{"id":12654,"date":"2016-07-14T16:44:17","date_gmt":"2016-07-14T15:44:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/?p=12654"},"modified":"2018-02-09T16:48:42","modified_gmt":"2018-02-09T16:48:42","slug":"devolfolk-helens-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/devolfolk-helens-story","title":{"rendered":"deVOL Folk: Helen&#8217;s Story"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">You may have seen my very first <a href=\"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/2016\/07\/01\/devolfolk-emilys-story\/\" target=\"_blank\">deVOL Folk blog about our lovely London Showroom Manager, Emily<\/a>. Well, next up we have our super talented and incredibly cool Creative Director, Helen&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><div class=\"sharer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13394 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-52.jpg\" alt=\"Creative Director Helen Parker\" width=\"600\" height=\"691\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-52.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-52-300x346.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><ul id=\"socialshare\"><!--<li class=\"fb\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=688330137993706&display=popup&href=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/devolfolk-helens-story?img=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-52.jpg\"><\/a><\/li><li class=\"tw\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/devolfolk-helens-story&text=deVOL Folk: Helen's Story\"><\/a><li>--><li class=\"pt\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button?&url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/devolfolk-helens-story&media=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-52.jpg\"><\/a><li><\/ul><\/div><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em>Helen on the first day our London showroom opened<\/em><\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\">H E L E N \u00a0 \u00a0P A R K E R<\/h1>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\">C R E A T I V E\u00a0\u00a0 D I R E C T O R<\/h1>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>An incredible knack for predicting trends and the ability to move a few pieces and change the whole look and feel of a room are skills that saw\u00a0Helen work her way up\u00a0to be appointed Creative Director of deVOL in 2011.\u00a0I&#8217;m actually lucky enough to have known Helen since\u00a0I was a kid. My childhood is\u00a0speckled with memories of her amazing cooking, camping holidays on the beach\u00a0and the occasional wine fuelled evening dancing with her and her sisters. It&#8217;d be hard to come across someone more laid back than Helen, she completely embodies deVOL&#8217;s effortlessly cool style that she continues to help create.\u00a0From styling the showrooms and photoshoots, to creating brand new pieces, to training new designers, Helen has had a huge part to play in deVOL&#8217;s success and is an integral part of\u00a0its future.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><div class=\"sharer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13397 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-6.jpg\" alt=\"Helen-6\" width=\"600\" height=\"401\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-6.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-6-300x201.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><ul id=\"socialshare\"><!--<li class=\"fb\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=688330137993706&display=popup&href=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/devolfolk-helens-story?img=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-6.jpg\"><\/a><\/li><li class=\"tw\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/devolfolk-helens-story&text=deVOL Folk: Helen's Story\"><\/a><li>--><li class=\"pt\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button?&url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/devolfolk-helens-story&media=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-6.jpg\"><\/a><li><\/ul><\/div><\/p>\n<p><em>Helen styling the cabin at Cotes Mill for its first shoot<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>What&#8217;s the latest trend that you&#8217;re most excited about?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Well, I recently went to a Smeg launch and there was a Dolce and Gabbana designed fridge. The D&amp;G theme for this autumn\/winter is Sicilian folk art and by pure chance I had just been watching a programme on the very subject, crazy colours, horses, tradition, fashion, all the things I love in a beautiful Mediterranean country full of passionate people who love life and food. I need to go to Palermo I think, definitely not a place for the faint-hearted though.<\/p>\n<p><div class=\"sharer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13364 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-3.jpg\" alt=\"Helen-3\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-3.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-3-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><ul id=\"socialshare\"><!--<li class=\"fb\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=688330137993706&display=popup&href=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/devolfolk-helens-story?img=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-3.jpg\"><\/a><\/li><li class=\"tw\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/devolfolk-helens-story&text=deVOL Folk: Helen's Story\"><\/a><li>--><li class=\"pt\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button?&url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/devolfolk-helens-story&media=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-3.jpg\"><\/a><li><\/ul><\/div><\/p>\n<p><em>Helen with her three sisters<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Whose Instagram account do you love at the moment?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I find some of the Instagram accounts that are too styled and colour coordinated, a bit samey and there is only so much gorgeousness you can handle without feeling dissatisfied about your own photographic skills or your wardrobe!! So I prefer to follow people I like such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/anthonybourdain\/\" target=\"_blank\">Anthony Bourdain<\/a> the food writer, he doesn\u2019t post much but it\u2019s kind of fun to see the random things he puts up. I also like to follow people who live or work in a city I may be visiting, so I can get tips for places to go. I followed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/skye_mcalpine\/\" target=\"_blank\">Skye McAlpine<\/a> before going to Venice, she is a cook who has lived there all her life so knows the best places off the beaten track.<\/p>\n<p><div class=\"sharer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13363 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-2.jpg\" alt=\"Helen-2\" width=\"600\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-2.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-2-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><ul id=\"socialshare\"><!--<li class=\"fb\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=688330137993706&display=popup&href=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/devolfolk-helens-story?img=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-2.jpg\"><\/a><\/li><li class=\"tw\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/devolfolk-helens-story&text=deVOL Folk: Helen's Story\"><\/a><li>--><li class=\"pt\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button?&url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/devolfolk-helens-story&media=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-2.jpg\"><\/a><li><\/ul><\/div><\/p>\n<p><em>Helen exploring the Greek islands<\/em><\/p>\n<p><div class=\"sharer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13365 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-4.jpg\" alt=\"Helen-4\" width=\"600\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-4.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-4-300x400.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><ul id=\"socialshare\"><!--<li class=\"fb\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=688330137993706&display=popup&href=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/devolfolk-helens-story?img=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-4.jpg\"><\/a><\/li><li class=\"tw\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/devolfolk-helens-story&text=deVOL Folk: Helen's Story\"><\/a><li>--><li class=\"pt\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button?&url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/devolfolk-helens-story&media=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-4.jpg\"><\/a><li><\/ul><\/div><\/p>\n<p><em>Pink inspiration from Helen&#8217;s trip to Venice<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>I loved exploring Venice through your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/hapdesigns\/\" target=\"_blank\">Instagram account<\/a> and\u00a0on your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/2016\/06\/27\/venezia-a-little-wine-and-sun\/\">blog<\/a>. What has been your favourite holiday escape?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I like beaches and sun and shops and markets and great food, so by default the places I visit tend to be a bit touristy, but somewhere like Palma in Mallorca is perfect for me. It\u2019s a fabulous town full of real people, tradition, amazing architecture, great food, style and sunshine. It is so close to all the beaches of Magaluf and all those proper package holiday areas, yet it is so very different. It&#8217;s wonderful, and when you get fed up of culture you can pop on a bikini, drink a beer and lie on the beach.<\/p>\n<p><div class=\"sharer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13362 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-1.jpg\" alt=\"Helen-1\" width=\"600\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-1.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-1-300x267.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><ul id=\"socialshare\"><!--<li class=\"fb\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=688330137993706&display=popup&href=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/devolfolk-helens-story?img=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-1.jpg\"><\/a><\/li><li class=\"tw\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/devolfolk-helens-story&text=deVOL Folk: Helen's Story\"><\/a><li>--><li class=\"pt\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button?&url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/devolfolk-helens-story&media=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-1.jpg\"><\/a><li><\/ul><\/div><\/p>\n<p><em>Helen holidaying in Skopelos, Greece<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>I know you love films, do you have any recommendations?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I love anything foreign where nothing much happens, I like if there is a bit of a link to food or culture or something a bit edgy. I love \u2018For water like chocolate\u2019 a Mexican film about Love and Food and I also love \u2018The Grocers Son\u2019 a film set in Provence that gently wafts through the life of a young man who takes over his father\u2019s grocery van and spends his days selling fresh produce to the locals, the scenery and the feel for Southern French life is delightful.<\/p>\n<p><div class=\"sharer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13419 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_0707-e1468528883932.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_0707\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_0707-e1468528883932.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_0707-e1468528883932-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><ul id=\"socialshare\"><!--<li class=\"fb\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=688330137993706&display=popup&href=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/devolfolk-helens-story?img=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_0707-e1468528883932.jpg\"><\/a><\/li><li class=\"tw\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/devolfolk-helens-story&text=deVOL Folk: Helen's Story\"><\/a><li>--><li class=\"pt\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button?&url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/devolfolk-helens-story&media=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/IMG_0707-e1468528883932.jpg\"><\/a><li><\/ul><\/div><\/p>\n<p><em>Helen\u00a0driving around St Tropez in the South of France<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>What\u2019s your biggest achievement to date?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I have two\u2026 One, helping raise two amazing kids and seeing them both being successful and happy, beautiful, brave and humble. And two, landing the job of my dreams by fate and being lucky enough to be involved in the incredible adventure that is deVOL.<\/p>\n<p><div class=\"sharer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13396 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-7.jpg\" alt=\"Helen-7\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-7.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-7-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><ul id=\"socialshare\"><!--<li class=\"fb\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=688330137993706&display=popup&href=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/devolfolk-helens-story?img=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-7.jpg\"><\/a><\/li><li class=\"tw\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/devolfolk-helens-story&text=deVOL Folk: Helen's Story\"><\/a><li>--><li class=\"pt\"><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button?&url=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/devolfolk-helens-story&media=https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Helen-7.jpg\"><\/a><li><\/ul><\/div><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><em>Helen with her two children, Max and Zo\u00eb<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Helen is based in our Cotes Mill showrooms, but she also comes down to the London office every couple of weeks and travels all over the UK to take pictures of our customers&#8217; amazing\u00a0kitchens. In the office you&#8217;ll often find her writing beautifully whimsical text for our brochures and the blog, although she has been known to be found pottering around\u00a0the kitchen cooking up fresh pizzas or bacon and egg cobs for the whole team!!<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8211; Take a read through some of Helen&#8217;s blogs <a href=\"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/author\/helen-parker\/\" target=\"_blank\"><em>here<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">&#8211; Or browse her\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/uk.pinterest.com\/deVOLKitchens\/devol-kitchens-helens-inspiration\/\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Pinterest board<\/em><\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/hapdesigns\/\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Instagram<\/em><\/a> for lots of beautiful inspiration.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You may have seen my very first deVOL Folk blog about our lovely London Showroom Manager, Emily. Well, next up we have our super&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":16145,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[787],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12654","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-devolfolk"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12654","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12654"}],"version-history":[{"count":47,"href":"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12654\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19381,"href":"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12654\/revisions\/19381"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16145"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12654"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12654"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devolkitchens.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12654"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}