MY COUNTRY BUSINESS
SKIPPER & DESIGNER ZOE DUNFORD, COLLINGWOOD COLLECTION
Zoe Dunford’s lifelong love of sailing and the traditional boats of her Norfolk home led her to launch her nautical designs on wallpaper and textiles
Alove of the water and a deeprooted, ancestral connection to the sea have been an integral part of Zoe Dunford’s life for as long as she can remember. ‘I am never happier than when I’m in or on the water,’ she confides. ‘Whether swimming, surfing, rowing, kayaking or sailing, the water makes me feel invigorated and alive.’
Having relocated from London in 1998,
Zoe lives with her husband Simon, Head of Research Communications at the University of East Anglia, and their daughter Rosa, 15, in a rural North Norfolk village.
When lockdown struck, Zoe was unable to sail, or even visit the beautiful coastline nearby that she loves, where the big skies meet the sea. ‘Before long, I was suffering from withdrawal symptoms,’ she says. ‘Desperately missing the sight of the traditional, clinker-built hulls, the distinctive lug sails billowing in the wind, the smell and feel of the varnished wood, I started drawing the beautiful Norfolk boats.’
As the weeks rumbled on, Zoe found her detailed, almost blueprint-style sketches becoming a creative outlet for her landlocked frustration, and, serendipitously, the seeds of a fledgling business venture.
Back in 2014, when Zoe left her public relations job to become a freelance science writer, she bought a one-bedroom holiday flat in Wells-next-the-sea, called Sea Pink.
‘It seemed like a sensible idea, in case I needed to supplement my income,’ she explains. ‘Sea Pink proved so popular that the following year, I bought a shepherd’s hut and, in 2016, a beach hut.’
The next few years were a whirlwind as
Zoe juggled family life with freelance commissions and also became the only female skipper of the Wells-based Coastal Exploration Company. Realising that lockdown was the ideal time to consider redecorating her holiday lets, Zoe struggled to find a nautical wallpaper design that struck a chord with her.
‘Everything I saw looked a bit twee,’ she says. One evening, while sitting in her cottage quietly sketching, Zoe had a lightbulb moment. ‘I began wondering whether my drawings could be turned into wallpaper,’ she says. ‘Cutting out my little boats and trying layouts on a sheet of paper gave me
❝ONE DAY, THE LOCAL WHELK, MUSSEL AND CRAB BOATS PROBABLY WON’T BE HERE, SO HOPEFULLY MY WALLPAPER WILL BE A HISTORICAL RECORD❞
a real buzz. I reckoned I’d found the perfect solution – and a gap in the interiors market.’
Zoe approached a graphic designer friend and the pair came up with a pattern to translate into a wallpaper design. ‘It was a steep learning curve,’ says Zoe. ‘There were many aspects to consider, including pattern repeats, colourways, weight and texture of the paper, and whether this venture would even be financially viable. It was daunting, but I love a challenge, and just kept asking questions to get the answers I needed.’
Finding the family-run wallpaper manufacturing company Surface Print online was a huge bonus. ‘Its website resonated with my ethos for sustainability and desire to protect the environment,’ Zoe says. ‘I liked the fact that its non-woven wallpapers are all FSC certified and their inks are water-based and non-toxic. They happily imparted their knowledge and sent samples back and forth from their Lancashire base to refine my design.’
Discovering that costs would start at around £1,000, plus £1,800 per colourway, Zoe was relieved when the government announced its Self-employment Income Support Scheme. ‘The grants really helped,’ Zoe explains. ‘To keep outgoings to a minimum, I did as much as possible myself, including designing my website, branding, PR and marketing - you name it!’ The work meant Zoe had less family time, but Simon and Rosa understood.
Naming her business Collingwood Coastal was one of the easiest decisions Zoe had to make. ‘The name was inspired by Admiral Collingwood, who took over from Nelson (Norfolk’s most famous son) when he was shot during the Battle of Trafalgar. I’m related to Admiral Collingwood on my mother’s side, and am very proud of my maritime heritage.’
With wallpapers launched, plus a collaboration with Norfolk-based paint company Fenwick & Tilbrook in the pipeline, next Zoe created a range of beach hut fabrics, based on other sketches. ‘My beach hut cushions are proving just as popular as the wallpaper, and I’m working on other products, such as aprons and tea towels,’ she adds.
Selling through local shops, her website, Instagram and Etsy, Zoe has been delighted at how Collingwood Coastal has been received. ‘People really appreciate the authenticity of my designs and the genuine connection to the sea,’ says Zoe. ‘I’m working harder than ever, but launching Collingwood Coastal has been incredibly rewarding and means that I’ve retained my independence. When the sun’s shining and there is a good wind, you’ll find me sailing in the salt marsh, surrounded by wildlife, and quite possibly, mulling over ideas for my next coastal-inspired design.’ Find Zoe’s work at collingwoodcoastal.com