Zoe Christodoulou

Q&A with director Zoe Christodoulou

Zoe has been around furniture all her life and this has naturally lead her to where she is today helping to make learning fun for schools throughout Victoria.

How did you start in the furniture business?

Furniture’s always been a part of my life, my dad has a manufacturing business. He’s had that for thirty years. I used to be there helping out on school holidays and I ended up working there after school and here I am today.

What have been the most popular furniture combinations?

I have to say that the soft furnishing and ottomans are great. The different shapes and colours, they just appeal and change the mood of a person.

Thinking back to your school days how does your memory of the classroom experience differ from that of open learning?

Throughout my whole primary school years you got your four walled room with one chair and one desk per student, there was no change, it was the same routine day in, day out. It was just listen to a teacher, on the blackboard, write down notes.

Why do you think open learning is better then traditional?

Teaching has changed dramatically, there is no four walls anymore, each class room has two walls or sometimes three and they just open to up to a open learning area. That creates interaction with other students and the children just love it. The enthusiasm changes when they walk into the room, they see colour, it changes there mood. We’ve delivered furniture to schools and the students are so excited, "Is that our chair, is that going in our classroom?" and seeing that on their face just makes you happy.

It’s a thrill to be part of that and to be able to provide furniture that can cater for their needs and the fact that it’s a part of their developmental learning, its rewarding.