I predict a very busy year for me in ‘22! I’ve already got loads planned but I’m going to break you in gently with some important news first…
Going into 2022 I’ll be slowly transitioning from Zoe Scott Designs to Cured as my brand name. I’ll be included the logo on new stickers on all products as the first phase.
In case you wonder, Cured is the setting and drying process for concrete to harden. Which takes around 4 weeks. I’d love to hear what you think!
Why Concrete?
Did you know that concrete is one of the oldest building materials in the world? The Great Pyramids are glued together with it and the Roman structures build from concrete bricks still stand today. Ever wondered what holds all the walls together in Edinburgh Castle? That’s right, cement mortar. There’s no getting away from concrete, it’s our favourite building material. The basic elements are naturally occurring lime and silica mixed with sand and stones and of course water. No plastics or resins at all.
Here at Cured by Zoe Scott Designs I utilise this widely available material to create homewares in tiny quantities. From 1 bag of cement I can created hundreds of items. I have a minimal waste policy and every bowl is scrapped clean and the wet mix made into something. Even my scraps are recycled into new products. My studio has no heating or machinery to make my homewares. All that’s required is the raw materials, a bottle of cold tap water and my strength. Unlike ceramics I don’t need a kiln to fire each item. They simply need time to cure before I hand wax and polish them individually with high quality furniture wax. Each item is truly handmade.
2022 collection Beyond Tartan
When I think about my homeland of Scotland I think of our wild landscapes and the abundant treasures they hold. For this seasons collection I took inspiration from Scotland’s riches, from the fresh seafood to the incredible rock formations and of course the weather which is almost a character unto itself.
This year you’ll find Oyster, Sandstone, Lichen, Silver Birch and Barrel Oak as my colour palette.
- Oyster: a soft greyish cream
- Sand: pale teal low cream with tiny black gravel & reclaimed crushed whelk shells.
- Lichen: pale greenish blue & white marbled
- Salmon: rich pinkish orange & white marbled
- Silver Birch: pale grey and white marbled
- Oak Barrel: warm brown marbled into white
They combine to create a soft, calm palette which is modern and sophisticated. I then take these shades and play with them, so you will find them combined in a variety of ways. As solids, marbled together and layered. Each piece is hand coloured and mixed by eye rather than by scales so variations are part of the process.
I hope you join me on the big adventure! I’ll be dropping a selection of new products over the coming weeks and months so stay tuned.