The front door of my office is bright red. Tucked between an antique store and a restaurant, most people hardly register the narrow opening. It’s almost like a rabbit hole, beckoning only the ones who know of its existence.
Inside it expands into a sprawling three-tiered space. A winding red staircase takes you to the first floor, bathed in light from all sides it’s filled with writers and advertising staff. Pirate, a one-eyed cat saunters lazily between the desks. He prefers the writers, they’re less likely to interrupt his nap by scurrying to meetings or assault his ears over client inquiries.
Turning the corner there are a series of boardrooms, each immaculately furnished with accents of red and spaced to catch the sunlight. Even on the dullest days there’s a glow about the rooms.
One stairway up are the living quarters. A large kitchen sits on the left, appliances, recipes and post-it notes litter its surface. “Does anyone remember the name of those chocolate pod things?” one note reads, the answer comes in the form a of a long red arrow pointing at an item on a shopping list attached to the fridge.
Past the kitchen is the lounge room, filled with IKEA’s finest. Hanging chairs, and a large tv. The liquor cabinet is frequently restocked and conveniently located next to a series of bookshelves packed with the latest literature. Thick red curtains line the windows though rarely drawn, they’re most frequently used during games of hide-n-seek by Pirate.
Up another flight of stairs we finally reach my space, the loft. The room is centered upon a large arched window. Stretching from floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall it’s views are as breathtaking as its size. My building towers above its peers allowing sunlight to illuminate every surface. I share my space with the graphic designers. A motley crew of international and inner city dwellers. They play their music loud, letting the sounds reverberate through the atrium and filter down to the first floor.
My studio sits by the window, there I spend my days shooting, editing and liaising with editors and clients. I’m still very much a writer, but the stories I tell come to life a little differently these days, but that’s a story for another time…
