My Culture Represented in an Interior Space

The interior space I created was inspired by my personal culture. By doing this interior scheme I learnt a lot about myself and also about the family member who came before me. Not only did this give me the opportunity to learn more about my family it also gave me the opportunity to reflect on what I consider my personal culture and how this has shaped me.

I was born in Blenheim New Zealand in 1997 at the age of three me my family moved to Australia. I've spent most of my life in Australia but I still see New Zealand as my other home as this is where I was born and my extended family still live. The two sunset images are of the Malbrough Sounds in New Zealand and Parliament house in Canberra Australia. These two Images were used to show where I came from and where I grew up.

To represent this conflict of identity I used the image of the pavlova to represent this, as it is something that New Zealand and Australia have fought ownership over. I also wanted to have reference the members of my family who fought in the war for us and also pay respect to their sacrifice. I used the image of the Poppies to pay tribute to them. This also symbolises the unity of Australia and New Zealand.

Going even further back into my family history I discovered that we belong to the clan Macleod in Scotland , to represent this I used the clan tartan and crest on my inspiration board. The Dunvegan castle also references this history as this was the ancestral home of clan Macleod.

Through this concept I have gained an appreciation for my ancestors and also knowledge about my family and our past which I otherwise would not have known.

For the Interior Scheme I really wanted to hone in on the concept of being both Australian and a New Zealander. This scheme pays tribute to my family members who died in the war and also my personal culture.

Wallpaper

I used this more modern interpretation of poppies as my wallpaper. I wanted this to be the focus in the scheme and create emphasis on this concept. Paying tribute to the soldiers but also representing how they shaped the present. The colours themselves have a mix of traditional poppy colouring in the reds but also uses abstract colours to give it a modern updated feel. This print is botanical and uses the poppies to speak for themselves.

Couch

The couch for me needed to be more neutral in tone to not distract from the poppy wallpaper. this fabric kept the concept grounded and represents my roots. The texture of the fabric is subtle but also adds visual texture to the space.

Cushion

This fabric for the cushion was chosen to compliment the poppy wallpaper. The pattern adds some texture but also appears to be more traditional in appearance despite the intense shade of orange, The dimension of the shape represents the different sides to my family and the rich history.

Cushion

This cushion fabric ties some of the colours from the room together. The extreme lines on this fabric represents the conflict I had growing up about where I belonged. The intensity of the pattern is softened by the colours which is a representation of how this has shaped me and how I have come to accept and love both countries.

Cushion

The cushion Fabric is used to draw out the teal tones in the poppy wallpaper. The teal colour is very calming which is in direct contrast the the vibrant orange cushion on the opposite side. This Fabric represents peace, calm, and acceptance.

Drapes

The drapery fabric is translucent to represent the transparency me and my family are and how open we are about our history. This drapery lets in light and fills the room with softness.

Rug

The sheep skin rug adds softness, warmth, and texture to the scheme. The use of this rug is to represent New Zealand as growing up I faced a lot of light hearted jokes about sheep due to where I came from. The rug also represents the pavlova image in my inspiration board as it shows how the two countries interact with each other in a playful way.

Flooring

The flooring interlocks which is a representation of New Zealand and Australia coming together and how I accept and love both countries and how they have shaped and influenced my life. I see this pattern as a sign of unity and peace.

Chair

This colour scheme is used to bring the colour scheme together. This also pays tribute to the mustard colour in the Clan Macleod tartan.

Chair

The dark blue leather is representative of the voyage to New Zealand my ancestors made and the leap of faith they took. This is also represents how my immediate family also took a leap of faith to move to Australia and how this was a scary and exciting decision. The blue represents the sea that separated each of the countries and the depth of the ocean which was ether sailed over or flown over by my family.

Key:

CO= Cotton

PL= Polyester

PU= Polyurethane

LI= Linen

VI= Viscose