Pretty colours, pale timber and a Scandi sensibility are all hallmarks of Middle of Nowhere, a small Melbourne-based design studio with a focus on creativity and fun.



Sarah Brooke, pictured above, founded the business in 2009 with her father Grant, already an industry veteran. "My Dad has been my mentor for years, teaching me about homewares and the industry from his experience with our family wholesale business Warranbrooke. Our amazing local team has also become the design department for Warranbrooke and we're proud that our in-house collection is all designed in our small studio in Melbourne.



While she credits her creative family, Sarah herself is no slouch, having studied Visual Communications at Monash University and completed her honours at RMIT. Her paintings form the basis for some of the brand's designs, but she is keen to stress that it's a team effort. "I work closely  in a small team of designers, so its very easy to bounce ideas and concepts off one another. We stick to the idea that if we would love a product for our own homes, then others will also enjoy it," she says.



And the ideas behind the brand? "We love the simplicity of Scandinavian design," says Sarah. "It is very minimal and functional at the same time, and the beautiful blonde timbers and pops of colour work well in our sunny country. Our designs  are intended to be a fun addition to our customers' homes. We like to think that our designs will make people smile."

Top image styled by Adam Powell and photographed by Denise Braki. Other images courtesy of Middle of Nowhere - follow them via Facebook or Instagram @monmelbourne.