Landscape designer Anna Day and travel agent Simone Seedsman were relaxing on day beds in Bali six years ago when they came up with a good idea. They realised that the smooth quality outdoor fabrics that they were enjoying while they sunned themselves, were not readily available at home.
The friends from Melbourne – both newly divorced with two children each – decided to make it their mission to sourced UV-resistant outdoor fabrics with an interior feel and attractive appearance.
“We knew that back home there wasn’t a great selection of outdoor fabrics and what was around was mostly coarse and itchy,” says Anna.
Their search led them to begin importing fabric rolls in bulk from the US, France and Italy. At that stage, what began as just an idea to get some nice fabric while they kept their day jobs, became the launch of their own full-time business, Elements Soft Furnishings.
“Our aim was to create stylish, soft-to-touch and low maintenance furnishings,” Anna says. “They needed to be mould and UV-resistant and able to remain outdoors.”
The business has grown on the back of the belief that people want the same sense of style for outside as well as inside.
“We design for style, entertainment and comfort but using fabrics that require minimal maintenance and have the longevity to withstand the elements.”
In fact, the fabric quality is so good, Anna says they can also be used indoors and no-one would know the difference.
“They’re highly durable and perfectly suited for kids and pets.”
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