In March 2011, I connected with Given Campbell on twitter, and it was there I discovered that Given is a custom wallpaper designer. So I, via twitter and email, asked Given if I could do a post about her wallpaper. She graciously agreed and I did a Wallpaper Wednesday post in March of 2011, about a commemorative wallpaper design she had recently completed --> click here to read
OK, so long story slightly shorter, I recently attended an industry event in Tampa and started a conversation with another attendee, Given Campbell....conversation - "what do you do?" "what do I do?" "are you in the design business?" "I'm a designer" "Oh I am a wallpaper designer" "Nice to meet you, oh hey I have a design blog and I do a wallpaper wednesday piece maybe I could get your card and do a post about you and your company?" "Sure yeah, that would be great" Exchange of cards... blah blah blah....Then the program event began. I then looked at her business card and all of a sudden...ding ding ding...(conversation in my head...."I think I know this name, it seems familar, let me check, oh hey is this the) I took out my phone did a quick search on my website and there it was, Given Campbell Wallpaper Wednesday Post that I had done in March of 2011. How cool to finally meet in person, and so funny we didn't put the pieces together right away....when the event presenation ended we were able to speak again, have a good laugh and comment "what a small world".
I know this a long intro but when there is a story to the story I think it is fun to share.
And that brings me to my Question and Answer interview with Given to tell you more about who she is and what a really unique and amazing wallpaper company she has...
Q&A ~ Given Campbell
How long have you been
in business?
"I opened my business Given Campbell in 2005"
Who is your typical
customer?
"Usually I deal
with Interior Designers but I do work directly with the homeowner from time to
time"
Can you give me a short
bio about you, your experience and what
brought you to become a wallpaper designer?
"In 1999 I decided
to pull up stakes and move to Florida. It was really a spur of the moment
decision. I wanted a career as an artist and I didn't think it would happen if
I didn't shake things up a bit. I needed a total life reboot. Three months
later I was working for The Walt Disney Company. But, as much as I loved
Disney, I realized that I wanted and needed something that was totally my own. I
felt that if I didn't just go for it, I might never get things off the ground.
The timing was more of a gut feeling, so in 2002 I left the company and struck
out on my own."
"I realized that
wallpaper was making a dramatic comeback and I began exploring the idea of
creating my own line of wallpaper. An ardent fan of Interior Design, I fell in
love with the creativity and unlimited design options that wallpaper offers,
and I quickly became hooked on the idea of designing my own line. There aren’t
a lot of books that tell you how to break into the wallpaper business so I just
followed my gut and figured it out as I went along."
What do you consider to
be your style?
"I don’t really
have a name for my style but if I had to choose one, I would call my style
Kaleidoscopic. My style is bold and bright and daring but not so out-there that
it can’t go in any room in the house. I once heard designer Connie Dirvin
describe it as “the night club meets the country club” and I love that. I think
it is the perfect description. I also design conceptually, by taking an idea,
however abstract, and creating a group of patterns around it that relate to
that specific concept. I am always challenging myself to come up with something
new and different that has yet to be seen."
"My specialty is
custom work, which means exactly what it says. I am always surprised by some
companies’ idea of “custom”. They give you 5 things to choose from before they
even know what you want and tell you it is custom. I let the client tell me what
they want first and then I do it. I hope to create patterns that you never tire
of looking at."
What influences your
wallpaper designs?
"I am often asked
about influences and I find it to be one of the hardest questions to answer. I
get inspiration from any and everything. I am inspired by other artists, the sunlight,
a drop of dew shimmering on a spider web, a sunrise, travel, food, animals,
literature, the planets...the list is endless so it is very difficult to
attribute that to any one thing."
I also learned that Given has some pretty impressive accolades since she began her Wallpaper company. She has been featured in the New York Times, House and Garden Tastemaster and on the Today show. You might have also seen her work featured in InStyle, Metropolitan Home, Domino, Cottage Living and Spaces. And if you happen to have a copy of the coffee-table book by renouwned photographer Catherine Ledner, Glamour Dogs your will find one of her prints from her Studio Printworks line, Love American Style. Not to mention being featured on the Target Club Wedd 2010 catalog. Given has even licensed some
of her designs to Studio Printworks, and Astek Wallcovering and she has sold a
collection of patterns to worldwide commercial wallpaper giant Wolf Gordon, one
of which won the 2007 Best of Year Award for Contract Wallcovering. She is also
discussing a deal for additional patterns.
In addition to this, Given
won an award from Microsoft: first place in the search for the best small
business in America. Her wallpaper has been used in a project, which recently
won the AIA Austin Honor Award for a Scout Island Residence for a new build. And her client list includes
MTV, ABC Television, as well as the Wine Inns chain of pubs and wine shops
in Belfast and the UK - not to mention a host of other clients are in Belgium, Germany, and London.
Given Campbell
813.417.5393
I want to personally thank Given for taking the time to share with me and my readers a little about herself and her company. I am so glad we have connected in real life and I look forward to working with you on some up coming projects!
wallpaper pictures - photo credit givencampbell.com
