Follow homewares designer Bonnie Ashley as she fills her day with flowers.
For one wildly creative half of Bonnie and Neil, the day begins and ends with flowers.
Waking at 5am is the one predictable thing in
Bonnie Ashley’s creative life. “I love getting a head start on the day, when my mind’s clear and fresh,” says the Melbourne textile and homewares designer. “The rest of the day is filled with distractions and no two days are the same.” Which is a happy state of affairs, admits the co-founder of Bonnie and Neil, the design studio she runs with her husband, Neil Downie.
Raised in a farming town in New Zealand, Bonnie painted, sewed, gardened and arranged flowers from an early age. After completing a degree in textiles and sculpture, she worked in floristry and screen-printing studios in London and Melbourne. Neil’s background is in furniture-making. Together, they launched Bonnie and Neil in 2010 with a range of botanical designs handprinted on linen. The business grew to encompass cushions, ceramics and more, including a collection of wall tiles just released at the Denfair trade show.
And what would Bonnie’s dream project be now?
“To create a bespoke fit-out for a beautiful restaurant – everything from linens to upholstery to ceramics!”
‘I love seeing how a different colour or pattern resonates with people. I’m fortunate to be doing what I really love.’