Shaping space for curiosity, creativity and collaboration with designer Sarah Robertson.
#03 ATELIER, a collaborative interview series exploring our creative spaces, processes and rituals.
I’m Lyndsay, mother, creative and storyteller with a background in interiors PR. Story & Thread. is a weekly letter exploring the intersection of creativity, mothering and the living world, with a home and a garden at the heart...
Please feel free to share parts of this newsletter that connect with you — here on Substack, on social media or I would love you to send it on to someone special to you.
Hi everyone
How are you getting on in this second week of January?
I have (somewhat reluctantly, but very gratefully) emerged briefly from deep within my wintry cocoon, to follow the migrating birds south to sunnier, warmer climes.
We made a pilgrimage destined for winter sun for the first time last January — I felt the same hesitancy then, being so immersed in the full-body, visceral experience of winter that I couldn’t get my head around a parallel universe of sandy shores, ice cream and sun hats. But rest assured, I was soon soothed by the warmth, enlivened by the vivid floral colour palette, and energised by this borrowed, longer light.
Packing pieces of our imagined summer selves whilst taking down the Christmas decorations at the weekend felt strange and incongruous, though of course enticing too. I am open to exploring how my body feels into this short sojourn and how my intention for a month of softness and dreaming unfolds.
I am extremely thankful to experience this burst of subtropical sunshine and a respite from the freezing temperatures — yet my mind still wanders home, and to the tiny but eager green shoots from bulbs that had started to reach skywards in the days before we journeyed south. I can’t wait to see how they have grown by the time I return.
I am delighted to be here writing to you, albeit from a different location for the next couple of posts — this time for the next instalment of ATELIER, a collaborative interview series about our creative spaces, processes and rituals.
For this edition I spoke with creative , someone I am inspired by for her warm, generous spirit and beautiful design work — always deeply thoughtful and considered with connection and collaboration at its heart.
My ‘atelier’ update.
Before we dive in to this instalment with Sarah, here is a little update on my own developing creative space.
Since my last ATELIER post, we painted the entire room (including ceiling, woodwork and the radiator) in Setting Plaster by Farrow & Ball after finding it to be the middle ground of a number of (admittedly very nearly identical) shades. I love ‘colour drenching’ a room and we have taken the same approach in our bedrooms — for me, it feels more cohesive, cosy and cocooning. I’d love to know if you have tried it…?
The new colour is bringing a gentle, plastery warmth in these dark, stark days, providing a peach-ish canvas and yet doesn’t feel too pretty or sweet.
The table we inherited from family is in, as is an old speaker that works just fine for the music I love to play as an important element of my creative time (very often gorgeous, evocative playlists curated by Sarah, today’s interviewee) and my essential oil diffuser for adding another sensory, olfactory layer. I have carved out a space for gentle movement, brought in all of the pots of geraniums from the cold, and have moved some of the books and magazines onto shelves from the piles stacked in our hallway.
Although there is a lot more to do, like putting art on the walls and creating a seasonal altar space, it already feels like a haven. It is a place that I can’t wait to spend time in, in glorious aloneness.
And whilst I continue to gather inspiration and add to my moodboard for the space, I am collating insights into how and where others create, and the rituals they intentionally adopt to elevate the space for creativity. This gathering of inspiration and ideas led to the idea for the ATELIER series…
ATELIER, noun, [French atuh-lyey].
a workshop or studio, especially of an artist, artisan, or designer.
Meet , a designer, mentor, writer, and the voice behind Brand Seasons, a publication exploring the rhythms in our independent businesses and creative practices, with guidance in strategy, styling, and storytelling. Originally from Edinburgh, Sarah now works from her home nestled in the Scottish Borders alongside her partner, a website designer and project manager, their two children and their curious cat.
I loved speaking to Sarah about her creative workspaces that shapeshift to hold all of the facets of her work, how her surroundings affect the way she feels and works, and Sarah’s soothing rituals and small joys that help her remain curious, energised and playful within her work.
Can you describe your design business to me?
I enjoy collaborating with businesses of all shapes and sizes. My creative projects are varied, and I love supporting independents — defining their vision, designing meaningful visuals, or discovering their voice. At its core, my work is all about crafting brands that feel like home and bringing knowledge and guidance to fellow businesses and creatives.
How do you approach a creative workday?
My days begin with client meetings or mentoring sessions in the morning when my energy peaks! Design work follows and involves creating moodboards and colour palettes or designing logos and websites. But before I sit at my desk, I first make a frothy drink in a handmade mug. There’s something so soothing about this tiny little ritual.
Are your surroundings important to you?
My environment significantly influences my creativity, so it pays to shift and shape my surroundings. Since we’re renting following our relocation from the city to the countryside, I’ve made the studio my own with a rustic handcrafted desk, shelving with my books, crystals and stationery, and plants to breathe life into the space. If inspiration wanes, I move to another room for a change of scene.
So, do you have a few creative spaces?
Oh, yes, I love to shuffle around! My studio is set up in our conservatory—wonderful in winter, less so in summer! Guided by my mood, I flit between that area, the kitchen table and my living room. If doodling, reading or writing, then the sofa is my sanctuary. It wasn’t until I started The Artist’s Way that I noticed how inviting it felt to cosy up in a particular spot with my journal.
How do you like to feel while you’re working?
Curious. Energised. Playful. I see my desk as an inspiration station, surrounded by design books, colour swatches and paper samples to help kindle my imagination. But I don’t think we necessarily need a fancy desk or paper goods to sharpen our senses. Sometimes I’m happiest planning from the kitchen, reading in the garden, or writing at my local bookshop cafe.
Do the different areas have different qualities for you?
Absolutely. Since my day-to-day work involves playing with colour and paper, this is generally done at my desk because the light is best, and I can focus. I work slowly, quietly and methodically. In contrast, I prefer writing in the living room, usually late at night. It's more relaxed in some ways, and you’ll find me curled up under a blanket with my laptop and the cat by my side.
How do you set the tone and energy of your environment?
I find that music brings about a sense of calm and ease. But depending on what I’m listening to, it can also be fuel for the imagination. I curate my own playlists, which I regularly share with my readers, and they often provide the backdrop to my days in the studio. My latest playlist is Wintering for bringing warmth to these dark, cold days,
Where do you source creative inspiration?
I tend to flock to Pinterest for projects. I also have a stack of wellness magazines that I turn to for mood boards and vision boards and a library of branding, design and creativity books that influence aspects of my work. I’m also enjoying podcasts and audiobooks, having tuned into Creative Boom and Find Your Artistic Voice most recently!
How do you feel about collaboration?
It’s a core part of being a designer, mentor, and writer. I co-host the Gathering Stories club—monthly co-working and content creation sessions. I love spotlighting other businesses and creatives and inviting contributors to write for Notelets on Nurture and a series called This Creative Life on These Are The Days.
The clients I’m currently supporting span France, The Netherlands and the United States, but rather than feel far away from them, it feels like I'm cultivating a vibrant, global community in my sphere of work. I love the online world and the sense of connection it brings to those who work in isolation or from home.
What would your dream creative studio look like?
We’re exploring the idea of building our own house, which is the ultimate dream. But if we're lucky enough to create our own studio someday, it would be cradled deep in a garden among the trees, plants and blooms. Natural light would filter in, and I love the idea of having soft colours and textures woven into the fabric of the space with a few bright pops. I might even have a Pinterest board for it!
Do you have any calming rituals around your work?
While I find solace in rituals like savouring a hot drink, lighting a candle and winding down with a book, I’m just as at home by the fields, in the woods and by the river and try to have daily walks. It's a time when I can simply be without the need to perform or produce. I also love yin yoga and often bolster myself on the mat if my mind is busy. It’s such a beautiful, nurturing practice. I love that sense of being held.
Away from Substack, Sarah collaborates with clients to define their vision, craft beautiful visuals and discover their voice through her studio, These Are The Days. Curious to learn more about her branding and design practice? You might like to subscribe to her seasonal Inside Story letters. And if you want to show up and share more, Sarah co-hosts the Gathering Stories club, a monthly co-working session dedicated to content creation.
You can explore more of Sarah’s work via her publication Brand Seasons, Instagram and These Are the Days website.
I’d love to hear if today’s interview with Sarah has inspired you to think about the spaces you create in.
Do you gravitate towards different spaces depending on the task at hand?
Is there a thread that runs through all spaces you create in?
Thank you for reading, I would love to chat about your creative space and hear your thoughts in the comments.
Lyndsay xx
 | A guest post by
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Thank you for the opportunity, Lyndsay! I really enjoyed answering the questions 💫
I haven’t tried colour drenching but love the idea of it, and it looks stunning with the cornice. Do you have a ceiling rose, too?
Also, “energised by this borrowed, longer light.” Beautiful words. I could do with a little more sunshine this month ✨
I loved what you said about changing workspaces depending on your task and how you want to feel. I’ve found myself doing this recently and felt quite bad that I was choosing the couch for writing instead of my desk - but this post has made me reconsider the judgements that I attached to these different workspaces 🥰