Zema Designs | Email | Website

Where and what did you study and what year did you graduate?
Bachelor of Design Honours, 2006, College of Fine Arts, University of New South Wales.

Where did you head after graduating?
I completed work experience at Woodmark International Furniture in 2005 and have been working as a creative designer for Westfield Design and Construction for the past three years.

When did you launch your own business?
In 2006.

What motivated you to start your own business?
It was the desire to create adaptable modular furniture for the Australian market.

How would you describe your business to someone who didn’t know you?
Zema Designs is a furniture and object design company concept for the production of adaptable modular furniture for both the domestic and commercial markets.

How would you describe the products you design to someone who hadn’t seen them?
Zema Designs produces furniture pieces that are designed and made to last, with their simple function, elegance and adaptability. Locking connections between elements of the furniture is a recurring theme in my work.

What are the most challenging parts of being a designer running a small business?
For me the most challenging part is the cost of manufacture of furniture in Australia. I try to over come this by creating simple functional forms with the least amount of labour and components possible.

What inspired your design projects?
Furniture design became my focus and my passion through observing my family’s close connection to furniture in their lives.

What are the next steps for you?
In the next two to five years, I aim to be running a successful design business with Australian made and designed products with local and overseas distribution. I aim to integrate my skills into a holistic design business with a range of furniture and a design consultancy for interiors and custom pieces.

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