Welcome to this week's Inspiration Profile. We have the clever and busy Claudia Zinzan, an interior designer who is possibly more well known as her alter ego, Father Rabbit. Enjoy.
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| Claudia Zinzan |
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| A selection of homewares available from Father Rabbit. |
Name: Claudia Zinzan
What do you do: I am an Interior Designer and I also own an online homewares store, Father Rabbit Limited.
Where do you live: I live in Auckland, New Zealand.
What are you working on: I am currently working on residential bathrooms and homes, as well as marketing, buying and sales (and everything else!) for Father Rabbit.
Who/what inspires me: I often can’t work out what drives or inspires me. I do love spending hours looking at interiors in magazines and online, colours and products, and am always searching for things that appeal to Father Rabbit’s aesthetics. It is so helpful to have such a strict philosophy with Father Rabbit, helping to say no to lots of crap out there! But clever colour palettes and different aesthetic tastes come out in my interiors business.
I think the majority of people in the world are inspired (of course!), but whether it manifests in film, science or being a social worker. It is more about if you are driven or motivated enough, and can do something with that inspiration! When I am stuck I look to art, pinterest (hours!) international designers, magazines, blogs or just switch off and wait for clarity.
I work best: I work best in the morning with a cup of tea - often I love getting up early when the house is asleep and quietly answer emails before the busyness kicks in. I don’t do any serious work at night (and that is wine time anyhow), it is more about Father Rabbit, which doesn’t feel like work.
What I do when I’m stuck for inspiration: Not much! Those are the lazy times and I think just as valid as long as you meet the deadline in the end. For me it just happens - get going or else!
The best advice I have been given: 'Fake it till you make it'. In the sense that you need to just get stuck in even if you are not sure of how good you are going to be. Because practice makes perfect, especially if you have studied or have a passion. University doesn’t teach you much about the real world.
My latest discovery is: Bridgets cheese straws/biscuits at the Parnell Markets. I ate them all in one go.
Books that I get inspiration from:
- Simple Home by Mark and Sally Bailey - beautiful ideas for Father Rabbit
- Pale and Interesting by Atlanta Bartlett, Dave Coote and Polly Wreford.
Magazines that inspire me: My favourite magazines are Inside Out, Vogue Living, Belle and ELLE Decoration.
Blogs that I enjoy:
- The Design Files – no problem receiving that email everyday - I love it.
- Follow Studio - my dream life!
- Kara Rosenlund – so clever and such a perfectionist - love her!
My favourite room at home is: My bathroom - which is still unfinished, however we splashed out on small white butchers brick tiles, and we were stylish on a budget with antique mirrors and vintage lights. We built our own vanity and it almost looks stunning, just a couple of cupboard doors to go!
My office is: In my living room and constantly a changing space and can get into a bit of a shambles if we are not careful (with a 2 year old as well). We live in half a villa so its small anyway – so we are really bursting at the seams! Have to have regular big sort outs but things happen in busyness and chaos!
What am I looking forward to: A big industrial warehouse that will solve all of my problems and be a home for Father Rabbit one day. And the world’s biggest garage sale to get rid of everything that doesn’t match my ideal white interior (yeah right! I wish!)
Photographs used with permission from Claudia Zinzan and Father Rabbit.
