THE STUDIO 
The studio-workshop is based in the rustic setting of the Conway Mill in Belfast. This historical building is currently being refurbished so for the moment it is somewhat bohemian, accommodating a wonderfully rich variety of artists and creative businesses.
Bespoke consultations are held in , Belfast, where attention is lavished upon clients while we find out who you are and how best we can provide for you. For those who can’t make it to a consultation in person we can brief with you via email, phone and post. It’s easy but does take a little more time. '
This is the new Simply Rouge Studio. Here we have 600 square feet of gloriously sunlit studio space. Here I am building the mezzanine... 
And thanks to support from The Arts Council of Northern Ireland (through the Innovation Fund) we need every square inch of this new space for all the new tools and subsequent production that's filling the studio up fast!
Building this was important to me because it gives me room to store all the packaging that my raw materials arrive in. This way I almost never have to buy materials for packaging my stationery orders. I just pop up onto the mezzanine and rummage through the mountain of pre-loved bubble-wrap,tissue paper and brown boxes until I find the perfect packaging. I figure, with enough space and a little time spent organising, I can minimise our impact on the environment.
Recycled packaging isn't always quite as pretty to present my stationery orders in, so to let my customers know why, I write notes on the side of the boxes like...
Hello, I'm a pre-loved, much-loved, recycled, upcycled, not-retired-yet box!
THE DESIGNER (Louise Firinne - pronounced feer-in-ya!)
Well I’m more than just the designer, as the owner of Simply Rouge I’m chief cook and bottle washer! Your order will be lovingly tended to from start to finish by myself. I have a background in paper making, printmaking and really any craft related to paper. If it wasn’t so scratchy and quite impractical then paper would surely run in my veins! I’m an Australian born Belfastian (it really should be a real word) and I’m inspired every day by my beautiful clients to create new and improved products and services. I’m a style chameleon, changing from being inspired by classic elegance to retro grunge on a minute by minute basis. You may find me sifting for hours through vintage Chinese packaging, vector flourishes and fonts. I continually sift through all the best design/stationery businesses around the world and pick out all the best aspects to meld into my own business. This is a constant process and as a result my company becomes richer and better every day and my 'to do' list grows infinitely long! I have a little book pouch I carry with me 24/7 (even when I'm at home!) to write down my ideas which flow endlessly all day. If I don't write my ideas down I go a tad crazy and although I haven't tested it yet I have a theory that I would eventually spontaneously combust if I couldn't get my ideas down on paper. Fresh ideas are what it's all about for me, focusing intensely, reaching for the next improvement and expanding on what already is.
WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUT SIMPLY ROUGE STATIONERY?
*Our products are crafted from scratch to suit the client which means we have much greater scope of materials and formats whereas many other stationery companies use mass-produced, pre-cut and pre-scored formats. That’s partly why Simply Rouge products are unique.
*Simply Rouge stationery features many different crafting techniques.
Cross-pollinating crafts and artistic genres has resulted in a rich variety of beautiful and exceptionally unique items. We mix water-colour painting, jewellery making, stitching, fabrics, paper-craft/sculpture and of course printmaking.
*We create exclusive custom-bonded, double-sided card. We can also bond leather, lace, satin and decorative or embossed cardstocks. If you have any other weird or wonderful requirements we’re always eager to hear your suggestions.
*We produce a unique deep bevelled edged format with a custom bonded topping of your choice
*Some of our products feature intriguing magnetic clasps which close with a delicious little snap
*We source exquisite materials and are eager to work with unique substrates such as fabric, leather, wood veneers, fibre yarns - you think of it and we’ll try it... we punch, glue, stitch and fold with glee.
*We offer a consultation and design service too.
ETHOS...
*As much as possible we craft our products from scratch using ethically sourced raw materials to reduce and ideally eliminate all involvement of third world sweatshops from our products.
*For every full order placed we donate a tree to our ‘love grove’ which is managed by the charity Trees for life.
You can click here to visit our grove dedication page and maybe even donate a tree (or two, or three...)!
We make tree pledge envelopes for Trees for life (we call them 'pledgelopes') which you can place at your event for your guests to donate trees to your grove (which you set up through Tree's For Life).
If you don't want to set up your own grove for your event you can request pledelopes from us (free of charge!) and then make your donation through the Simply Rouge 'love grove' dedication page. (we will pass your details on to Tree's For Life so they can send you some information and thank you for your donation).
Trees for Life is an award winning conservation charity working to restore the Caledonian Forest and all its species to a large contiguous area in the Highlands of Scotland.
We chose Trees for Life because they take caring for the planet very seriously. They aren't just planting swathes of trees for the sake of it, they consider the whole ecology of the region and have no other political or financial agenda behind what they do.
*One of our main suppliers is powered entirely by wind power and uses 60% recycled packaging. We recycle all our packaging and donate off-cuts to local card makers and crafters.
Big Love to The Arts Council of Northern Ireland for supporting Simply Rouge through The Innovation Fund. PRESS/NEWS
www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk
*We only use water based inks so we don't wash solvents down the drain
APPRECIATION...
Without the following people and organisations Simply Rouge would still be but a dream, I can never thank you all enough!
*Crisis Changing lives
*The Princes Trust
*The Conway Mill
-Crisis changing lives champions award 2007
-Bespoke commissions crafted for Their Graces, the Duke and Duchess of Abercorn (2009)
-Barclays Trading Places Award (regional winner) 2008. Also selected as one of the top ten businesses in Northern Ireland.
-Princes Trust Celebrate Success Enterprise Award, Northern Ireland Winner 2008
Sponsored by...
-Princes Trust Celebrate Success Enterprise Award, National Winner 2009 Sponsored by...
-Featured in Northern Irelands White Wedding Pages Magazine...
...and many newspapers and websites...