Meet The Designer: Laura Wayne

The way you style your bedroom shapes the overall look & feel, and the choices you make will hold an influence over the ambience your space presents. From the patterns to the colour tones to the decorative pieces, every accent plays a role in your bedroom styling. At KOO, we love collaborating with designers in creating these patterns to develop unique and stylish pieces. One such artist is Melbourne based Australian designer, Laura Wayne.

Known for her bright use of colour and fun, joyful designs, you'll find an exciting collection of quilt covers, bed throws, and cushions all featuring a cheerful Laura Wayne design. Discover more about Laura's artistic journey, inspirations and advice, as well as her work within the KOO x Laura Wayne range, right here.

Quick Links

• Laura Wayne's Design Journey
• Diving into Laura's Creative Process and Inspirations
• Discover the Colourful Collaboration: Introducing the KOO x Laura Wayne Range
• Styling the Collection
• Laura's Advice for Upcoming Artists

Laura Wayne's Design Journey

Throughout her time at school, Laura enjoyed art and design, going on to further her education and complete a Diploma in Graphic Arts. It is during her time in this course that she learnt how to use Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. After this course, Laura went on to work for a design company.

"I really enjoyed seeing my designs on greeting cards and stationery in stores", Laura reflects on her time with the design company. Although not always working within the creative industry, she continued to work on her art and design skills in her free time. Around 2016, Laura learnt how to put her designs into repeat patterns. "This really changed how my designs could be used and opened up more opportunities", Laura adds.

In 2022, Laura's first fabric collection was released with Spotlight, bringing her joyful artwork to life. In 2023, she then released her first bedding collection with KOO, fulfilling her "lifelong dream".

Diving into Laura's Creative Process and Inspirations

Laura likes to begin her creative process by coming up with themes and image ideas. She usually tries to run with a theme by creating several designs that work together. Other times, she also tries creating individual patterns.

Laura always starts by drawing her ideas onto paper, then photographing the drawings and putting them into Adobe Illustrator, where she redraws and colours the designs. "I have a Wacom Cintiq that is a screen I can draw directly onto, which is pressure sensitive", Laura says. After completing the images in Illustrator, she places them into a repeat pattern and finalises the colour palette. Laura explains, "Sometimes I will create cohesive collections with the same colour palette. It just depends on the collection. The great thing about working in a vector format in Illustrator is that colours can be easily changed if needed."

Laura's inspirations originate from her childhood. Growing up in the 80s, Laura speaks fondly of the cartoons of the time, such as The Care Bears, Astroboy, The Smurfs, Rainbow Brite and Strawberry Shortcake, as well as video games like Mario Bros. Laura believes the style of these cartoons and games "inspired [her] 2D cartoon style throughout the years".

In the 90s, she gathered more inspiration from the Australian brand Happy House, loving the bright, bold colours and designs. "This was where my love for bedding began, and I aspired to one day have my own bedding range", Laura reflects, looking back on her inspirations.

Discover the Colourful Collaboration: Introducing the KOO x Laura Wayne Range

Celebrate Laura Wayne's cheerful designs with the KOO x Laura Wayne Ice Pops and Lolly Pops range. For this collection, Laura designed a range of colourful and joyful patterns to be used in bedding, including quilt covers, bed throws and cushions. Showcasing a bright colour palette, this range features adorable designs inspired by sweet treats, including lollies and icey poles.

Speaking on the designs, Laura says, "the inspiration behind the Frozen Drinks and Icy Poles bedding collection is the joy of summer" and wants people to "feel the joy of summer through this range" while bringing nostalgia and sparking childhood memories.

Enjoy the Playfulness of a Laura Wayne Quilt Cover

The perfect quilt cover for your kid's bed linen or for those wanting to infuse a joyous charm into their bedroom, you'll find a few different quilt covers featuring a Laura Wayne design here at KOO. For a celebration of sweet lollies, shop the KOO x Laura Wayne Lolly Pops Quilt Cover Set. Available in single, double, queen and king sizes, this quilt cover set features a reversible design with a fun and bright lolly pop pattern on one side and a heart lolly design on the reverse. The pink and purple based design is effortlessly nostalgic and is sure to brighten any bedroom.

On the other hand, if you long for the refreshing summer treats from your childhood, then the KOO x Laura Wayne Ice Pops Quilt Cover Set is perfect for satisfying your craving for nostalgia. Available in single, double, queen and king sizes, this reversible design features a fun and bright icy pole pattern on one side and a frozen drink pattern on the reverse. With a blue and green based design, this quilt cover will brighten any space.

Whimsical and Colourful Cushions

Add comfort to your bedding with a KOO x Laura Wayne cushion. Offering similar themes, again in reversible designs, these cushions allow you to bring both a comforting decor piece and bright colour into your bedroom. The KOO x Laura Wayne Lolly Pops Cushion showcases a colourful lollypop design on one side with a design of love heart candies on the reverse, while the KOO x Laura Wayne Ice Pop Cushion features a vibrant icy pole design on one side and a frozen drink detail on the reverse. Both cushions pair effortlessly with their coordinating KOO x Laura Wayne quilt cover sets.

Add Warmth and An Adorable Charm to Your Bed With Laura Wayne's Bed Throws

Completing her collection with KOO, Laura Wayne has also launched her designs in two bed throws with the KOO x Laura Wayne Ice Pops Bed Throw featuring a fun and bright icy pole and frozen drink design, and the adorable KOO x Laura Wayne Lolly Pops Bed Throw with its vibrant heart lolly design. Measuring at 180 x 210cm, these throws bring both an additional layer of warmth and a pop of colour to your bed.

Styling the Collection

To allow the vibrant designs of the KOO x Laura Wayne collection to pop, it's a good idea to style them with neutral tones or complementary colours. Think of incorporating soft, solid tones of the KOO 250 Thread Count Flat Sheet, KOO 250 Thread Count Fitted Sheet and the KOO 250 Thread Count European Pillowcase.

Wanting to create a wonderful, bright oasis in your bedroom? Feel free to mix and match the designs of the collection for the ultimate vibrant styled showcase. The bright colour tones of these patterns ensure you can pair the patterns together for a harmonious and nostalgic decorative style.

Laura's Advice for Upcoming Artists

When it comes to inspiring other artists, Laura's advice is "to be true to yourself". Laura talks of the importance of "learning what you enjoy creating, the colours you love and what makes you happy." Laura talks of the pressure to create art like other artists to fit in, but reflects on the loss of authenticity and uniqueness that arises when following trends or changing her work. She now doesn't worry too much about trends, only if she is genuinely inspired by them and they fit into her design style. "I think it's important to create a body of work that you love and can be excited about."

Explore the Laura Wayne Range at KOO

Laura Wayne's collaboration with KOO celebrates creativity, nostalgia and joy, bringing bright colours and fun to your bedroom.

Discover the KOO x Laura Wayne range at KOO and shop the full range online to brighten up your home today. Follow along Laura's design journey on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok, and stay updated on her vibrant designs.

For more insight into the wonderful artist collaborations, you can find here at KOO, check out our other designer-focused blogs, including our profiles on Jocelyn Proust and Kirsten Katz.

Shop the Laura Wayne Range