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Claire Falkiner of Merci Perci: the women behind the brightly coloured headdresses

May 21, 2015 Leave a Comment

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When Claire Falkiner lost her job as a textile designer just days before the Christmas of 2013 (and two weeks after her husband lost his!), she decided to look at it as a blessing, not a curse.

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Claire

Seeing it as a time to get creative, she picked up her paints and started designing. And the end result was a large artwork of a colourful headdress. โ€œI didnโ€™t really like it and shoved it straight under my bed,โ€ explains Claire. โ€œBut then my friend came over and saw it poking out and said: โ€˜That is awesome!โ€™ I said: โ€˜You can have it if you want?โ€™ So she framed it and I saw it in a different light. Then one of her girlfriends wanted one so I made one for her.โ€ And as they say, the rest is history!

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Now working under herย business Merci Perci (named after her too-cute rabbit!), Claireโ€™s work is stocked in stores across Australia. Her headdresses are of particular success, with the brightly coloured, pattern crazy one-offs being made from paper.ย โ€œThey take me about four-to-five hours to complete, from marking out the design on watercolour paper, to painting it — I use acrylics and gouacheย depending on what I want and then I use Posca pens and watercolour โ€“ to cutting it all out and then mounting it. I mount themย onย foam core to make themย three-dimensional.โ€

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Claire and Perci

Inspired by aย photo she saw of a man from Papua New Guinea, Claire immediately fell in love withย the colourful headdress he was wearing. โ€œPapua New Guineaย have some of the most incredible birds in the world and the tribes make these beautiful brightly coloured headdresses from their feathers. I wanted to buy one, but they’re hard toย get yours hands on, soย then I thought they’d be cool to be made out of paper.โ€

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Alongside her headdresses, Claireย creates little angel and monster artworks, which are in the same style only smaller. However, it is her latest venture she is particularly excited about, withย her artistic style being transferred to textiles in the form of a cushion range.ย โ€œWith my textile design background I thought I definitely needed to create someย cushions. Theyโ€™re all very brightly coloured and heavily patterned which is what I like to do. Most of them are made from 100% Russian linen, however thereโ€™s a limited edition range that are linen on the front and leather on the back. I have a gorgeous soft silver leather and a very small amount of gold.โ€

Yetย Claireโ€™s not stopping there, seeing more big things for Merciย Perciย in 2015. โ€œItโ€™s currently a bit of aย pipe dreamย but the next thing I want to do is a collection of ceramic art plates. I thought how nice would it be to bring back those nana plates on the wall but in cool patterns, and also have them be functional.โ€

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With it not being all that long ago thatย Merci Perciย was just a passionย sideย project, Claire still cannot believe it is herย full-time job! “I never thought it’d go anywhere, but rather saw it as a funย excuse to get my paints out again. Butย nowย it hasย actuallyย become something. It still blows my mind!โ€

For more information visitย Merci Perci andย Greenhouse Interiors.

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Want to try a different tipple this weekend? Toda Want to try a different tipple this weekend?

Today's #iafoodiefriday recipe is a lemon and pink peppercorn spritz by our friends at @thewholefoodsrefillery ๐Ÿธ 

They'll give you 20% off your first order with our code. Find everything you need on the blog now via link in bio.

Cheers! 

#pinkpeppercorn #spritzlife
Those finishing touches make ALL the difference! Those finishing touches make ALL the difference! 

@kethy.australia, whose cabinet hardware I've used in my own kitchen, laundry and on my recent sideboard glow up, are passionate about bringing you the latest design and finishes from around the world!ย 

Their stunning timber knobs and handles from Denmark add texture, warmth and an organic feel to yourย projectsย that can only be achieved by using natural materials.

Whether you're embarking on a new build, renovating an existing kitchen, bathroom or laundry or updating a piece of furniture, Kethy have something for you in their huge range.

See it all online and find your local re-seller at their website via link in @kethy.australia bio.

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Before & after: Renovating a kitchen while keeping Before & after: Renovating a kitchen while keeping ALL the character!

What a great example this is by @huntingforgeorge 

See all the details, and the laundry, on the blog now, via link in bio.
The patient has very much bounced back! Letterbox The patient has very much bounced back!

Letterbox kinder egg deliveries from a friend, dressing changes without a flinch and refusing to nap despite all the bribes (check the face on him in pic 3!).

Thanks for all your care and messages/comments for this tired and shaken up mama! Now very relieved and grateful ๐Ÿ™
Before & after It's not just the award winning de Before & after

It's not just the award winning designer houses that get us excited here. It's also the beloved family homes which are renovated and extended to make them fit for purpose so people can continue to live where they love ๐Ÿค—

@inspiredspacesaus helped her clients with teenage kids transform this house in Sydney's Hills District inside and out, making it their forever home. 

Due to the nature of the block they could only extend sideways and then gave it street appeal with render, new windows and doors.

See inside on the blog now, via link in bio. It was completely overhauled!
Charlie doesn't recommend running head first into Charlie doesn't recommend running head first into tiled steps ๐Ÿค•

Oh what a night. Thankfully Hornsby Hospital were as amazing as always and we avoided stitches. All taped and glued  back together and now to keep him calm for the next few days (๐Ÿคช) and watch for signs of concussion. 

Bravest little patient ever. Yes I've had a ๐Ÿท

Funny how we go into super organised mama mode in times like these. Grabbed dinosaurs, textas and scrapbook on the way out in case we had a long wait!

UPDATE: thanks for all the love! Charlie is so well this morning after a big sleep!
Australian made bathroomware is seriously impressi Australian made bathroomware is seriously impressive!

The new @studio.xox ONLY sells Australian brands. Like @nood_co coloured basins, lead-free eco brass from @faucetstrommen and @lindseywherrett's  ceramic basins made by hand in Tassie.

And as for their Sydney showroom (they also sell online): WOW.

See and read more on the blog now via link in bio.

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#creatingbeautifulspaces #homestylingdesign
#designbywomen #homestylingtips #sydneycreatives
#homestylingsydney #interiorstyling #interiordesignsydney
#everydaydesign #interiortrends #renovationinspiration
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#dreamhomeinspiration #homemakeover #personaldesign
#interiordesignaus #creatingbeautifulspaces
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#interiorinspiration #myhomedesign
I'm THRILLED to be an ambassador for the brand new I'm THRILLED to be an ambassador for the brand new @madeinaustshow in Sydney this August.

๐Ÿฆ˜๐ŸจForget every tacky association you ever had about touristy Australian made and prepare to see a showcase of the best of home, lifestyle, fashion and beauty made right here. If the pandemic has made you appreciate buying local even more, this is for you.

It's the first business to business trade event connecting retailers with Australian made products to champion our local makers๐Ÿ™

Apply to exhibit or find out more at their website, via their bio, now!

Are YOU buying more Australian made post covid?

#madeinaustralia #australianmade #aussiemade #aussiedesign
Do I recommend a timber vanity top? A big fat NOP Do I recommend a timber vanity top?

A big fat NOPE! ๐Ÿ’ง 

Which is why we have recently covered ours with a Caesarstone top (thanks to @justinplace_sydney for the advice and supply) and the sweet RELIEF of not having to worry about this high traffic area anymore, I'm telling you!๐Ÿค—

Doesn't matter what they tell you or how many times it's sealed, I'm not sure it's a great idea in a room which is so, well, wet!

I love having the warmth of timber in the bathroom and it's a beautiful piece, but timber on the top? Never again.

Ours probably lasted a year (if that) before it started to go downhill (and we want a good decade out of a bathroom, right?!). 2.5 years on, everything else in this bathroom looks virtually brand new and the water marked vanity top was really letting the side down and making me sad!

But I'm so pleased with this solution, I have to say! Took the plumber less than an hour to remove the sink, install the top and connect the sink back up. We didn't need to move the tap and it isn't too close to the basin.

The kids are allowed to brush their teeth and wash their hands (liquid soap ๐Ÿฅด) in here again and I can leave my hair straightener on there with gay abandon ๐Ÿ˜†

The reflective surface (which I can clean with whatever I like!๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿป) brightens the room up too!

Next week I'll tell you what I really think of my brass tile trim too ๐Ÿ˜‰

#interiorsaddictbathroomreno2 #interiorsaddictfamilyhomereno #timbervanity
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About Olivia Shead

When she's not writing for Interiors Addict, Olivia is now a TV and radio news producer. She's a journalism graduate of UTS Sydney.

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