Corner Store Window Wonderland

August 10, 2012

Ever since they opened we’ve loved the beautiful window displays of the Corner Store on South Terrace. So we did a bit of investigating and tracked down the woman responsible: the lovely Kylie Thevenau who kindly took the time to answer a few questions about the work she’s done…

Describe the Corner Store’s style?

Corner Store has a pretty unique style mix. It’s confident with colour and design, nostalgic, a little bit french folly and intrepid explorer, this all being reflected in it’s beautiful collection of furniture, homewares and gifts. There is no limit to where in the world Corner Store takes you and together, everything is forced to be viewed in a new context. A wonderful Javanese community supported by hand crafting Classic french furniture, styled with Indian mirrors, design driven lighting, the latest Liberty of London prints and Danish designed crockery made in Italy is all out of the ordinary. I hope that Corner Store shows people that style is yours for the creating! Ultimately, everything you love and anything you are drawn to makes up something unique, truly you and you deserve a home you love.

Describe your style?

I find this a really hard question to answer. I spend so much time working with different styles it’s hard to comment on my own!
I’m a bit of a girly tomboy in a way. A bit like Corner Store, I embrace colour and floral prints but I am obsessed new design and I need a contrasting edge to make a look work for me in both in fashion and interiors.
I love art and beautiful things which have been designed and made thoughtfully, with care and that work really well. I like to make people feel happy, and welcome with whatever I do and whatever I present to the world.

How long does it take you to create each window?

A full window installation probably take about 2 months from concept to final installation. It really depends on the complexity and the budget.
This window took a little longer as we waited for the fabric to arrive. It took many hours and many hands to cut the leaves! I am sure laser cutting would have been faster and perhaps cheaper but it also wouldn’t have meant as much!

Does the idea come first or do items around the store tell you what to create? Do you have a story that you want to tell?

Many ideas are hatched socially and then we get together and discuss the commercial aspect of what we are trying to communicate and go through the product delivery dates. Sometimes you don’t even want to put product in the design! With Corner Store we will be developing a seasonal timetable to the windows so, Christmas is next! The idea generation process is great with them, we get into all sorts of crazy places! Then we just have to figure out how to make it… early mornings, late nights and getting to know each other a little too well..

What inspires you, where do you get your ideas from?

Human endeavour and imagination inspires me. I think that’s what I like about getting away from the computer and making things with my hands and working with a team for a common end.
Ideas can come from anywhere, that is what is wonderfully scary and exciting about the creative process because sometimes there is nothing. I think my ideas come from time to breathe, time to contemplate although exciting things can come when I’m completely immersed in work and overstimulated. I also have imaginative clients, family and friends who all support my determination to make something work.

How do you make each window unique?

The concepts for the upcoming windows are all very different from one another due to precisely that goal. Do what you haven’t done before as much as possible in your field and that means looking for the gap filling it and finding another one.
This can be pretty difficult when you can argue that everything has been done somewhere sometime before you. What makes each window unique is a combination of the desire to make it so, the time, the place, the people who help make it happen and you as an individual.

Corner Store Window