Ashdown & Bee

Visual artist Simon Murray & stylist Melissa Simonetta are the creative couple behind Ashdown & Bee, a creative company who established the company after realising their individual styles and skills were perfectly matched. Even the company name is a combination of the creative two, "Ashdown & Bee is a mix of both our names! The Ashdown part is Simon's middlename (and we liked how unusual it sounded) and my name, Melissa means honeybee which forms the Bee!" 

Talented sign writer Simon has been in the creative industry for 15 years covering all aspects of sign writing. "We love to create hand painted and gold leaf signage for shopfronts, creative spaces, events or any kind of project. We also do 'modern' forms of signage such as digital printing, vinyl lettering, timber routing, stenciling and even aerosol/graffiti murals." This couple seems to do it all!

Melissa is a qualified stylist and a keen interior designer, "I enjoy prop styling for magazines and advertising shoots, visual merchandising and also event styling such as weddings, bridal showers and kitchen teas". Melissa also writes for design blogs (hello Design, Form, Function!) and other social media avenues.

Simon and Melissa work together on all projects, which they find to be creative and quite varied in brief.

A highlight of working within the creative industry for Ashdown & Bee is being "part of creating beautiful spaces and collaborating with other like-minded creatives. We also thrive on the challenge of making something amazing out of a simple idea, and we love getting acknowledged for our talent of creating beautiful things for people to enjoy".

One of their most recent work is the beautifully designed flagship store Ecoya situated in Woollahra, which was commissioned by Stylist Megan Morton. "We created a wooden routed gold leaf hanging sign, painted a quotation in gold leaf on the shopfront and installed copper planters within the store." 

What is next for these two? They are currently creating pie-chart directional floor signage for the St Jerome's Laneway Festival in Sydney in gelato pastel colours. In the near future you can expect to see exciting creations from these two. Ashdown & Bee are currently working on their first collection of one-off vintage style hand painted signs which will be available to purchase from their website here.

"We have also recently done some Wedding Styling and were lucky enough to have our wedding chalkboard signs featured in a few issues of Bride To Be magazine & Hello May magazine!"

  

Ashdown & Bee has a special offer just for followers of Design, Form, Function, yippe! 

The winner will receive a custom interior e-design collection for one room in their home.

This includes; 

• a new design scheme
• visual concept board
• colour specification (if required)
• furniture & decor sourcing (incl. links to online stores & stores in your area) and
• floorplan (if required).

This fantastic prize is valued at $300

All you have to do to be in the running is;
1. Like the Ashdown & Bee Facebook Page & the Design, Form, Function Page (www.facebook.com/ashdownandbee) 
2. Leave a comment on the Design, Form, Function Facebook Page about which space in your home needs attention and why to win! (www.facebook.com/designformfunction) 

A sample interior design e-design board by Ashdown & Bee.

Elle x