We often wish we could keep some of the lovely frankie prizes for ourselves, and this giveaway is certainly no exception. You may have spotted some swoon-worthy tiled cubes in issue 100 – they're the work of Melbourne-based design brand P0LY, and lucky for you, we’ve got two up for grabs.

To win one of these custom cubes, simply subscribe or re-subscribe to frankie before April 4th. All 12-month and 24-month subscribers will automatically be entered into the draw, so if you’re already a frankie fellow, you don’t need to lift a finger! If you'd like to hear more about these rad designs, keep scrolling, friends. We chatted to P0LY co-founder Lara Fisher about starting a business during lockdown and where she finds inspiration.

Tell us a little about P0LY. P0LY Designs was born of the Melbourne lockdown. P0LY is a prefix meaning 'many' (as in polygon, a figure with many sides), which is very fitting for our pieces. I honestly never intended to start a business with P0LY. Being suddenly unemployed in the depths of lockdown, I really wanted a project and had an urge to use my hands to make something. We have so many plants in our house, I thought it would be nice to make a plinth to put one on. It looked pretty good, so I made another, and another, and I guess the rest is history.

How has establishing the brand during lockdown shaped your approach to business? Like so many others, we started our business at home and continue to work from home (for now). In some ways it’s been tricky establishing a business during a pandemic – long wait times for our tiles to arrive from Italy being the main issue – but it's also allowed us an extended break in life to focus solely on establishing P0LY.  It’s been a slow build. We still don’t have a website and haven't done a professional photoshoot. We’re honestly just learning on the job and having fun in the process.

Where do you find design inspiration? I’ve loved visiting tile stores around Melbourne, learning about how and where the tiles are made. The colours of the tiles are the main inspiration for us. Our tile supplier is a fourth-generation, family-run factory in Lake Como, Italy, which is really lovely. The grout we use also comes from Italy, and is green-building certified (so no nasty chemicals). What’s cool is that the pigment is naturally derived from the earth – it’s amazing to think such vibrant colours are found in nature! Previous to starting P0LY, I worked in fashion for over 10 years, so I think I've drawn inspiration from those experiences, too.

Each of your pieces are custom made. Do you have a favourite so far? The best part about starting this business is seeing our pieces in the many different (always stylish) homes they end up in. It was a dream creating this custom beast for Ana Piteira – she has the most amazing, eclectic style.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Ana Piteira (@anacpiteira)

Your Instagram grid gives us major interiors envy. Do you have any tips for sprucing up a rented space? Our rental house is both beautiful and falling down. We have peeling floorboards and cracks in the walls, so it’s not all glamour here! I love to fill our home with beautiful pieces from small makers. I collect handmade vases, candles, paintings from friends, and of course we have hundreds of plants thanks to the other half of P0LY: Andy, aka @_green.guy, who's a horticulturist extraordinaire. By filling our rental with pieces we really love, it makes it feel like our own. 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Andy (@_green.guy)

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