This week we got to welcome our newest designer to the Materialised family, Kelly Kratzing illustrator and biologist. Kelly’s signature style is inspired by her love of the natural world, in particular showcasing the Australian fauna and flora.
Her latest collection with Materialised features 4 beautiful designs; King Protea, Eucalyptus Bud, Stormy Skies and Stripes. All available digitally printed onto an amazing selection of high performance textile and wall covering substrates.
EUCALYPTUS BUD 
STORMY SKIES 
STRIPES 
KING PROTEA
Get to know Kelly!
We had a little Q&A with Kelly Kratzing to discover more about her day-to-day life, career and what inspires her to design.
I studied biology at university and then spent over a decade working in clinical research while designing and illustrating “on the side”.
Tell us a little about where you are from
I grew up in Sydney, then spent 6 years in Melbourne and currently reside in Brisbane. I have also spent the last 13 years mostly living as an expat in both the USA and Papua New Guinea. Expat life has inspired both my work, as well as my love of creating a home no matter where you are.
How / where do you draw your inspiration from?
My background in biology has definitely influenced my designs, where I incorporate lots of florals in a detailed, clean style. After being an expat for so long, I also appreciate the unique Australian wildlife and natural colour palette so much more and incorporate those elements into my designs when I can.
Tell us about your career path
I can definitely say that I did not follow a traditional design path! I studied biology at university and then spent over a decade working in clinical research while designing and illustrating “on the side”. About 4 years ago, I took the next step in my surface pattern design journey by participating in the Surtex trade show in NYC and from there I started licensing and commissioning my designs for some amazing clients. I am happily collaborating with more great companies in the home decor and textiles markets as my business grows.
How does your personality translate to your designs?
I have a scientific background so my designs reflect that in both their subject matter and detailed nature. I love being organised and feel that is the first step to creating a beautiful, functional space, which then should be followed by the addition of pattern and colour! My hope is that my patterns, like in nature, evoke both a sense of order and calm, while adding interest.
Describe a typical day for you
I’m up by 6 am (my children are early risers!) and I usually fit in a morning workout while getting them ready for school. I start the work day answering emails and completing any urgent tasks. I block out the middle of the day for client work and working on new designs as that is when I am most productive. Podcasts are my favourite thing to listen to while I’m working.
I usually walk to collect the kids from school at the end of the day, which is a nice break to clear my head. Sometimes the kids will join me with drawing or painting in the afternoon, and then it’s time to stop and spend time with family for the evening.
After the kids are in bed, I like to spend time reading interiors magazines and watching the numerous renovation shows for ideas! To keep a creative flow throughout the day (and stay organised), I generally keep one day a week purely for administrative and marketing tasks.
What is your process for when you feel creatively blocked?
I love to go through design books and interiors magazines for new inspiration. I am also guilty of spending way too much time on Instagram! If those fail, then a nice walk outside is always good for generating new ideas.
What is your favourite design from this collection?
My favourite design is Stormy Skies. On a large scale it is a moody artwork representing a stormy sky, but on smaller scale, it creates a subtle texture and colour that works as a complementary design to add interest to a space.
What’s the most exciting thing about the next thing you’re doing?
I’m currently studying interior design so I am looking forward to applying new skills to my future home, decor collections and perhaps collaborating with interior designers on custom collections too!
We are so excited to see this range being printed and used in upcoming projects! Did you know that we can also custom colour and change the scale of any of these designs? Check out Kelly Kratzing’s full collection here!
