designer kristina "kikki" karlsson

What's not to love about Kikki.K? It's every organiser's dream. It's aspirational (oh, I do want my shelves to look like that) and it's practical, as well as affordable. The powerhouse behind it is Swedish-born Kristina "Kikki" Karlsson, who has done for stationery in Australia what Ikea has done for furniture - made it cool, accessible and wanting you to redecorate all over again.

It's incredible how quickly the business has grown. Within about 10 years Kristina has opened more than 25 shops in Australia and New Zealand (with stockists in many countries around the world). What began as a design project to update her office has turned into a thriving business, one that's seen her win the Telstra Victorian Young Business Woman of the Year.

What five words best describe you? Passionate, excited, determined, happy & a wine lover! : )
What's your proudest achievement? Living my dream life every day.
Who inspires you? Lots of different people. My mentor Gillian Franklin, who runs a big business and family, and lives a balanced life.
What are you passionate about? Stationery and beautiful things, food & wine, and health.
What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt? That you can achieve anything if you are passionate about it and prepared to work for it.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop. I really admire her values and her success on building a business that walked its talk.
What are you excited about? Driving to work in the morning and creating beautiful stationery and solutions for people – love it!
What’s next? More beautiful designs, more stores & my first baby!

Images courtesy of Kikki.K.