Charlotte Smith is the founder of Ciburbanity, a blog where she offers ideas, fun and organised chaos too. Charlotte started the blog as a suburban diary, after moving out of New York in 2012. The name of her blog actually comes from city [Ci], suburb [burb] and sanity [anity] - creating the memorable yet hard to pronounce blog. Her blog covers everything from kids, DIY ideas and every craft and thrifty idea in between. So we are proud to bring you the Designer Insights of Charlotte Smith.
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1) In your own words describe your unique style and creative aesthetic?
My style is fun, eclectic and colorful. I like to use unexpected pieces that have a sense of whimsy and humor and levity.
2) When starting a new project, what is your creative process?
I typically have a sense of the general mood I’m going for: playful, serene, industrial… Then I’ll look through inspiration images to get a direction or springboard for the specifics.
3) Out of the creative people you have worked with, who is it that you respect and admire the most?
So many! Sadly, I wish I could say that I’ve worked with any of these creatives… I love the aesthetic and quirkiness of the Cortney and Robert Novogratz. I also adore the way Genevieve Gorder weaves together textures and found objects in her design. Finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention my many MANY wonderful blogging pals who inspire me every day with their frugal can-do approach to design.
4) When looking for inspiration is there a particular thing you do to get inspired?
Gather images! Sometimes there’s a trend and other times, there’s one fabric or idea to run with. I’m visual so the right images can snap my own ideas into focus!
5) What has brought you to this point in your career? And what is your advice for people looking to follow in your footsteps?
Lots and lots of time! Start with what you know, put one foot in front of the other and reach out to experts as much as you can! Take chances and slowly you’ll see that what you know is slowly more than what you DON’T know!
