Can you tell us a little about your process?
Everything is handmade by us at our warehouse in Currumbin, Gold Coast. Wesley is very detail oriented and the standard that our products are finished to is always a high priority. With so many different elements that go into making each piece, there’s a certain process we always follow. It's a labour of love but once the design is complete, there’s nothing more satisfying than sending it off to its new home and receiving photos from our customers!
Where do you both gather inspiration?
All over the place, but we love to look back at designers like Jean Royére and Pierre Jeanneret - the way they used form and materials was incredible. Our latest collection 1950 was also heavily inspired by the Brutalist period of architecture.
What’s the most important design element in your designs?
We focus on the form and the silhouette of each design. Form can be so captivating and it has the power to completely transform a space. One stand out piece is often all you need to really transform the mood and make a space feel unique.
What’s the most important piece of advice you would give to someone starting out as a product designer?
Trust your gut and do what you love. There are so many brands opening up every day it can be overwhelming but if you stay focused and believe in yourself, you'll be amazed at what you can do and achieve.
What’s in store for your creativity for the remainder of this year?
A good question! We have a new design and colour coming out just before the end of the year which we're super excited to start sharing with everyone. But I think we're most excited about some of our plans for next year so watch this space.