My Story

Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Alison Tordoff and I have been running my award-winning practice, Fidget Design, in the English Lake District for over 15 years now.

My creativity

Design is so much more than surface. It’s all enveloping, in every aspect of my life. Everything begins with design.

Creativity has always been at the heart of my life and profession. I won a national schools design award when I was just 16, and studied practical subjects gaining a City and Guilds in upholstery and cabinet making, followed by a degree in Interior Architecture at Brighton University.

Whilst working for a commercial design practice in London I started Fidget Design in 1997 designing and making unusual contemporary furniture and selling it through a central London showroom.

Following a short spell abroad – backpacking, skydiving, white water rafting and hang-gliding, I returned to my roots in the Lake District to set up my interior architecture practice. I also set up a creative networking group, promoting inward investment which was recognized when I was named Cumbria Business Woman of the Year in 2003.

My reputation

Fidget has earned a reputation as one of the most creative and innovative interior-architects in the UK. I’ve worked on a wide variety of prestigious projects and top brands including Jaguar, Aston Martin, The Serenity Spa at Seaham, and locally The Samling, Langdale Leisure Club and Viva Cafe at the auction house in Cockermouth.

I was very honoured to be awarded ‘Best Hotel Interior’ and ‘Best International Hotel Interior’ at the International Hotel Awards at the Savoy Hotel for my designs at Cedar Manor, Windermere.

I write a monthly page in Lake District and Lancashire Life magazines and I am a guest lecturer at University of Central Lancashire on the Interior Design course.

My passion

When the recession bit hard I needed to vent my creative passion on smaller scale projects and decided to start designing my own products inspired by the wonderful rich history, poetry, arts, crafts, agriculture and industry that Cumbria has to offer.

I love detail and we get right down to the nitty gritty, texture, tone on tone, cool greys, balance, bold splashes of colour in the right places.

Am I going soft? Have I sold out?…No, course not. Its design meets business.

My next step

It all started with a book wallpaper I designed for the new reception lounge at The Cedar Manor Hotel in Windermere. I spent hundreds of hours working on this new intricate wallpaper with over 65 different book designs all with slightly quirky and tongue in cheek titles. It provides a contemporary interpretation of the Lakes and Cumbria and makes the wallpaper more engaging and an interesting read. The phrase blood sweat and tears springs to mind!

I was so proud of my very first product The Lakeland Books Wallpaper, I decided to roll it out as a fabric design, with the intention of producing cushions, tote bags, shopper bags, tea towels, aprons …and maybe even boxer shorts!

My Love District

But there is more to come…

The creative juices are flowing, I am developing oodles of ideas and aim to launch one new design a month.

My manufacturing ethos is ‘local’ meaning I source manufacturers from Cumbria, Northwest and within the UK. I believe in ‘inward’ investment and supporting local businesses.

If you’d like to find out more, pop over to my contact page.