Yes this is an amazing creation - and blowing my own trumpet I had a hand in helping to create this fifty container ten story home for Homebase which includes three gardens, three kitchens, living rooms, bedroom and bathroom. I've always had a fascination with unique houses stemming from a love of Tracey Island's uber contemporary home as a child so when asked to come up with ideas for the interiors of the Container House I was thrilled and so excited - how could you not want to get involved in this dream challenge??
I had numerous late nights drawing up scale drawings for the interior rooms and trawling the Homebase store in search of the right sofa or wallpaper to include in the very narrow container rooms and make them look real lived in interiors - a challenge when decorating long thin containers but take a look at the advert and check out the finished results (and take a sneak peak at how it was all made http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/HomebaseStaticPageSecondLevel?langId=110&storeId=10151&includeName=HBCreateTheLook/homebasetv_makingof.html) and as Homebase say - 'with a little imagination you can create anything!!http://www.homebase.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/HomebaseStaticPageSecondLevel?langId=110&storeId=10151&includeName=HBCreateTheLook/homebasetv.html
Feather & Black Spring shoot
It’s difficult to think of a beautiful warm spring as we race into winter. However, that’s what the F&B team has been upto for the last few weeks. Hunting out new locations, casting models and choosing our favourite products from next seasons new range of furniture and linen.
So at 7.30am on a cold misty morning the team start to arrive at Purley Hall near Reading. Its a stunning location, originally built in 1609 – we felt like we were walking into Downton Abbey.
The first hour is spent frantically unpacking… it’s always a relief when everyone and everything make it through the door. Lots of coffee and cake to kick start the day. Thanks to Di (super stylist) there is always a tasty array of nibbles.
Then the big work starts; getting the right lighting, the right angles. Each individual element of the lighting is worked on separately.
Tim and Jose shout at each other through the windows as they create a little bit of spring sunshine through the leaves outside.
The new Fulham bed looks fantastic, its the first time we have really seen it in all its glory and all are agreed that its going to be a great seller.
Carolyn stays warm in the kitchen as she prepares Rebecca for the day ahead… it’s an amazing start to the day by 10.30 the first shot is looking good. There is alot required from the days shoot – we are looking for brochure cover options, contents page options, all the promo shots for the Spring campaign and if all goes well we would like to squeeze in a new mattress shot.
The secret to getting great shots is a fantastic team, great products and lots of fun. The constant distraction of Andrew new moustache for Movember fails to distract many for too long. (they are not his real glasses)
We are trying a new format for the contents spread… the shot is amazing my favourite of the day
Andrew and Laura spend most of their afternoon with their faces glued to the monitor watching a variety of setups pouring in.
Then we open the doors and let in the freezing air as Rebecca pretends to be warm in what is becoming the coldest day of November so far. The shot is lovely, just what we need for our window posters.
No time to stop as Tim is shooting Di is setting up the next shot on the other side of the room, the new trunks are very exciting. The accessories range at F&B has really developed over the last 12 months – allowing us to try lots of new combinations.
We get to 4.00pm and now its dark outside… one last shot to do. The feathers are really starting to fly as Rebecca is blowing them all over the place. It takes a few goes to get it just right – but at 4.45 we are done. Now things really get busy we have 15 minutes to pack up and get out before the 5.00 deadline.
Sitting in the car at 5.10pm we made it – already the conversation slides towards what we are shooting for summer…