Studio Inn – our new home.

We got the keys for Studio Inn on 1st November and we opened the doors after just three weeks of frantic transformation.

Business, Interiors, The Nor–Folk, NorfolkDecember 13, 2019Co-working, Creative Studio, King Street, Norwich

In conversation with... Richard Bainbridge, Benedicts.

The first in a series of conversations with inspiring creative people living and working in Norfolk. Richard is the owner and Chef Patron of award-winning restaurant Benedicts.

Business, The Nor–Folk, NorfolkSeptember 5, 2019Artisan, Benedicts, Norfolk, Norwich, St Benedicts Street

Working smarter not harder – 6 steps.

Here are the 6 ways I intend on making 2018 the most productive year yet.

Business, The Nor–FolkJanuary 22, 2018Motivation, Productivity, Simplicity, Travel, Wellbeing

Best Photography Blog, Amara Awards #IBA17.

Last night I was rendered speechless when I won 'Best Photography Blog' at the Amara Interior Awards 2017.

Business, Interiors, The Nor–FolkOctober 26, 2017Amara Awards, Documentary photography, Interior Design, Interiors, Photography

The Big A Tee (Nor-Folk x Adnams).

Fiona and I were cuddled up on the sofa – it was a Friday night – we were likely enjoying a fruit cider and watching a dark Nordic crime thriller. Anyway, the details don’t really matter – the best bit was that my phone lit up with a DM on Instagram. ‘A lady called Liz from Adnams’ I said – ‘she wants to chat about a collaborative project’.

Business, Collaborations, Fashion, Visual StoriesDecember 8, 2016Adnams, Graphic Design, Minimalist, Southwold, Suffolk

This year I have been reading…

I’m a curious person by nature. I love meeting new people and understanding how things work. Books feed this appetite. I tend to prefer fact over fiction and, this year, several books have really helped me with both my personal and professional journey. Whilst some have inspired, others have allowed escapism and some have actually channelled my focus.Here are some of my favourites.

Business, Interiors, Travel, Visual Stories, The Nor–FolkDecember 7, 2016Cereal, Danish, Denmark, Journal, Kinfolk, Reading

Global Entrepreneurship Week, 16th November.

On Wednesday 16 November, our co-founder, Bobby Burrage, will be speaking about how we created Nor–Folk – taking it from an idea to a global business. Bobby will be sharing stories of our journey so far and plans for the future. This event is part of Global Entrepreneurship Week, in collaboration with Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library.

Standing out.

Your brand isn’t just your logo – it’s every touch point that a person has with your business. Branding goes deeper than just a (visual) identity and its application – it’s ‘you’. And, even if you don’t run a business, you can still establish your own brand. Your appearance and how you dress says a lot about you and your character and is (perhaps unfortunately) just another way people will make judgments (even before they’ve met you).

Business, Fashion, Visual Stories, The Nor–FolkOctober 23, 2016Brand, Branding, Creative, Graphic Design, Minimalist, Norfolk

The people behind the scenes.

Whilst I have co-run our other business (a design consultancy called The Click) for eight years, this is a professional services business. I had a limited amount of retail experience from my university days but I’d never run an e-commerce business, let alone exported or managed production.

Business, The Nor–FolkSeptember 19, 2016Eastern Screen Printing, Hyper Pixel, Norfolk, Out source, Studio

Best Newcomer, Highly Commended.

This is our second award in as many weeks, so we are just blown away.

Business, The Nor–FolkAugust 12, 2016Awards, Graphic Design, Photography, Smallish Magazine, Studio

Adnams appoint us.

Earlier this week, we took a scenic tour along the Suffolk coastline to beautiful Southwold, for a meeting with independent brewery, Adnams.

Business, Collaborations, Visual Stories, The Nor–FolkAugust 4, 2016Adnams, Collaboration, Ethical, Graphic Design, Southwold, Suffolk

Writing our own rules.

One of things I’ve loved most about launching and growing Nor-Folk is the ability to write my own rules. I’m not anti-conformity but I am anti-design for the sake of it. I prefer to design with consideration and crafting. Creating something that has the ability to stand the test of time and I think this approach is routed in our graphic design education.

Business, Visual Stories, The Nor–FolkAugust 1, 2016Anti-conformity, Jungle, Norfolk, Norwich, Photo shoot, Photography

We got GOLD.

Before Stanley was born I was an avid reader and subscriber to Junior Magazine. I admired the quality of the journalism, strength of photography and mix of content. Now online only, it is a great resource and site for parents.

Business, Visual Stories, The Nor–FolkJuly 29, 2016Awards, Graphic Design, Junior Magazine, Photography

Dot to Dot.

We presented our first collection at Dot to Dot last summer, having launched Nor-Folk just three months earlier. We set up our modest stand with our screen printed t-shirts, a couple of boards and, if we are honest, not much of a plan (other than to talk to others and get ourselves out there!). Our first show was a massive learning curve, with us making a huge step forward in our professionalism by January 2016, when we exhibited at Playtime in Paris.

Business, Fashion, The Nor–FolkJune 28, 2016Awards, British, Graphic Design, London, Trade Show

The accidental photographer.

I started documenting our lives on Instagram when our son, Stanley, was born (just snaps from my iPhone). Then, for Christmas 2014, Bobby bought me a Nikon DSLR. To say I was ungrateful would be an understatement! I was so busy having just launched Nor-Folk – plus I hadn’t picked up a proper camera since I was at art school! Reluctantly I accepted Bobby’s other gift of two hours tuition with photographer Tatum Reid. Tatum soon refreshed me on the basics/fundamentals. From then on, I was hooked and have photographed (almost) everything in our lives ever since.

Business, Fashion, The Nor–FolkJune 27, 2016Documentary photography, Minimalist, Photo shoot, Photography, Studio

Design Week Award Shortlist.

We are delighted to announce that we have been shortlisted as one of four, in the category of Self Promotional Projects at this year’s Design Week Awards.

Business, The Nor–FolkMay 31, 2016Award, Branding, Design, Design Week, Graphic Design, Norwich

You just never know…

In 2006 I graduated from the then Norwich School of Art and Design, now Norwich University of the Arts with an FdA in Graphic Design. When I finished, I knew I didn’t want to be a traditional graphic designer and secured my first job in an agency as an account manager. Whilst I was interested in the conception of ideas and design, I was also interested in the strategy of creating brands and products that satisfied a need and desire in the consumer world. After a year or so, I heard about a job opening at The Click Design Consultants. Attracted by their work, approach and attitude, I applied and secured the role of Client Director. Fast forward to today. Seven years later, I married the Creative Director, Bobby, and we had our son and muse, Stanley, three years ago. We live together in a converted Factory apartment in Norwich, Norfolk, UK.

Pop Up Shop.

With the imminent launch of our new children’s collection, we decided to open a pop up shop to sell our current lines in our fine home city of Norwich.We set up residence for a week at womenswear shop Finch from Tuesday 23rd to Saturday 28th February.

Business, The Nor–FolkMarch 2, 2016Children's Collection, Graphic Design, Norfolk, Norwich, Pop Up Shop, Store

Playtime Paris.

Last summer, we embarked on our first overseas trip as a family when we flew to Paris for a couple of days. We decided we wanted to see the much talked about Playtime exhibition for ourselves (and, of course, see a bit of beautiful Paris) with the vision to exhibiting there ourselves one day.

Business, Travel, The Nor–FolkFebruary 9, 2016City, European, Exhibition, Paris, Trade Show