Potato Nation

From her home studio in Pemberton, designer Pam Beattie is a time-traveller, making frequent forays back to her great-grandmother’s era to return with antique fur coats and rhinestone buttons which she repurposes into Venetian Decor‘s signature line of pillows and throws and furnishings. For Pam, a self-confessed girlie-girl, Venetian Decor is about injecting a little romance into life, in a way that honours the past and the planet, showcasing the old world with a new twist. Pam is on the cutting edge of the up-cycling movement, using vintage french furniture, and vintage fur coats, buttons and brooches, as well as Italian leathers, pure silk ribbons and fabric, VOC free paints, natural wool batting from Alberta, and natural down and feather pillow inserts.  We connected with Pam just after she had sent a swagload of product to be included in Emmy’s gift bags.

So, have you ever been to Venice ?

Never! But I’m planning a buying trip to Italy and France next year with my daughters to source out a new furniture supplier and what ever else captures my attention.

What’s the best trip you have taken?

A family holiday to Belize with my husband and three kids.  We went backpacking for a week then we spent another week on a remote island in a beach camp where we snorkeled, ate the fish we caught,  swam… It was Gilligan’s Island, only better.

What is the essence of Venetian Decor?

To capture the history of our heritage by taking our great-grandmothers’ vintage treasures and preserving them to pass down, embracing them rather than tossing them into landfills. Venetian Decor’s mission of preserving vintage fur coats, vintage buttons and brooches really tells a story of who wore these treasures.

Where does the name comes from?

I always knew it would be my company name. I just had a feeling from deep down. My products have an old world charm and feel… and in the dictionary, Venetian does mean “old world.”

What inspired you to start your own business?

Even as a young child, I loved  vintage french furniture, the vintage fur coats my great grandmother had worn and all the glittery vintage rhinestone buttons and brooches. I’m a true romantic girlie-girl and I knew this was what I was meant to do.

How long have you been doing this work?

The whole concept and production started in March of 2008.

Where have your products been featured?

Venetian Decor products have been featured in The Beverly Hills Times Magazine, on Urban Rush TV,  the IDSWest Show, and The Vancouver Sun.

Where have your products ended up?

Everywhere from Glasgow to Vancouver, Toronto to Beverly Hills and Italy.

Is pink your signature color ?

It’s true. I’ve loved the colour since I was old enough to say pink. I really like working with a softer color palette.

What was your training in the field?

I was fortunate enough to be taken under the wing of a true professional in the field and taught upholstery from him. I grew up sewing clothes and home decor items and always had a flare for design and style.  I worked in the cosmetic industry for 15 years before getting married and starting a family. Design is part of my history. A great-aunt was a seamstress and my other great-aunt was a milliner and hat boutique owner.

You’ve been married for 21 years to a local builder. What’s he think of pink?

My husband has been a great sounding board with my company. I’m always trying out new design concepts on him and he usually has some pretty cool ideas of his own, which is great .

What is inspiring you right now?

There’s lots of fur in the new fall fashion magazines, which really fits with my own designs.  One of my missions is to bridge the gap between fashion and home decor.

How did you end up in Pemberton?

My husband’s family owned property in Pemberton and they spent their summers there growing up. His parents eventually relocated to Pemberton. When we married some years later, we  found this to be a perfect place to raise a family, with grandparents and extended family close by, just 20 minutes from skiing in Whistler, and mountain biking, hiking, fishing all at your back door. What could be better than that?

What makes Pemberton a good place for your business ?

Clean-living and down-to-earth attitudes.  When I need to head to the city for a show or meeting,  it is only a few hours away. It makes going to the city just a little more special and returning home is the icing on the cake. Plus, the view out my studio window is unbeatable.