Jade Jasmin
MAKERS & SHAKERS
With years of experience in the hospitality industry as hoteliers, events & consultants working in far-flung locations around the world, we meet sustainably led interior designer, stylist & art director, Jade Passey, founder of escolhido.co. Jade & her fiancé Dan moved to Portugal & started their bespoke creative consultancy service, the heart of which, lies in the West Algarve.
Through their experience, love of authentic and curious homeware & design along with a passion for creating beautiful spaces, together they have grown their interior, refurbishment, & styling business to focus on a more sustainable vision for the future.
The Makers & Shakers series with Design Escapes features interviews with creatives who are blazing new paths in Portugal through art, design, & diverse disciplines.
A project in the Algarve by escolhido.co.
Tell us a little bit about Escolhido…
Our ethos is all about mindfully creating timeless spaces that are personal to our clients and sourcing hand-chosen sustainable staples is at the heart of what we do. It really started as a hobby. We love sourcing pieces that have a history and tell a story, that can change a room or a house whether they are a subtle or a key feature piece. Through our experience, love of homeware and design, and creating beautiful spaces, escolhido has also naturally developed into an interior, renovation and styling studio. Even though the heart of the business is in the Portugal, more specifically in the Algarve, we have been working with clients across Europe remotely which has worked really nicely and resulted in some exciting projects.
Why do you feel that re-purpose is so important in our current climate?
Sustainability is a key focus and value of what we are creating at escolhido.co. Repurposing and upcycling saves natural resources, protects the environment and is cost-effective. The other nice thing about doing things this way is that each piece has its own individuality, history and a story before they enter your home and become part of your space.
Images via @escolhido.co
What is it that attracts you to vintage and one off pieces?
We have always loved hunting for second hand goods. It’s something about the feeling of finding them, the experience of meeting interesting people, coming across new hidden gems and visualising where they could end up.
What are your tips for someone looking to style their home using repurposed pieces?
When styling your home with repurposed pieces you have to make sure that you are always true to yourself and your personal style, be mindful not to follow too many trends. We like to make mood boards to help bring the space to life and to help us understand the look that we are going for before we start to source. We would highly recommend doing this. Another tip would be to remember that less is more, make sure you love the item that you are choosing and you can visualise it in your space, otherwise it can easily become another piece that is cluttering up your home.
Where would be your favourite place to source vintage in the Algarve?
Hmmm…that would be telling, as our sources are a secret! But, that being said the flea markets where we live in the Algarve are hard to beat. We’ve also met some great people along the way who are in the business of repurposing vintage furniture who always let us know when they have something special come through the door. Relationships are super important in this business and working with people who share a passion for what we do is something that we have always loved.