Kate Pascoe and Kate Pascoe Squires share more than the same name: they're sisters-in-law and the clever brains behind luxe soft furnishing brand Kate & Kate. As mothers and best friends, family is at the heart of everything they create and do...
Having previously partnered with Swedish stationery giant kikki.K, the duo has just collaborated with two of our favourite Sydney-based interior designers Juliette Arent and Sarah-Jane Pyke from Arent&Pyke for Carnival: a new collection celebrating the simple joy of gathering together with loved ones. Napkins, blankets, cushions, tablecloths and more: you’ll want to decorate your entire house in the range. “We had read in an interview that the A&P girls had an interest in textiles, so we decided to contact them to see if they’d be interested in a collaboration. It was completely out of the blue and we never in 100 years thought they’d say yes! That was more than 18 months ago, so it’s been a long time in development, but we couldn’t be more excited about the results!” says Pascoe Squires excitedly. The finished range is a beautiful combination of rich textures, soft colours, punchy design and, of course, big love. We couldn’t wait to catch up with the duo and pick their brains about all things interiors (How many prints can one room hold? What are their favourite colour combinations? How do you keep a house tidy with kids?), family and their spectacular new collaboration with Arent&Pyke. Words: Sara Duncan | Go to www.kateandkate.com.au
Kate Pascoe Squires and Kate Pascoe
Can you talk us through the collaboration process?
Kate Pascoe Squires: For 18 months, we have worked closely with the girls on all aspects of the collection. The original mood boards set the tone for Carnival, although it has been really refined from the initial concepts. Less botanical, more celebratory. We have also added to the original collection concept – an olive green leather cushion was a surprise addition, as was the Floss hand woven bed throw. Lots of divine colours and textures, it’s certainly a rich collection. Luckily, we have very similar tastes and aesthetics, so the process from start to finish was an absolute joy.
How would you describe the range in three words?
Kate Pascoe Squires: Celebratory, jovial, nostalgic.
What makes a great interior?
Kate Pascoe: Something that not only has purpose, but is aesthetically pleasing too. Kate Pascoe Squires: Light/lighting is of the upmost importance. It’s so hard to create a great room without nailing that. Then it’s all about textures. What’s going to make the space warm and inviting? What’s going to call you to sit at a table or lounge on a sofa? Lovely mixes of new and old and tiny personal touches that make the space unique.
What are your favourite colour combinations?
Kate Pascoe Squires: I can’t get enough of olive greens and dusty pinks. Swoon.
How many prints can one room hold?
Kate Pascoe: It’s dependent on the room. I really love prints and incorporating them into a space, but I also need to be able to breathe. Too many prints can be overwhelming. Ha, I haven’t quite answered the question, but I suppose ‘it depends!’
What inspires you each day?
Kate Pascoe Squires: The incredibly creative people I get to work and connect with on a daily basis.
What about your time management tips - how do you keep the wheels turning?
Kate Pascoe: I am constantly fine tuning my time management skills but I find taking the first 30 minutes of every day to plan is a great way to get what I need done. I love lists, as you complete the tasks, cross them off – it’s a very satisfying feeling! The most important time of my day is the time I schedule to schedule my time.
What makes you feel stressed?
Kate Pascoe Squires: Mess. I literally cannot function. I’m trying to change, but it gets under my skin in a big way. (PS, this is true only in my own home… in other people’s space, I couldn’t care less!)
How do you keep a house tidy with kids?
Kate Pascoe: In a house full of males, this is a constant war that I am now realising that I’m never going to win. I’m trying a new approach at the minute where I confine them into one space/room. They think I’m pretty nuts, but it definitely makes a difference. I think doing a final tidy at night once everyone is asleep is a great way to get ahead too.
How often do you change your home decor?
Kate Pascoe Squires: I’m just completing a total overhaul of my home – it was a big one! But even taking that into account, my home is always a work in progress. I never think of a home as ‘done’… it’s a living, breathing beast… always evolving and changing.
How do you focus?
Kate Pascoe: I am like that meme with the puppy that gets distracted by absolutely everything that’s near it. But, having said that I find exercise makes a huge difference in my day. A glass of rosé also does wonders.
How do you procrastinate?
Kate Pascoe Squires: Social media and reality television. Kate and I are big fans of a huge range of really terrible television shows… Vanderpump Rules is our current favourite.
Describe your inbox….
Kate Pascoe: A little crazy! I don’t file anything away from my inbox until the issue has been completed. It can look pretty scary sometimes, as issues can take their sweet time getting resolved. If Sydney Kate had a glimpse of my inbox, she would die!
How has your business grown in the last year? What have been some significant milestones?
Kate Pascoe: We have had huge 12 months and our business has grown so much. We have collaborated with some pretty amazing creatives, including kikki.K and Arent&Pyke, which has been a dream come true. We’ve really developed our linen range and added leather and Alpaca to the Kate & Kate mix.
What are your goals for 2017?
Kate Pascoe Squires: Professionally, we’ll continue to develop exciting projects under the Kate & Kate brand. Collaborating with clients and creatives to get new products to market is such a great part of our business. Personally, I’d like to work on my meditation practice. I only just started mid 2016, but am finding it so effective in managing anxiety and stress. I’ve officially drunk the Kool-Aid!