The Art of Design Issue 33 2018 | Page 21

21 I was born in London and I moved out to Spain in the mid-80s thus making it my permanent home. After working 30+ years in graphic design and the publicity industry I decided to take 180 degree turn and convert my passion for upcycling and my love for design into “La Shenda Deco”. So just like Madonna you can reinvent yourself after 40. With a bit of British tongue-in-cheek humour I revamp granny’s furniture using upholstery, embroidery, paint, carpentry, or any method that inspires me to create unique, distinctive statement pieces that can start from around £200, my stuff is funky, functional and affordable. Much like a Hollywood makeover I feel the need to lend a fashionable hand to lost and unloved furniture who days may be numbered but still retain some lovely lines from a bygone year. Some people ask me why I use recycled base materials; well apart from the important ecological side to upcycling old furniture, (after all how many more landfill areas can this world sustain?) I must admit I do love to hunt around vintage markets and find that perfect piece, dust it off and then breathe new life back into it converting them into bold and colourful pieces of functional art. Working with both private and commercial clients, I provide a tailored bespoke service creating unique one-off pieces of furniture, lighting and decorative homeware around my client’s needs and specifications.