February 8, 2026 • 39 mins
“Interior design’s not just about the cushion plumping. It’s about the cushion fill.” Lauren Mahoney says it with a laugh, but she means it, and in this episode, she opens the door on what really makes a home feel expensive, calm and actually you. In this episode of The Edit, Home Beautiful editor Elle Lovelock sits down with Lauren Mahoney, creative director of luxury interior design studio Studio Trio.
We trace Lauren's path from Western Sydney kid circling IKEA catalogues to buying her own studio at 28 and learning the hard truth: “There’s no point designing something people can’t afford. You both need to win - they get a beautiful home, and you make some money.” Lauren also spills fabric-world secrets, the reality of late-night scheme sessions, and why starting “at the bottom” is still the best design school there is.
Our host and editor of Home Beautiful, Elle Lovelock, goes inside Lauren's 1913 Federation home - its white walls, dark floors, and a Taubmans Double Grey “French blue-grey” kitchen. Lauren insists she’s “not a chopper,” declaring there are only two kinds of people: “cushion choppers, and not.” There’s incense burning after dinner, Byredo candles, eucalyptus spray around the bins, and a single framed wedding photo in a Ralph Lauren frame that quietly sums up her whole ethos: classic, sentimental, and never overdone.
For anyone paralysed by Pinterest boards and terrified of costly mistakes, Lauren’s advice is ruthlessly comforting: break it down to one room, one sofa, one palette. “Stick with the plan,” she says. “If it’s navy and white, don’t let a random terracotta cushion derail your life.” Whether you’re dreaming up your first apartment or finally tackling the ‘grown-up’ living room, this is your permission slip to design slowly, thoughtfully and on your own terms.
...plus inspiration for living room styling - where do you start? Our trend expert, Paula Cincotta from Oz Design, gives unique insights into the progression of interior design trends, sharing ways to style easily without getting overwhelmed. "Don't worry about chasing every trend, pick one or two details that feel like you and let them build on the look you already love," says Paula.
Thank you for listening ❤️
before you leave...
🗣️ Get in touch
What did you think? We are a brand new podcast and would love to hear from you as we build this together. Join our friendly Home Beautiful community and DM us on Instagram
👀 See more
7 Clever Ways to Optimise Your Small Space
'That' Green Kitchen In Home Beautiful
A perfect colour palette for a Federation Home
🙏 Our special thanks for making 'The Edit' our new home:
Luxaflex - our beautiful 'studio home' curtains
Oz Design - furniture Australians love
Credits:
Edited by Phil Calloway
Production by Thomas Crnkovic
Our wonderful Home Beautiful team
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
This is an our media podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
This episode is brought to you by Luxeflex, transforming homes
with functional window coverings designed to shape your light and
your lifestyle. This episode was brought to you by oz Design.
Style your space and make every room feel effortlessly welcoming.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
You know a lot of students that graduate need to
understand you can't just walk into that amazing job, but
it sometimes just doesn't exist. Just be like a sponge,
absorb things and it's okay to start at the bottom
and work your way up. And actually sometimes people respect
that more so.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Would you would ya, as two people who are either
working in interior design or wanting to get into it,
to look at complementary skills.
Speaker 4 (00:54):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
I also think working with you know, lots of different
people in the industry, you need to see things from
a different perspective, and I think it's important to be
like that in life.
Speaker 4 (01:04):
One hundred percent.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Who ever thought interior design's not just about the cushion plumping.
Speaker 4 (01:09):
No abound the quession Phil. It's about the cushion, Phil.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
You know, or there's different interior designers that like to
whack their cushions.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
You a chushion whiker. How do you feel about the chop. No,
I'm not a chopper. It's funny. I'm just not a chopper.
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
If you've ever wondered what it's like to be an
interior designer, this episode is for you. Hello and Welcome
to the Edit, a new show all about your style
and your sanctuary. We've got a great human and very
personal story today from interior designer Lauren, a fave of
Home Beautiful. I'm your lovelock editor of Home Beautiful, inviting
you on a unique journey. Today, we're stepping inside the
(01:44):
home and the heart of brilliant Lauren Mahoney, an interior
designer whose personal style is as inspiring as her professional expertise.
Get ready for an audio stroll through Lauren's own space.
She's revealing the essence of her creative soul. Then stay
tuned for a listener to Lemma and expert tips on
how to navigate designed decisions, whether you're hiring a pro
(02:05):
or crafting your own.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
Dream room your home.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Welcome to the Edit, a brand new podcast from Home Beautiful.
Well our warm Welcome Lauren back to the Edit. We
just can't get enough of you.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Oh, thank you for having me again and thank you
to home beautiful.
Speaker 4 (02:31):
A pleasure, lovely to be back here. Oh I'm talking
to you about maybe my doorbells again, you know.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Always a favorite. I think that will be We could
just talk for hours. And last time we covered interior
design and just like a one on one on one
on waters one on one, one oh one on how
people can work with interior designers. But today, at the
risk of embarrassing you, I want to find out more
about who you are and how you became an interior designer.
(03:03):
So let's go back to the beginning.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
Actually, yeah, a long time.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
What was your childhood like? What were you like as
a kid, What was the house like where you grew up?
Speaker 4 (03:13):
So do you know what ell? I actually grew up
in Western Sydney. I'm a fool. That's probably why I'm
very down to earth. I love a normal Australian house.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
My mom and dad. My father's Australian. My mother's actually Maltese.
My mother came over here in the fifties on a
boat after World War Two, and she's one of twelve children.
So I actually have a huge European family. And so
everybody talks over the top of everybody are you hungry?
Speaker 4 (03:44):
Do you want to eat?
Speaker 3 (03:45):
No, I'm not hungry anyway. So that's kind of my upbringing.
One brother, you know, just super normal.
Speaker 4 (03:54):
And what was your house like? Like my parents, I.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
Wouldn't say that they were into interior design, but they're
both very crazy people, you know, just a really kind
of modern sort of house.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Nothing you know, nothing flash, but my parents very artistic.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
My my father's really into music, and my mother, she
she's amazing at like knitting, she always enters into the
Easter Show every.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
Year, amazing at cooking.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
And I just had this very kind of like bit
creative type upbringing. You know, from a young age, I
was always drawing. My brother was as well, and my
father was amazing at drawing.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
Do you draw bedroom plans? I used to, did you?
Speaker 1 (04:33):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (04:33):
Oh yeah, I when I was a kid.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
I used to flick through all the Ikea catalogs and
circle the furniture and bits that I wanted, and I
used to draw plans bedroom and.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Yeah, we were sort of like that exactly like we
used to Mom and I used to go out to
like Homeworld, I'm like Heaven, oh my goodness, and look
at like the all the all the project homes everywhere.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
We just used to love doing that. So I think
I had this like I used to love.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
I used to feed off that and kind of go, oh,
they need to fix this or do this or change that.
Speaker 4 (05:03):
And it was so funny.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Even some of my friends I used to hang out
with we used to pretend that we were going to
get married in the early twenties and have that house
at home World, so it was actually quite funny. So yeah,
I just very, always, very interested in like houses, and
I was always drawing and painting. When I first left school,
I actually wanted to be a graphic designer, so he
(05:24):
had change. So I did that for about a year
and I was like, I don't think that's for me.
And then I thought I'd go and do fine art.
So I tried that for a little while and I
was like, no, that's not for me. And then I
saw a job actually advertised, working for an interior designer
in Beecroft, and then that actually is how I launched
my career. I was like literally eighteen nineteen years of age,
(05:44):
so I actually ended up answering the phones for him,
being receptionist, and then I ended up kind of studying
part time and why I was working for him.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
I ended up working with him for about four and
a half five.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
Years and we were a busy, busy residential design come
it was like I learned everything from the ground up
and just ended up putting schemes together for him and
you know, doing administration and things like that. And that's
actually what kind of launched my cris. I've been in
this for like since I was a kid pretty much.
And from there, pretty much I went and worked in fabrics.
(06:18):
I did a stint for a while, I worked for
like Colfax and Fowl Manual, Cannabis.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
Jane Churchill.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
I know when I kind of wanted to get out
of that, I thought, I'm going to go and try
fabrics for a little while.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
Helped me in a room for the fabrics.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
So I have a huge affiliation for fabrics. And then
I went and ended up working for another designer in
north Bridge and that's pretty much actually where I stayed
for many many years, and you know, did some extra
studying business and things like that.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
What would you.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Say you've learned from all of that if you were
to advise someone wanting to be an interior designer, because
it's quite unusual. I yeh, to have someone studying and
working in the field at the same time.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
Was set like, it's not for everybody, because I was
pretty burnt out when I was doing that. But what
a lot of you know, a lot of students that
graduate need to understand you can't just walk into that
amazing job, but just sometimes it sometimes just doesn't exist.
And sometimes actually starting at the bottom and kind of
working you know, in admin or support or as a junior,
(07:19):
actually is the best experience because you're seeing it livehand
and you're able to assist and to really actually understand
how things operate. So I think having that sort of
background really taught me to be made of strong stuff.
Having sort of I guess being a bit more like
hands on really has actually set me up for life
and sort of and then I've sort of decided to
(07:41):
buy that business and then run that business from twenty
eight years of age, so I've been doing it for
a really long time. It's nothing else I know, And
I think it's you're always learning. You know, I might
be in my forties, but you're constantly learning from people
every day.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
So interior design, it's the big picture of it. Also
the details and you said before you were choosing fill
for cushions. Yeah, I'm obsessed with finding the right film cushions.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
It makes all the difference what do you choose.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
So, look, we like to use feather for scatter cushions. However,
the biggest golden rule of feather is because it can
tend to go to get a really good person that
makes feather. But what happens is feather can tend to
you know, kind of you know, sort of pat down
or not sort of stay plump, and you cant have
to kind of plump it up. So the general rule
of thumb is, say that you've got like a like
(08:30):
a fifty centimeter by fifty centimeters scatter cushion, then you
order a fifty five by fifty five centimeter insert. So
that's why it always will stay plump and gorgeous. So
any we go, we go up five centimeters more in
our scattered cushions, and Madam.
Speaker 4 (08:45):
Like, yeah, cushion, No they don't, but I have some.
It's so true.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
No out looks stouy and comfortable.
Speaker 4 (08:53):
It's not comfortable.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
And also to I've had clients that don't like feather,
they want like polyester. And again you have with polyester
usually ordered ten centimeters bigger. So polyester's ten centimeters bigger,
so that actually can really fill the cushion very well,
also can collapse.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
Yeah, five centimetres bigger, poly ten centimeters bigger, pretty much.
Speaker 4 (09:12):
Yes, we're going to use this. Yeah, one hundred percent
thought interior design.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
It's not just about the cushion plumping Noshi phill, It's
about the cushion pill you know.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
Or there's different interior designers. I like to whack their cushions.
You a cushion whiker.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
How do you feel about the chop?
Speaker 3 (09:26):
No, I'm not a chopper. It's funny, you know, I'm
just not a chopper. I don't know, I just not
a chopper. I'm not a cushion chop. I like to
just have them sort of perfect and a little bit
I like them a little bit sort of snugly.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Sometimes I lose myself a bit on set Mullard for
a chop, and there's someone goes, don't.
Speaker 4 (09:42):
Do that, don't do that.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
So yeah, there's just two different types of people and
as world choppers or not choppers.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
Sorry, I'm a chopper. Are you a chopper? I know,
I'm so embarrassed. I am, so you're a cushion chopper.
L Oh, my goodness. So I'm going to rehab I know.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
Coming up next a really juicy dilemma from one of
you and Lauren and I just go mad for fabrics.
Speaker 4 (10:07):
See you soon.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
When it comes to creating a home that feels calm, beautiful,
and uniquely yours, light plays a key role. Lux Offlex
offers a range of custom window coverings that don't just
elevate your interiors. They help you control a space with light,
from soft shears that diffuse sunlight too, smart blinds that
(10:32):
move at the touch of a button. Every luxe Flex
product is made with quality, craftsmanship and thoughtful design.
Speaker 4 (10:40):
Discover how lux.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Offlex can transform the way you live and enjoy your
home every day. Visit luxeflex dot com dot au to
explore the full collection, or visit your local showroom today.
Before we go on, here's what paula leading expert from
ozd De'sie, is noticing right now in inspiring trends for
(11:03):
your home in a year to come.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
How do you make a trend your own? Yeah, that's
a good one.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
Look, I think going back to that sense of personal style,
you really need to understand who you are. And I
think that you can't just jump on a trend and
use it if you're not comfortable with it. I think
you've got to embrace things that make you feel like yourself.
And so that might be It might be you go,
I'm really ready to have a really big trend change.
(11:32):
And it might be that you've moved into a new
apartment or you're restyling your living space, and so that
could be a sofa, yeah, and it could take you
away from a boxy, square sofa to a beautiful curved piece,
a really interesting swivel chair that adds to that sense
of homeliness and conversation if you're in the kitchen or
the living and you can spin around and speak to anyone.
(11:55):
So it could be a big piece like that, or
it could be simply a rug change or adding in
new photo frames in a marble or travitine finish. So
it doesn't have to be big all the time, but
it's got to be a trend that really makes you
feel comfortable. And this probably builds on the look that
(12:16):
you've already created, and you.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
Don't have to follow the trend if it's really not you.
It's okay to say this isn't for me, because absolutely
there isn't just one trend at a time that.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
Oh my gosh, I could probably rattle off ten fifteen
trends you know that exist. And it can be anything
from shape. It can be texture, it can be color,
it could be pattern. It could be the way that
you pull it together and piece it together so that
you're starting to you know, it could be one simple
color palette. You could still be having a very neutral
(12:48):
color palette, but it could all be based around texture
and that delivers you that trend. So it's not necessarily
about saying, oh God, I have to have this and
it needs to be exactly this way. And I think
it's also important to create a trend for how your
environment is give me. So I've just downsized. So we
(13:09):
sold our family home. Our kids have moved out, and
so we thought that we wanted to just have a change.
We weren't living in the space like we used to
as a family, so we bought an apartment off the
plan and have downsized. And so that brings change because
we're no longer in a classically styled Hampton's environment. We've
(13:32):
sort of moved to a contemporary space. That means you
sort of need to shift direction. So sometimes those life
moments lead you to have to sort of re explore
trends or start afresh. And that's something that we've done.
And even as a home Where's buyer, as somebody involved
in interiors, it's sort of you go, right, okay, well,
(13:56):
how do I want this to form? What do I
want it to look like? How do we want to live?
And you've got to start from scratch.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
That's quite an exciting experience. You are your customer.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
Yes, it's been a fun journey, and it's because we've
had time. You know, you buy these apartments off the plan,
You've got years before they come together. So you're looking
at your floor plane, you're working out you know, you're
doing little scale drawings and working out what will fit where,
and you know, I go shopping and you look on
you look to other retailers and just to get inspiration
(14:28):
from everywhere, and then you start to piece it together
and it's fun and it's fun to see it come
to life.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Big thanks to pull It for that inspirt. Now back
to the chat. I want to hear more about Colfax
and Fowler. Yeah, what was that like and what stage
of your career were you when you were there?
Speaker 3 (14:49):
So would have been about maybe about twenty three twenty
four at that age, so yeah, pretty young.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
I did that for about a year because I just
felt like I wanted to, I don't know, just something
else in the industry and had a bit of a
love for fabrics. And that was interesting, you know, I
was helping I was actually on the other side of
the fence, actually helping interior designers put schemes together and
you know, give them fabric goods to seem from that,
it was really interesting, you know, and learning about fabric
shipments and met ridge.
Speaker 4 (15:16):
And I mean I still love those fabrics today. I do. Actually,
I'm a bit of a love those fabrics.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
I do.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
Oh even yesterday we had some beautiful cushions made for
a client of mine in that one of Corfacs and
Fowler's florals, and it's just those fabrics are just they
just so beautifully.
Speaker 4 (15:33):
They wear beautifully, They're always beautiful.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Do you ever order something for clients and then think, actually,
let's just double the order. I'll have some for myself.
Speaker 4 (15:41):
No.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
I wish I was like that No, I think because
for me, I think because every job's different. I think
it's the cushions and the lightings what make a project.
So yeah, I like to just order for that particular job.
But there are some brands and types of fabric that
I like to use more over others.
Speaker 4 (16:04):
Absolutely, one hundred percent.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
So as a twenty three year old, now, how do
you get into the fabric world, because it's it's parallel.
Speaker 4 (16:13):
Yeah, sigah, how did you get in? So at the time,
I think it.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
Was more that, you know, reps were calling on us
in you know, sort of the design world where I
worked before, and I kind of knew that I kind
of wanted to just step out, you know.
Speaker 4 (16:27):
Do something a little bit different.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
And yeah, I just heard there was a job going
and I applied for it and got it and and
then I did that for a year and then I thought,
oh no, I kind of want to go to design,
and I kind of got back into it and never
never left it.
Speaker 4 (16:41):
And it's all I know.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
I've also done some study in business. I've done you know,
business courses. I did a very boring course many years
ago in small business and taxation.
Speaker 4 (16:52):
Yes, I did. I know how boring, is.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
That I'm constantly I did a business course, you know,
two years ago with Steven. You know, it went for
a long time, and I think for me, I love
learning and at the end of the day, yes, you know,
we can do interior design, but I'm running a business
and you know, you've got to make money to survive
and eat and live and all those things, which is
not the glamorous side of things.
Speaker 4 (17:15):
So you know, there's no point I think designing.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Something that people can't afford, that you can't turn into
a transaction and that you both win. You know, somebody
gets a beautiful home and you make some money and
everybody's happy, and that's what that's what makes the world
go around.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
So would you would, Yeah, as two people who are
either working in interior design or wanting to get into it,
to look at complementary skills.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
Absolutely, Like I think anybody doing interior design, you know,
I think it's important to you know, do all the beautiful,
beautiful rooms and commercial fitouts and all this sort of thing.
But if you can't sell, you can't sell your dream
to somebody or your vision, then there's no point.
Speaker 4 (17:54):
Like it's just there's no point. So I think if
you can.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
Do sort of little short courses or you know, do
not small business and taxation, but if you can do
do you know what I mean, if you can do
things about yeah, things that's sort of a complementary or
that I guess up sell or to give you a
bit of spunk in what you do. I think it's
really important because I think that because I've done that,
(18:16):
it really did help me with you know, you know,
understanding how a business runs and how a structure runs,
and what you need to do to get.
Speaker 4 (18:25):
To the bottom the end of it.
Speaker 3 (18:28):
And I also think working with you know, lots of
different people in the industry. You know, I've had a
lot people work for me and I learned from them
and go, oh, yeah, let's do that differently, or didn't
see it that way and.
Speaker 4 (18:40):
Let's bring that on board. You know.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
I think it's all about Yeah, just you learn from
people all the time at all different ages. You need
to see things from a different perspective. And I think
it's important to be like that in life one hundred percent.
Speaker 4 (18:51):
So how did you.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
Learn from before you were before you started your own
business in the industry?
Speaker 4 (18:59):
Did you learn.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
From the main thing for me was learning actually from
the businesses I was working in, like the people who
were actually running it. I mean I remember when I
worked in Northbridge for a lovely lady. I mean she
would work such long hours, you know, if we would
sometimes be there actually, I know, people probably would not
believe this is like ten twelve o'clock at night doing
schemes and putting things together.
Speaker 4 (19:20):
I mean she was exhausted. You know.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
Well, sometimes you have to keep going until you get
it right, you have a presentation exactly.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
She was just so passionate for the cause.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
And I think by seeing small business for what it
really is and you know how hard these people have worked,
it's just I think it's really inspired me to be
the same way.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
So when did you leave the business in north Bridge
and how did you have that conversation or how did
you come to that decision?
Speaker 4 (19:51):
Yeah, because that's a big step.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
Yeah, it was a huge And so what happened was
actually the business that I worked in, and I was
there for maybe about six or seven years, a really
really long time, you know, working as sort of the
head designer there and a lot of clients.
Speaker 4 (20:04):
And things like that.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
I actually purchased that business. Yeah, for my predecessor. So
that's actually how it came about. And so I was
twenty eight. Oh my god, i'd twenty eight. I'm like, yeah,
I'm going to do this.
Speaker 4 (20:16):
So I'm just going to do this. I feel that
this is the right journey for me.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
So if you purchase an materior design business, what does
that look like? What is the business that you buy?
Speaker 3 (20:25):
So you buy the goodwill and you know, like computers
and yeah, pretty much the clientele. And I purchased the name,
and then obviously I had to you know, fix up
paperwork and things like that, and pretty much, yeah, took
it on as my own and then ran that under
that sort of umbrella for about for a little while,
(20:47):
maybe about I don't know, maybe about seven years, and
then I decided to rebrand. I was time to have
my own name. And then Studio Trio came about. And
pretty much Studio Trio or Trio or Studio Trio means
does hine, source builds. So that's pretty much our core
thing of what we do. I had sort of a
PR company come in and help me with that.
Speaker 4 (21:06):
That's the meaning behind the meaning behind the name. People think,
is there three of you?
Speaker 3 (21:11):
Yeah, that's three of me on a daily basis one
hundred percent, three personality, three things.
Speaker 4 (21:16):
But yeah, pretty much, it's that's what we do.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
We design it, we source how to do it, and
then we like to execute it and build it. And
that's pretty much what our whole ethos is. And more
we're about.
Speaker 4 (21:27):
Work with some wonderful people, and people are there to
help you, you know, Like that's the thing.
Speaker 3 (21:31):
So I think if anyone's starting out in the industry,
you know, and they're getting into it, you know, just
ask questions and just be like a sponge absorb things
and it's okay to start at the bottom and work
your way up. And actually sometimes people respect that more.
Speaker 4 (21:47):
I think.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
I think it's a great way to learn because I
imagine if you go into a job that perhaps you
don't have all the experience behind you, there's a lot
of pressure there because you're expected to perform, but you
don't have the skills yet. So working your way up.
Speaker 3 (22:01):
Yeah, so working your way up, doing extra courses in
sales or you know, just doing things that are a
little bit unrelated to what you do. You know, like
I've done a social media course before, or you know,
just little things like that.
Speaker 4 (22:14):
I think anything like that.
Speaker 3 (22:16):
It doesn't mean you're going to do it, but it
opens up your mind to things to go all right, well,
oh that's how they do it or you know so, yeah,
I think it's good to to keep on top of
things coming up.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
Our mystery draw moment and more with Lauren, it's all new,
so stick with us and see what happens. OS design
is all about making your home look good and feel
even better. This season's collection brings together natural textures, warm timbers,
and clean modern lines, the kind of timeless style.
Speaker 4 (22:47):
That fits any space.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
Each piece is made to last and easy to mix
and match, whether you're giving one room a refresh or
styling your whole home. It's thoughtful design that feels but
still refined. Check out a collection online or head in
store today. So a bit of a subject change. We
were talking before about something called postcoding. I hadn't heard
(23:14):
this term before. Tell us what it is and then
I'd love to know. Do you experience it in your
line of work?
Speaker 4 (23:20):
One hundred percent? And what Yeah?
Speaker 3 (23:22):
What is postcoding? Yeah, so we do experience it one
hundred percent?
Speaker 4 (23:28):
And so what it is?
Speaker 3 (23:29):
It's when trades not trying to say, trades do this.
But I'll give you an example. One of my clients
got a dishwasher fixed the other day and it wasn't fixed,
and she had somebody come out, and I said to her,
how much did you charge you? You know, because she
was worried because it was an integrated dishwasher and it's
in a beautiful kitchen. I did for her and she
told me, and I felt like she felt like she
got ripped off.
Speaker 4 (23:49):
You know.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
I was sort of like, well, you know, she was
an affluent suburb and I'm sort of like, well, he
both go died. You you know, it's because you live
in an affluent area and they think that you're going
to pay more and.
Speaker 4 (24:00):
Take take a little bit of avenge of you. And
that's not right. You know. I don't think that's right.
It doesn't matter where you live. You should everyone should.
Speaker 3 (24:07):
Get charge the same amount of call out and the
same thing for it.
Speaker 4 (24:11):
So I helped her mortgage to the absolutely, you know.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
So I helped her out and gave her a contact
and of someone I knew, and they came out and
were a lot less expensive and fix the issue, you know,
And I said to her, you totally got postcoded. So
for me, I don't like people being postcoded, and for me,
I don't like.
Speaker 2 (24:28):
Postcoding me either. Let's talk about your style. So, yeah,
my start specifically your home. So when home beautiful. We
love a home tour. I know we've done a home
tour with you, yep, but for the exercise of a vodcast,
let's do the audio home tour. So we come to
(24:50):
your front door and we open the door. Yeah, what's
the first thing you see?
Speaker 4 (24:55):
Definitely not my doorbell, I know.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
Now, if you're missing that reference, go back to our
previous podcast with Lauren and you will find out all about.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
So.
Speaker 3 (25:09):
Look, our house is a nineteen thirteen Federation home.
Speaker 4 (25:14):
Look.
Speaker 3 (25:14):
I would say that my style is very classic, but
it's got a bit of a modern edge, a little
bit of a modern edge. I like things a little
bit glamorous, like a little bit of a wow factor.
Speaker 4 (25:28):
And I love color. I love contrast.
Speaker 3 (25:30):
So you'll probably see in our home I've got really
fresh white walls.
Speaker 4 (25:33):
I actually do like a white wall, Yes I do.
I love a white wall. I do. I just think
you're shame in it, No I do.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
It's always just classic and fresh and always look doesn't
look dirty.
Speaker 4 (25:44):
You have a colored kitchen. I have a colored kitchen. Yeah,
I love that color. What color is it?
Speaker 3 (25:48):
So that's actually tall men stupple gray. So it's actually
a it's almost like a French blue gray.
Speaker 4 (25:55):
Yeah, gray, it's blue. It does a little.
Speaker 3 (25:57):
It's funny when you look at it in certain lights
it looks and other lights it looks blue.
Speaker 4 (26:02):
So our house, you know, it's.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
Ob Federation, but it's very very classic and sympathetic to
the architecture, but it's got this kind of modern.
Speaker 4 (26:10):
Take on it.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
So if I'm sitting in your home, what does it
sound like? What can I hear?
Speaker 3 (26:15):
Because we live in a quite a leafy suburb, so
we're in heritage conservation.
Speaker 4 (26:18):
Area, you can hear, you know, birds.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
We have a beautiful landscape backyard, so we've got beautiful
like birds that come into our backyard because of lovely
like gorgeous trees and things like that. But you can
hear the city because we're in a west you can hear
a city. You can hear things going on the tone
of our house though once you're inside of it's quite
very quiet.
Speaker 4 (26:38):
We have like three point two meters.
Speaker 3 (26:40):
Ceilings from the front door to the back door where
a northern facing aspect. That's something I'm a bit of
a stickler with. Even if I built another house. I
have another house north aspect one hundred percent to the
back of the house.
Speaker 4 (26:50):
Incredible fresh walls, dark floors. It's funny.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
Dark floors are interesting because they're in fashion. They're not
in fashion, but to me, I think they look fabulous.
They just do against white walls. They just still look that.
Speaker 2 (27:02):
How do you feel about trims, because it's it's something
that we report on and I think it's important to
share the trems. But I believe, yeah, you do you Yeah,
I actually agree with that.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
I'm not really a trend person.
Speaker 3 (27:17):
I think that, you know, I've got into sort of
houses where the bathroom's maybe thirty years old and it's
karra and it still looks gorgeous, you know. I mean, Okay,
it's tired and it's time to renovate it. But it's
funny that sort of stone is still timeless today. So
for me, I don't really follow trends. I love classic design,
and I think when you've got beautiful, classic, timeless design,
(27:39):
it just goes forever. I don't really do trends. I
just think. I mean, you get inspired by them, definitely,
you know, you do like with them a bit, Yeah,
you do. Like you know, in our house we have
a couple of arches, and I think, okay, fine, that
was definitely definitely you know a thing, and it still
is and I thought, yeah, actually works.
Speaker 4 (27:59):
But they're old fashion too. Yeah, they've trended for centuries.
Speaker 2 (28:02):
That's good.
Speaker 3 (28:03):
I think they're good, you know, But that's about as
trendy as I probably get.
Speaker 4 (28:07):
What does your home smell like? Be honest?
Speaker 3 (28:10):
Yeah, yeah, okay, I'll be honest. So this is the
fall down to Earth person coming out of me. So
in our kitchen, we actually have incense. It's a funny thing,
you know, because I was a child of the nineties. Incense.
We're very big in the nineties. I'm showing my age. Sure,
I used to have burned them a lot in the nineties,
so it's weird I burn I burned nice French ones.
Now it's just something that I don't know. I put
(28:33):
them on after I've cooked dinner so it can smell nice,
you know, and it's sort of actually, yeah, it cuts
the smell out and it smells nice, but it just
reminds I don't know, when I've had a hard day
at work or something and I put them on after
I've cooked dinner. I don't know what it is. It's
the smell of it just takes me back to the nineties.
It takes me back to it just grounds.
Speaker 4 (28:51):
Me, you know.
Speaker 3 (28:52):
So I've got beautiful French incense. I burn a lot
of incense. I have a lot of candles. I'm a
big candle person, so a lot of candles on in
our house.
Speaker 4 (28:59):
Have any favorite sense I.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
Love Manual Cannabis candles. They're beautiful and actually loved by
Rito by Rato.
Speaker 4 (29:07):
I don't know how to say it either.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
Oh that brand, that is the best candle. It lasts
so long. Yeah, so my yeah, my house, Smill's beautiful
and euclip a spray so for garbage bins by EUCALYPTI
spray and actually just spray around and it actually, yeah,
it smells really nice.
Speaker 2 (29:25):
So those are good tips. Yeah, so they go kitchen
smells now. I know you love to cook. Yeah, do
if I were to come over, open to invitations.
Speaker 4 (29:35):
Come over anytime? What would you feed me? What would
I cook you? So I did?
Speaker 3 (29:42):
Do? Do you know what Gormet Traveler. I'm a huge
fan of Gormot Troubler. I followed that magazine for like
ever they had on the front cover, probably about two
years ago. If you like oysters, and they do it
with Japanese usoo oh and like an a shalot.
Speaker 4 (29:57):
If you made that, I would.
Speaker 3 (30:00):
Move in Okay, So I would probably maybe start with that.
And I don't know, I can make Asian. I love
a Donna hay really easy like puff pastry.
Speaker 4 (30:12):
Yeah, it's in her season's cookbook.
Speaker 3 (30:14):
It's so simple, okay, And it's puff pastry, two layers,
and what you do put it in the oven and
you let it just for twenty minutes so it softens,
and then you put that on the puff cool down,
put it on the puff pastry, goats cheese over the
top of it, and baby spinach and then you close
it up and then you just pierce it and then
you put just egg wash over the top of it.
(30:35):
And then you just serve that with a beautiful salad.
And maybe I might make some homemade garlic bread.
Speaker 4 (30:39):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (30:39):
I just make sure you go and we could have
gelato Missina afterwards. I wear my stretchy pems okay, done.
And good red wine. Good red wine essential. So the
best red wine is Peterson's from Mudgy Okay, it's my
favorite mudge.
Speaker 4 (30:55):
Yeah, that's my favorite. So I was having a meltdog.
This was no wine in the house last week, and
I ordered fort a boddles to you don't have a
bottle of pedisins with me, So there you go.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
So, Lauren, we've had a tour of your house, yes,
except for the mystery drawer. So last time you brought
in three doorbells and told us about a fourth. What
have you brought today? What else is there in your
mystery Okay?
Speaker 3 (31:23):
So I promise you I have not brought anything crazy today.
I brought something actually quite sweet. Oh So I am
a sentimental person. I am, but I wouldn't say I
have a lot of family photos in our house like
I'm not. I don't know funny thing about interior designers.
I don't have lots of family photos anywhere. But I
do have one photo, and funnily enough, even that's not
(31:44):
of our daughter. So I actually have a photo of my
husband and I when we're got married, I know, which
is probably such a typical thing. That is because I
don't really have any photos.
Speaker 4 (31:55):
At all in our house.
Speaker 3 (31:57):
I only have this one photo, and yeah, I just
you know, I think, you know, because we have our
business together and Stephen works with me and it's now
become our business, I think it's just a lovely reminder that,
you know, we've achieved so many things together and we
have a daughter together in a beautiful house together that
we've built and kind of gone through, gone through.
Speaker 4 (32:17):
All of the renovation stuff. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (32:19):
So this is a photo of Stephen and I. We
actually got married at the carriage works. So what we did, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (32:26):
Do you get married? Because that is so.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
Two thousand and seventeen. We got married and we actually
at the beginning we wanted to hire up fairground follies,
which was in Saint Peter's actually old merry go rounds
and old French no idea. Yeah, I was really cool.
I'm a bit kind of quirky like that. It's like
old merry go rounds and like you know, you know,
I don't know what they call, but you throw balls
at the surfast you know, yeah class Yeah. So and
(32:51):
then like this guy's old kind of like stash of
really cool, weird sort of playground things, and at the
time they were thinking of tearing the building down so
canceled us and I said to Stephen, if there's anywhere
I want to go, I want to go to the
carriage works because I'm a heritage lover and I love
old things. And at that time they were sometimes allowing
weddings to take place only for a year, and somebody
(33:12):
canceled and we took it. So we actually got married
at the carriage Works in Redfern and we hide out
the room and I had a really cool photographer, a
Lara Holtz, and I was in White. We were in
White Magazine, which is kind of a bit of an indie,
kind of cool bespoke wedding magazine, and that was Stephen
and I. I actually got up on the ledge of
(33:35):
the carriage works, sorry carriage works, if you're listening to
Poby want to allowed tousit on that and had a photo
taken on this beautiful industrial window.
Speaker 4 (33:43):
And it's just a I think.
Speaker 3 (33:45):
The thing is I think for us, I think because
I love heritage, and I think because it was in
the Inner West where we live, and I think as
our husband and wife and we run this business together,
it's just a really lovely reminder of who we are
and where we've come from.
Speaker 4 (33:58):
And my dress. I have to mention who my dress
was made by, because I have to. It was actually
strange gray, which is actually like the color of my kitchen.
It wasn't white.
Speaker 3 (34:06):
I didn't get married and white and I got I
had my dress made by Paulo Sebastian yep, who is incredible.
He's in Adelaide. So I flew to Adelaide and I
didn't even look anywhere. I had to have it made
by him.
Speaker 4 (34:17):
I knew. I just knew.
Speaker 3 (34:18):
I got on the plane, I went right, you're making
my dress and it was French gray and pink flowers
and was really really beautiful. Yeah, so that's that photo.
Speaker 4 (34:27):
EL tell me about the frame.
Speaker 3 (34:29):
So the frame is actually Ralph Lauren. So I go
somewhere a bit down to earth and then it's Ralph
Lurin And I bought it like from Palma and Pen
I think, like years ago. And yeah, like it's probably
it's probably a bit tarnish, and I'm dusty because I
just quickly pulled it off our bedside, but it's just yeah,
it's a rap florine fan. I love the color and
(34:50):
the style of it, and it's the only photo I
have in our house. And yeah, I just think it
means a lot to me and Stephen, and yeah, and
that's what that is.
Speaker 4 (35:00):
Yes, it's beautiful. Oh, thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (35:05):
Now there are next I'm going to bring out my
phone because we have been sent a little dilemma from
one of our readers, and I think you're just the
person to help solve it. Okay, So Samantha says, I
want my space to feel like me, but I don't
know how or where to start, or how to avoid
custom mistakes.
Speaker 4 (35:25):
She says, how.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
Can I be my own interior designer without feeling lost
or overwhelmed? As you're an interior designer, I feel you
are best place to answer this question.
Speaker 3 (35:35):
All Well, first s, i'd say, sorry, Samantha, that you're
feeling that way.
Speaker 4 (35:40):
That's not good. It's overwhelming too.
Speaker 3 (35:43):
And I think you know, if you're doing something yourself,
I think probably my best advice would be, whatever you're doing,
just break it down. So what I would say is,
say you're working on your lounge room and you want
to decorate your lound room. Just work on that. Don't
get overwhelmed. Don't get other parts to the house. Just
do one project and then move on. Probably what I'd
(36:04):
say to you is just go on to Pinterest and
I think, you know, start to like sort of pin
things that you like that you would like your loungerom
to be like. And then once you've sort of done
that and sort of got something together that you think, Yep,
that's me, That's how I want it to look, then
you need to start breaking down elements. So perhaps you
(36:27):
might start with the curtains or the Roman blinds. You
might start with the sofas. What's your biggest ticket item
that you want to get bought straight away?
Speaker 4 (36:35):
Is it the sofa? I think start with that.
Speaker 3 (36:37):
Then start researching, well it's that particular classic style sofa.
What budget have I got and who sells that?
Speaker 4 (36:44):
Look?
Speaker 3 (36:44):
You know, and you can start to then narrow down
you know, what is it that I'm looking for and
start that way, and then you know, then get into
the scatter cushions and who has those or where can
I get those from? What colors am I inspired by?
So I think the thing is don't get overwhelm, you know,
try not to tackle the whole house and try and
do a project at a time and try and think
(37:05):
of it in a very logical manner and try and
break it down and give yourself little jobs and projects
to do, and eventually you'll get there and get it
ticked off. And always refer back to your Pinterest board
or your style guide to see oh yeah, you know,
because you might change your mind along the way too
when you get when you see something and don't do that.
Speaker 4 (37:25):
Try and stick to the plans.
Speaker 3 (37:26):
If it's navy blue and white cushions that you're after
for that navy blue and white look, stick with the plan,
you know, just don't digress and go off and get
terra cotta in there, you know, so you know what
I mean.
Speaker 4 (37:36):
Just try and stick on the path.
Speaker 3 (37:38):
So that would be my advice to you, and try
not to get overwhelmed and tackle the whole thing at once,
just a little bite, break it down bits one. Lauren,
thank you so much for joining us again your second
time on the VOD We love having you on. Thank
you and for sharing so much great advice for people
(38:00):
wanting to launch their own.
Speaker 4 (38:02):
Interior design careers.
Speaker 2 (38:03):
I think it's been incredible to hear your story and
how you started, how you moved around into different industries
and then came into buying and then building your own business.
Speaker 3 (38:18):
Yeah, thank you, well, thank you very much to yourself
and to Home Beautiful and to the readers for following
us in your beautiful magazine.
Speaker 4 (38:26):
And thank you very much for having me today.
Speaker 3 (38:28):
And I think it's nice to do things like this
because it opens up people's minds to not be so
scared to bring an interior designer, and also to hopefully
my advice helps inspire people, you know, just to break
things down and take a job at a time and
you'll get there. And you know, design is a beautiful thing,
and you know it's got to suit you and you've
got to be happy with it and love it forever.
(38:49):
So yeah, thank you very much for having me ill,
thank you for today a pleasure.
Speaker 4 (38:56):
Wasn't that amazing advice from Lauren?
Speaker 2 (38:58):
I am having so much fun on our brand new
vod the edit by Home Beautiful. I hope you are too.
Thank you so much for listening. We really appreciate it.
If there's anything that you'd like to hear or have
something to share, leave your comments in the show notes
and we will see you again next week.
Speaker 4 (39:17):
Bye.
Speaker 2 (39:19):
This episode is brought to you by Luxeflex, transforming homes
with beautiful, functional window coverings designed to transform your light
and lifestyle. Thank you to OS designed for our beautiful set.
Come and visit the experienced team in store and see
the collection for yourself.
Speaker 4 (39:42):
This is an Our Media podcast
This is an our media podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
This episode is brought to you by Luxeflex, transforming homes
with functional window coverings designed to shape your light and
your lifestyle. This episode was brought to you by oz Design.
Style your space and make every room feel effortlessly welcoming.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
You know a lot of students that graduate need to
understand you can't just walk into that amazing job, but
it sometimes just doesn't exist. Just be like a sponge,
absorb things and it's okay to start at the bottom
and work your way up. And actually sometimes people respect
that more so.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Would you would ya, as two people who are either
working in interior design or wanting to get into it,
to look at complementary skills.
Speaker 4 (00:54):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
I also think working with you know, lots of different
people in the industry, you need to see things from
a different perspective, and I think it's important to be
like that in life.
Speaker 4 (01:04):
One hundred percent.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Who ever thought interior design's not just about the cushion plumping.
Speaker 4 (01:09):
No abound the quession Phil. It's about the cushion, Phil.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
You know, or there's different interior designers that like to
whack their cushions.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
You a chushion whiker. How do you feel about the chop. No,
I'm not a chopper. It's funny. I'm just not a chopper.
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
If you've ever wondered what it's like to be an
interior designer, this episode is for you. Hello and Welcome
to the Edit, a new show all about your style
and your sanctuary. We've got a great human and very
personal story today from interior designer Lauren, a fave of
Home Beautiful. I'm your lovelock editor of Home Beautiful, inviting
you on a unique journey. Today, we're stepping inside the
(01:44):
home and the heart of brilliant Lauren Mahoney, an interior
designer whose personal style is as inspiring as her professional expertise.
Get ready for an audio stroll through Lauren's own space.
She's revealing the essence of her creative soul. Then stay
tuned for a listener to Lemma and expert tips on
how to navigate designed decisions, whether you're hiring a pro
(02:05):
or crafting your own.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
Dream room your home.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Welcome to the Edit, a brand new podcast from Home Beautiful.
Well our warm Welcome Lauren back to the Edit. We
just can't get enough of you.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
Oh, thank you for having me again and thank you
to home beautiful.
Speaker 4 (02:31):
A pleasure, lovely to be back here. Oh I'm talking
to you about maybe my doorbells again, you know.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Always a favorite. I think that will be We could
just talk for hours. And last time we covered interior
design and just like a one on one on one
on waters one on one, one oh one on how
people can work with interior designers. But today, at the
risk of embarrassing you, I want to find out more
about who you are and how you became an interior designer.
(03:03):
So let's go back to the beginning.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
Actually, yeah, a long time.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
What was your childhood like? What were you like as
a kid, What was the house like where you grew up?
Speaker 4 (03:13):
So do you know what ell? I actually grew up
in Western Sydney. I'm a fool. That's probably why I'm
very down to earth. I love a normal Australian house.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
My mom and dad. My father's Australian. My mother's actually Maltese.
My mother came over here in the fifties on a
boat after World War Two, and she's one of twelve children.
So I actually have a huge European family. And so
everybody talks over the top of everybody are you hungry?
Speaker 4 (03:44):
Do you want to eat?
Speaker 3 (03:45):
No, I'm not hungry anyway. So that's kind of my upbringing.
One brother, you know, just super normal.
Speaker 4 (03:54):
And what was your house like? Like my parents, I.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
Wouldn't say that they were into interior design, but they're
both very crazy people, you know, just a really kind
of modern sort of house.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Nothing you know, nothing flash, but my parents very artistic.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
My my father's really into music, and my mother, she
she's amazing at like knitting, she always enters into the
Easter Show every.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
Year, amazing at cooking.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
And I just had this very kind of like bit
creative type upbringing. You know, from a young age, I
was always drawing. My brother was as well, and my
father was amazing at drawing.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
Do you draw bedroom plans? I used to, did you?
Speaker 1 (04:33):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (04:33):
Oh yeah, I when I was a kid.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
I used to flick through all the Ikea catalogs and
circle the furniture and bits that I wanted, and I
used to draw plans bedroom and.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
Yeah, we were sort of like that exactly like we
used to Mom and I used to go out to
like Homeworld, I'm like Heaven, oh my goodness, and look
at like the all the all the project homes everywhere.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
We just used to love doing that. So I think
I had this like I used to love.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
I used to feed off that and kind of go, oh,
they need to fix this or do this or change that.
Speaker 4 (05:03):
And it was so funny.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Even some of my friends I used to hang out
with we used to pretend that we were going to
get married in the early twenties and have that house
at home World, so it was actually quite funny. So yeah,
I just very, always, very interested in like houses, and
I was always drawing and painting. When I first left school,
I actually wanted to be a graphic designer, so he
(05:24):
had change. So I did that for about a year
and I was like, I don't think that's for me.
And then I thought I'd go and do fine art.
So I tried that for a little while and I
was like, no, that's not for me. And then I
saw a job actually advertised, working for an interior designer
in Beecroft, and then that actually is how I launched
my career. I was like literally eighteen nineteen years of age,
(05:44):
so I actually ended up answering the phones for him,
being receptionist, and then I ended up kind of studying
part time and why I was working for him.
Speaker 4 (05:52):
I ended up working with him for about four and
a half five.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
Years and we were a busy, busy residential design come
it was like I learned everything from the ground up
and just ended up putting schemes together for him and
you know, doing administration and things like that. And that's
actually what kind of launched my cris. I've been in
this for like since I was a kid pretty much.
And from there, pretty much I went and worked in fabrics.
(06:18):
I did a stint for a while, I worked for
like Colfax and Fowl Manual, Cannabis.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
Jane Churchill.
Speaker 3 (06:25):
I know when I kind of wanted to get out
of that, I thought, I'm going to go and try
fabrics for a little while.
Speaker 4 (06:28):
Helped me in a room for the fabrics.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
So I have a huge affiliation for fabrics. And then
I went and ended up working for another designer in
north Bridge and that's pretty much actually where I stayed
for many many years, and you know, did some extra
studying business and things like that.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
What would you.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Say you've learned from all of that if you were
to advise someone wanting to be an interior designer, because
it's quite unusual. I yeh, to have someone studying and
working in the field at the same time.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
Was set like, it's not for everybody, because I was
pretty burnt out when I was doing that. But what
a lot of you know, a lot of students that
graduate need to understand you can't just walk into that
amazing job, but just sometimes it sometimes just doesn't exist.
And sometimes actually starting at the bottom and kind of
working you know, in admin or support or as a junior,
(07:19):
actually is the best experience because you're seeing it livehand
and you're able to assist and to really actually understand
how things operate. So I think having that sort of
background really taught me to be made of strong stuff.
Having sort of I guess being a bit more like
hands on really has actually set me up for life
and sort of and then I've sort of decided to
(07:41):
buy that business and then run that business from twenty
eight years of age, so I've been doing it for
a really long time. It's nothing else I know, And
I think it's you're always learning. You know, I might
be in my forties, but you're constantly learning from people
every day.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
So interior design, it's the big picture of it. Also
the details and you said before you were choosing fill
for cushions. Yeah, I'm obsessed with finding the right film cushions.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
It makes all the difference what do you choose.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
So, look, we like to use feather for scatter cushions. However,
the biggest golden rule of feather is because it can
tend to go to get a really good person that
makes feather. But what happens is feather can tend to
you know, kind of you know, sort of pat down
or not sort of stay plump, and you cant have
to kind of plump it up. So the general rule
of thumb is, say that you've got like a like
(08:30):
a fifty centimeter by fifty centimeters scatter cushion, then you
order a fifty five by fifty five centimeter insert. So
that's why it always will stay plump and gorgeous. So
any we go, we go up five centimeters more in
our scattered cushions, and Madam.
Speaker 4 (08:45):
Like, yeah, cushion, No they don't, but I have some.
It's so true.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
No out looks stouy and comfortable.
Speaker 4 (08:53):
It's not comfortable.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
And also to I've had clients that don't like feather,
they want like polyester. And again you have with polyester
usually ordered ten centimeters bigger. So polyester's ten centimeters bigger,
so that actually can really fill the cushion very well,
also can collapse.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
Yeah, five centimetres bigger, poly ten centimeters bigger, pretty much.
Speaker 4 (09:12):
Yes, we're going to use this. Yeah, one hundred percent
thought interior design.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
It's not just about the cushion plumping Noshi phill, It's
about the cushion pill you know.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
Or there's different interior designers. I like to whack their cushions.
You a cushion whiker.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
How do you feel about the chop?
Speaker 3 (09:26):
No, I'm not a chopper. It's funny, you know, I'm
just not a chopper. I don't know, I just not
a chopper. I'm not a cushion chop. I like to
just have them sort of perfect and a little bit
I like them a little bit sort of snugly.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Sometimes I lose myself a bit on set Mullard for
a chop, and there's someone goes, don't.
Speaker 4 (09:42):
Do that, don't do that.
Speaker 3 (09:43):
So yeah, there's just two different types of people and
as world choppers or not choppers.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
Sorry, I'm a chopper. Are you a chopper? I know,
I'm so embarrassed. I am, so you're a cushion chopper.
L Oh, my goodness. So I'm going to rehab I know.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
Coming up next a really juicy dilemma from one of
you and Lauren and I just go mad for fabrics.
Speaker 4 (10:07):
See you soon.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
When it comes to creating a home that feels calm, beautiful,
and uniquely yours, light plays a key role. Lux Offlex
offers a range of custom window coverings that don't just
elevate your interiors. They help you control a space with light,
from soft shears that diffuse sunlight too, smart blinds that
(10:32):
move at the touch of a button. Every luxe Flex
product is made with quality, craftsmanship and thoughtful design.
Speaker 4 (10:40):
Discover how lux.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Offlex can transform the way you live and enjoy your
home every day. Visit luxeflex dot com dot au to
explore the full collection, or visit your local showroom today.
Before we go on, here's what paula leading expert from
ozd De'sie, is noticing right now in inspiring trends for
(11:03):
your home in a year to come.
Speaker 4 (11:06):
How do you make a trend your own? Yeah, that's
a good one.
Speaker 1 (11:11):
Look, I think going back to that sense of personal style,
you really need to understand who you are. And I
think that you can't just jump on a trend and
use it if you're not comfortable with it. I think
you've got to embrace things that make you feel like yourself.
And so that might be It might be you go,
I'm really ready to have a really big trend change.
(11:32):
And it might be that you've moved into a new
apartment or you're restyling your living space, and so that
could be a sofa, yeah, and it could take you
away from a boxy, square sofa to a beautiful curved piece,
a really interesting swivel chair that adds to that sense
of homeliness and conversation if you're in the kitchen or
the living and you can spin around and speak to anyone.
(11:55):
So it could be a big piece like that, or
it could be simply a rug change or adding in
new photo frames in a marble or travitine finish. So
it doesn't have to be big all the time, but
it's got to be a trend that really makes you
feel comfortable. And this probably builds on the look that
(12:16):
you've already created, and you.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
Don't have to follow the trend if it's really not you.
It's okay to say this isn't for me, because absolutely
there isn't just one trend at a time that.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
Oh my gosh, I could probably rattle off ten fifteen
trends you know that exist. And it can be anything
from shape. It can be texture, it can be color,
it could be pattern. It could be the way that
you pull it together and piece it together so that
you're starting to you know, it could be one simple
color palette. You could still be having a very neutral
(12:48):
color palette, but it could all be based around texture
and that delivers you that trend. So it's not necessarily
about saying, oh God, I have to have this and
it needs to be exactly this way. And I think
it's also important to create a trend for how your
environment is give me. So I've just downsized. So we
(13:09):
sold our family home. Our kids have moved out, and
so we thought that we wanted to just have a change.
We weren't living in the space like we used to
as a family, so we bought an apartment off the
plan and have downsized. And so that brings change because
we're no longer in a classically styled Hampton's environment. We've
(13:32):
sort of moved to a contemporary space. That means you
sort of need to shift direction. So sometimes those life
moments lead you to have to sort of re explore
trends or start afresh. And that's something that we've done.
And even as a home Where's buyer, as somebody involved
in interiors, it's sort of you go, right, okay, well,
(13:56):
how do I want this to form? What do I
want it to look like? How do we want to live?
And you've got to start from scratch.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
That's quite an exciting experience. You are your customer.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
Yes, it's been a fun journey, and it's because we've
had time. You know, you buy these apartments off the plan,
You've got years before they come together. So you're looking
at your floor plane, you're working out you know, you're
doing little scale drawings and working out what will fit where,
and you know, I go shopping and you look on
you look to other retailers and just to get inspiration
(14:28):
from everywhere, and then you start to piece it together
and it's fun and it's fun to see it come
to life.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Big thanks to pull It for that inspirt. Now back
to the chat. I want to hear more about Colfax
and Fowler. Yeah, what was that like and what stage
of your career were you when you were there?
Speaker 3 (14:49):
So would have been about maybe about twenty three twenty
four at that age, so yeah, pretty young.
Speaker 4 (14:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
I did that for about a year because I just
felt like I wanted to, I don't know, just something
else in the industry and had a bit of a
love for fabrics. And that was interesting, you know, I
was helping I was actually on the other side of
the fence, actually helping interior designers put schemes together and
you know, give them fabric goods to seem from that,
it was really interesting, you know, and learning about fabric
shipments and met ridge.
Speaker 4 (15:16):
And I mean I still love those fabrics today. I do. Actually,
I'm a bit of a love those fabrics.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
I do.
Speaker 3 (15:23):
Oh even yesterday we had some beautiful cushions made for
a client of mine in that one of Corfacs and
Fowler's florals, and it's just those fabrics are just they
just so beautifully.
Speaker 4 (15:33):
They wear beautifully, They're always beautiful.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Do you ever order something for clients and then think, actually,
let's just double the order. I'll have some for myself.
Speaker 4 (15:41):
No.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
I wish I was like that No, I think because
for me, I think because every job's different. I think
it's the cushions and the lightings what make a project.
So yeah, I like to just order for that particular job.
But there are some brands and types of fabric that
I like to use more over others.
Speaker 4 (16:04):
Absolutely, one hundred percent.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
So as a twenty three year old, now, how do
you get into the fabric world, because it's it's parallel.
Speaker 4 (16:13):
Yeah, sigah, how did you get in? So at the time,
I think it.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
Was more that, you know, reps were calling on us
in you know, sort of the design world where I
worked before, and I kind of knew that I kind
of wanted to just step out, you know.
Speaker 4 (16:27):
Do something a little bit different.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
And yeah, I just heard there was a job going
and I applied for it and got it and and
then I did that for a year and then I thought,
oh no, I kind of want to go to design,
and I kind of got back into it and never
never left it.
Speaker 4 (16:41):
And it's all I know.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
I've also done some study in business. I've done you know,
business courses. I did a very boring course many years
ago in small business and taxation.
Speaker 4 (16:52):
Yes, I did. I know how boring, is.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
That I'm constantly I did a business course, you know,
two years ago with Steven. You know, it went for
a long time, and I think for me, I love
learning and at the end of the day, yes, you know,
we can do interior design, but I'm running a business
and you know, you've got to make money to survive
and eat and live and all those things, which is
not the glamorous side of things.
Speaker 4 (17:15):
So you know, there's no point I think designing.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Something that people can't afford, that you can't turn into
a transaction and that you both win. You know, somebody
gets a beautiful home and you make some money and
everybody's happy, and that's what that's what makes the world
go around.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
So would you would, Yeah, as two people who are
either working in interior design or wanting to get into it,
to look at complementary skills.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
Absolutely, Like I think anybody doing interior design, you know,
I think it's important to you know, do all the beautiful,
beautiful rooms and commercial fitouts and all this sort of thing.
But if you can't sell, you can't sell your dream
to somebody or your vision, then there's no point.
Speaker 4 (17:54):
Like it's just there's no point. So I think if
you can.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
Do sort of little short courses or you know, do
not small business and taxation, but if you can do
do you know what I mean, if you can do
things about yeah, things that's sort of a complementary or
that I guess up sell or to give you a
bit of spunk in what you do. I think it's
really important because I think that because I've done that,
(18:16):
it really did help me with you know, you know,
understanding how a business runs and how a structure runs,
and what you need to do to get.
Speaker 4 (18:25):
To the bottom the end of it.
Speaker 3 (18:28):
And I also think working with you know, lots of
different people in the industry. You know, I've had a
lot people work for me and I learned from them
and go, oh, yeah, let's do that differently, or didn't
see it that way and.
Speaker 4 (18:40):
Let's bring that on board. You know.
Speaker 3 (18:41):
I think it's all about Yeah, just you learn from
people all the time at all different ages. You need
to see things from a different perspective. And I think
it's important to be like that in life one hundred percent.
Speaker 4 (18:51):
So how did you.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
Learn from before you were before you started your own
business in the industry?
Speaker 4 (18:59):
Did you learn.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
From the main thing for me was learning actually from
the businesses I was working in, like the people who
were actually running it. I mean I remember when I
worked in Northbridge for a lovely lady. I mean she
would work such long hours, you know, if we would
sometimes be there actually, I know, people probably would not
believe this is like ten twelve o'clock at night doing
schemes and putting things together.
Speaker 4 (19:20):
I mean she was exhausted. You know.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
Well, sometimes you have to keep going until you get
it right, you have a presentation exactly.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
She was just so passionate for the cause.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
And I think by seeing small business for what it
really is and you know how hard these people have worked,
it's just I think it's really inspired me to be
the same way.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
So when did you leave the business in north Bridge
and how did you have that conversation or how did
you come to that decision?
Speaker 4 (19:51):
Yeah, because that's a big step.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
Yeah, it was a huge And so what happened was
actually the business that I worked in, and I was
there for maybe about six or seven years, a really
really long time, you know, working as sort of the
head designer there and a lot of clients.
Speaker 4 (20:04):
And things like that.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
I actually purchased that business. Yeah, for my predecessor. So
that's actually how it came about. And so I was
twenty eight. Oh my god, i'd twenty eight. I'm like, yeah,
I'm going to do this.
Speaker 4 (20:16):
So I'm just going to do this. I feel that
this is the right journey for me.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
So if you purchase an materior design business, what does
that look like? What is the business that you buy?
Speaker 3 (20:25):
So you buy the goodwill and you know, like computers
and yeah, pretty much the clientele. And I purchased the name,
and then obviously I had to you know, fix up
paperwork and things like that, and pretty much, yeah, took
it on as my own and then ran that under
that sort of umbrella for about for a little while,
(20:47):
maybe about I don't know, maybe about seven years, and
then I decided to rebrand. I was time to have
my own name. And then Studio Trio came about. And
pretty much Studio Trio or Trio or Studio Trio means
does hine, source builds. So that's pretty much our core
thing of what we do. I had sort of a
PR company come in and help me with that.
Speaker 4 (21:06):
That's the meaning behind the meaning behind the name. People think,
is there three of you?
Speaker 3 (21:11):
Yeah, that's three of me on a daily basis one
hundred percent, three personality, three things.
Speaker 4 (21:16):
But yeah, pretty much, it's that's what we do.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
We design it, we source how to do it, and
then we like to execute it and build it. And
that's pretty much what our whole ethos is. And more
we're about.
Speaker 4 (21:27):
Work with some wonderful people, and people are there to
help you, you know, Like that's the thing.
Speaker 3 (21:31):
So I think if anyone's starting out in the industry,
you know, and they're getting into it, you know, just
ask questions and just be like a sponge absorb things
and it's okay to start at the bottom and work
your way up. And actually sometimes people respect that more.
Speaker 4 (21:47):
I think.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
I think it's a great way to learn because I
imagine if you go into a job that perhaps you
don't have all the experience behind you, there's a lot
of pressure there because you're expected to perform, but you
don't have the skills yet. So working your way up.
Speaker 3 (22:01):
Yeah, so working your way up, doing extra courses in
sales or you know, just doing things that are a
little bit unrelated to what you do. You know, like
I've done a social media course before, or you know,
just little things like that.
Speaker 4 (22:14):
I think anything like that.
Speaker 3 (22:16):
It doesn't mean you're going to do it, but it
opens up your mind to things to go all right, well,
oh that's how they do it or you know so, yeah,
I think it's good to to keep on top of
things coming up.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
Our mystery draw moment and more with Lauren, it's all new,
so stick with us and see what happens. OS design
is all about making your home look good and feel
even better. This season's collection brings together natural textures, warm timbers,
and clean modern lines, the kind of timeless style.
Speaker 4 (22:47):
That fits any space.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
Each piece is made to last and easy to mix
and match, whether you're giving one room a refresh or
styling your whole home. It's thoughtful design that feels but
still refined. Check out a collection online or head in
store today. So a bit of a subject change. We
were talking before about something called postcoding. I hadn't heard
(23:14):
this term before. Tell us what it is and then
I'd love to know. Do you experience it in your
line of work?
Speaker 4 (23:20):
One hundred percent? And what Yeah?
Speaker 3 (23:22):
What is postcoding? Yeah, so we do experience it one
hundred percent?
Speaker 4 (23:28):
And so what it is?
Speaker 3 (23:29):
It's when trades not trying to say, trades do this.
But I'll give you an example. One of my clients
got a dishwasher fixed the other day and it wasn't fixed,
and she had somebody come out, and I said to her,
how much did you charge you? You know, because she
was worried because it was an integrated dishwasher and it's
in a beautiful kitchen. I did for her and she
told me, and I felt like she felt like she
got ripped off.
Speaker 4 (23:49):
You know.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
I was sort of like, well, you know, she was
an affluent suburb and I'm sort of like, well, he
both go died. You you know, it's because you live
in an affluent area and they think that you're going
to pay more and.
Speaker 4 (24:00):
Take take a little bit of avenge of you. And
that's not right. You know. I don't think that's right.
It doesn't matter where you live. You should everyone should.
Speaker 3 (24:07):
Get charge the same amount of call out and the
same thing for it.
Speaker 4 (24:11):
So I helped her mortgage to the absolutely, you know.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
So I helped her out and gave her a contact
and of someone I knew, and they came out and
were a lot less expensive and fix the issue, you know,
And I said to her, you totally got postcoded. So
for me, I don't like people being postcoded, and for me,
I don't like.
Speaker 2 (24:28):
Postcoding me either. Let's talk about your style. So, yeah,
my start specifically your home. So when home beautiful. We
love a home tour. I know we've done a home
tour with you, yep, but for the exercise of a vodcast,
let's do the audio home tour. So we come to
(24:50):
your front door and we open the door. Yeah, what's
the first thing you see?
Speaker 4 (24:55):
Definitely not my doorbell, I know.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
Now, if you're missing that reference, go back to our
previous podcast with Lauren and you will find out all about.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
So.
Speaker 3 (25:09):
Look, our house is a nineteen thirteen Federation home.
Speaker 4 (25:14):
Look.
Speaker 3 (25:14):
I would say that my style is very classic, but
it's got a bit of a modern edge, a little
bit of a modern edge. I like things a little
bit glamorous, like a little bit of a wow factor.
Speaker 4 (25:28):
And I love color. I love contrast.
Speaker 3 (25:30):
So you'll probably see in our home I've got really
fresh white walls.
Speaker 4 (25:33):
I actually do like a white wall, Yes I do.
I love a white wall. I do. I just think
you're shame in it, No I do.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
It's always just classic and fresh and always look doesn't
look dirty.
Speaker 4 (25:44):
You have a colored kitchen. I have a colored kitchen. Yeah,
I love that color. What color is it?
Speaker 3 (25:48):
So that's actually tall men stupple gray. So it's actually
a it's almost like a French blue gray.
Speaker 4 (25:55):
Yeah, gray, it's blue. It does a little.
Speaker 3 (25:57):
It's funny when you look at it in certain lights
it looks and other lights it looks blue.
Speaker 4 (26:02):
So our house, you know, it's.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
Ob Federation, but it's very very classic and sympathetic to
the architecture, but it's got this kind of modern.
Speaker 4 (26:10):
Take on it.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
So if I'm sitting in your home, what does it
sound like? What can I hear?
Speaker 3 (26:15):
Because we live in a quite a leafy suburb, so
we're in heritage conservation.
Speaker 4 (26:18):
Area, you can hear, you know, birds.
Speaker 3 (26:20):
We have a beautiful landscape backyard, so we've got beautiful
like birds that come into our backyard because of lovely
like gorgeous trees and things like that. But you can
hear the city because we're in a west you can hear
a city. You can hear things going on the tone
of our house though once you're inside of it's quite
very quiet.
Speaker 4 (26:38):
We have like three point two meters.
Speaker 3 (26:40):
Ceilings from the front door to the back door where
a northern facing aspect. That's something I'm a bit of
a stickler with. Even if I built another house. I
have another house north aspect one hundred percent to the
back of the house.
Speaker 4 (26:50):
Incredible fresh walls, dark floors. It's funny.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
Dark floors are interesting because they're in fashion. They're not
in fashion, but to me, I think they look fabulous.
They just do against white walls. They just still look that.
Speaker 2 (27:02):
How do you feel about trims, because it's it's something
that we report on and I think it's important to
share the trems. But I believe, yeah, you do you Yeah,
I actually agree with that.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
I'm not really a trend person.
Speaker 3 (27:17):
I think that, you know, I've got into sort of
houses where the bathroom's maybe thirty years old and it's
karra and it still looks gorgeous, you know. I mean, Okay,
it's tired and it's time to renovate it. But it's
funny that sort of stone is still timeless today. So
for me, I don't really follow trends. I love classic design,
and I think when you've got beautiful, classic, timeless design,
(27:39):
it just goes forever. I don't really do trends. I
just think. I mean, you get inspired by them, definitely,
you know, you do like with them a bit, Yeah,
you do. Like you know, in our house we have
a couple of arches, and I think, okay, fine, that
was definitely definitely you know a thing, and it still
is and I thought, yeah, actually works.
Speaker 4 (27:59):
But they're old fashion too. Yeah, they've trended for centuries.
Speaker 2 (28:02):
That's good.
Speaker 3 (28:03):
I think they're good, you know, But that's about as
trendy as I probably get.
Speaker 4 (28:07):
What does your home smell like? Be honest?
Speaker 3 (28:10):
Yeah, yeah, okay, I'll be honest. So this is the
fall down to Earth person coming out of me. So
in our kitchen, we actually have incense. It's a funny thing,
you know, because I was a child of the nineties. Incense.
We're very big in the nineties. I'm showing my age. Sure,
I used to have burned them a lot in the nineties,
so it's weird I burn I burned nice French ones.
Now it's just something that I don't know. I put
(28:33):
them on after I've cooked dinner so it can smell nice,
you know, and it's sort of actually, yeah, it cuts
the smell out and it smells nice, but it just
reminds I don't know, when I've had a hard day
at work or something and I put them on after
I've cooked dinner. I don't know what it is. It's
the smell of it just takes me back to the nineties.
It takes me back to it just grounds.
Speaker 4 (28:51):
Me, you know.
Speaker 3 (28:52):
So I've got beautiful French incense. I burn a lot
of incense. I have a lot of candles. I'm a
big candle person, so a lot of candles on in
our house.
Speaker 4 (28:59):
Have any favorite sense I.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
Love Manual Cannabis candles. They're beautiful and actually loved by
Rito by Rato.
Speaker 4 (29:07):
I don't know how to say it either.
Speaker 3 (29:09):
Oh that brand, that is the best candle. It lasts
so long. Yeah, so my yeah, my house, Smill's beautiful
and euclip a spray so for garbage bins by EUCALYPTI
spray and actually just spray around and it actually, yeah,
it smells really nice.
Speaker 2 (29:25):
So those are good tips. Yeah, so they go kitchen
smells now. I know you love to cook. Yeah, do
if I were to come over, open to invitations.
Speaker 4 (29:35):
Come over anytime? What would you feed me? What would
I cook you? So I did?
Speaker 3 (29:42):
Do? Do you know what Gormet Traveler. I'm a huge
fan of Gormot Troubler. I followed that magazine for like
ever they had on the front cover, probably about two
years ago. If you like oysters, and they do it
with Japanese usoo oh and like an a shalot.
Speaker 4 (29:57):
If you made that, I would.
Speaker 3 (30:00):
Move in Okay, So I would probably maybe start with that.
And I don't know, I can make Asian. I love
a Donna hay really easy like puff pastry.
Speaker 4 (30:12):
Yeah, it's in her season's cookbook.
Speaker 3 (30:14):
It's so simple, okay, And it's puff pastry, two layers,
and what you do put it in the oven and
you let it just for twenty minutes so it softens,
and then you put that on the puff cool down,
put it on the puff pastry, goats cheese over the
top of it, and baby spinach and then you close
it up and then you just pierce it and then
you put just egg wash over the top of it.
(30:35):
And then you just serve that with a beautiful salad.
And maybe I might make some homemade garlic bread.
Speaker 4 (30:39):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (30:39):
I just make sure you go and we could have
gelato Missina afterwards. I wear my stretchy pems okay, done.
And good red wine. Good red wine essential. So the
best red wine is Peterson's from Mudgy Okay, it's my
favorite mudge.
Speaker 4 (30:55):
Yeah, that's my favorite. So I was having a meltdog.
This was no wine in the house last week, and
I ordered fort a boddles to you don't have a
bottle of pedisins with me, So there you go.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
So, Lauren, we've had a tour of your house, yes,
except for the mystery drawer. So last time you brought
in three doorbells and told us about a fourth. What
have you brought today? What else is there in your
mystery Okay?
Speaker 3 (31:23):
So I promise you I have not brought anything crazy today.
I brought something actually quite sweet. Oh So I am
a sentimental person. I am, but I wouldn't say I
have a lot of family photos in our house like
I'm not. I don't know funny thing about interior designers.
I don't have lots of family photos anywhere. But I
do have one photo, and funnily enough, even that's not
(31:44):
of our daughter. So I actually have a photo of my
husband and I when we're got married, I know, which
is probably such a typical thing. That is because I
don't really have any photos.
Speaker 4 (31:55):
At all in our house.
Speaker 3 (31:57):
I only have this one photo, and yeah, I just
you know, I think, you know, because we have our
business together and Stephen works with me and it's now
become our business, I think it's just a lovely reminder that,
you know, we've achieved so many things together and we
have a daughter together in a beautiful house together that
we've built and kind of gone through, gone through.
Speaker 4 (32:17):
All of the renovation stuff. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (32:19):
So this is a photo of Stephen and I. We
actually got married at the carriage works. So what we did, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (32:26):
Do you get married? Because that is so.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
Two thousand and seventeen. We got married and we actually
at the beginning we wanted to hire up fairground follies,
which was in Saint Peter's actually old merry go rounds
and old French no idea. Yeah, I was really cool.
I'm a bit kind of quirky like that. It's like
old merry go rounds and like you know, you know,
I don't know what they call, but you throw balls
at the surfast you know, yeah class Yeah. So and
(32:51):
then like this guy's old kind of like stash of
really cool, weird sort of playground things, and at the
time they were thinking of tearing the building down so
canceled us and I said to Stephen, if there's anywhere
I want to go, I want to go to the
carriage works because I'm a heritage lover and I love
old things. And at that time they were sometimes allowing
weddings to take place only for a year, and somebody
(33:12):
canceled and we took it. So we actually got married
at the carriage Works in Redfern and we hide out
the room and I had a really cool photographer, a
Lara Holtz, and I was in White. We were in
White Magazine, which is kind of a bit of an indie,
kind of cool bespoke wedding magazine, and that was Stephen
and I. I actually got up on the ledge of
(33:35):
the carriage works, sorry carriage works, if you're listening to
Poby want to allowed tousit on that and had a photo
taken on this beautiful industrial window.
Speaker 4 (33:43):
And it's just a I think.
Speaker 3 (33:45):
The thing is I think for us, I think because
I love heritage, and I think because it was in
the Inner West where we live, and I think as
our husband and wife and we run this business together,
it's just a really lovely reminder of who we are
and where we've come from.
Speaker 4 (33:58):
And my dress. I have to mention who my dress
was made by, because I have to. It was actually
strange gray, which is actually like the color of my kitchen.
It wasn't white.
Speaker 3 (34:06):
I didn't get married and white and I got I
had my dress made by Paulo Sebastian yep, who is incredible.
He's in Adelaide. So I flew to Adelaide and I
didn't even look anywhere. I had to have it made
by him.
Speaker 4 (34:17):
I knew. I just knew.
Speaker 3 (34:18):
I got on the plane, I went right, you're making
my dress and it was French gray and pink flowers
and was really really beautiful. Yeah, so that's that photo.
Speaker 4 (34:27):
EL tell me about the frame.
Speaker 3 (34:29):
So the frame is actually Ralph Lauren. So I go
somewhere a bit down to earth and then it's Ralph
Lurin And I bought it like from Palma and Pen
I think, like years ago. And yeah, like it's probably
it's probably a bit tarnish, and I'm dusty because I
just quickly pulled it off our bedside, but it's just yeah,
it's a rap florine fan. I love the color and
(34:50):
the style of it, and it's the only photo I
have in our house. And yeah, I just think it
means a lot to me and Stephen, and yeah, and
that's what that is.
Speaker 4 (35:00):
Yes, it's beautiful. Oh, thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (35:05):
Now there are next I'm going to bring out my
phone because we have been sent a little dilemma from
one of our readers, and I think you're just the
person to help solve it. Okay, So Samantha says, I
want my space to feel like me, but I don't
know how or where to start, or how to avoid
custom mistakes.
Speaker 4 (35:25):
She says, how.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
Can I be my own interior designer without feeling lost
or overwhelmed? As you're an interior designer, I feel you
are best place to answer this question.
Speaker 3 (35:35):
All Well, first s, i'd say, sorry, Samantha, that you're
feeling that way.
Speaker 4 (35:40):
That's not good. It's overwhelming too.
Speaker 3 (35:43):
And I think you know, if you're doing something yourself,
I think probably my best advice would be, whatever you're doing,
just break it down. So what I would say is,
say you're working on your lounge room and you want
to decorate your lound room. Just work on that. Don't
get overwhelmed. Don't get other parts to the house. Just
do one project and then move on. Probably what I'd
(36:04):
say to you is just go on to Pinterest and
I think, you know, start to like sort of pin
things that you like that you would like your loungerom
to be like. And then once you've sort of done
that and sort of got something together that you think, Yep,
that's me, That's how I want it to look, then
you need to start breaking down elements. So perhaps you
(36:27):
might start with the curtains or the Roman blinds. You
might start with the sofas. What's your biggest ticket item
that you want to get bought straight away?
Speaker 4 (36:35):
Is it the sofa? I think start with that.
Speaker 3 (36:37):
Then start researching, well it's that particular classic style sofa.
What budget have I got and who sells that?
Speaker 4 (36:44):
Look?
Speaker 3 (36:44):
You know, and you can start to then narrow down
you know, what is it that I'm looking for and
start that way, and then you know, then get into
the scatter cushions and who has those or where can
I get those from? What colors am I inspired by?
So I think the thing is don't get overwhelm, you know,
try not to tackle the whole house and try and
do a project at a time and try and think
(37:05):
of it in a very logical manner and try and
break it down and give yourself little jobs and projects
to do, and eventually you'll get there and get it
ticked off. And always refer back to your Pinterest board
or your style guide to see oh yeah, you know,
because you might change your mind along the way too
when you get when you see something and don't do that.
Speaker 4 (37:25):
Try and stick to the plans.
Speaker 3 (37:26):
If it's navy blue and white cushions that you're after
for that navy blue and white look, stick with the plan,
you know, just don't digress and go off and get
terra cotta in there, you know, so you know what
I mean.
Speaker 4 (37:36):
Just try and stick on the path.
Speaker 3 (37:38):
So that would be my advice to you, and try
not to get overwhelmed and tackle the whole thing at once,
just a little bite, break it down bits one. Lauren,
thank you so much for joining us again your second
time on the VOD We love having you on. Thank
you and for sharing so much great advice for people
(38:00):
wanting to launch their own.
Speaker 4 (38:02):
Interior design careers.
Speaker 2 (38:03):
I think it's been incredible to hear your story and
how you started, how you moved around into different industries
and then came into buying and then building your own business.
Speaker 3 (38:18):
Yeah, thank you, well, thank you very much to yourself
and to Home Beautiful and to the readers for following
us in your beautiful magazine.
Speaker 4 (38:26):
And thank you very much for having me today.
Speaker 3 (38:28):
And I think it's nice to do things like this
because it opens up people's minds to not be so
scared to bring an interior designer, and also to hopefully
my advice helps inspire people, you know, just to break
things down and take a job at a time and
you'll get there. And you know, design is a beautiful thing,
and you know it's got to suit you and you've
got to be happy with it and love it forever.
(38:49):
So yeah, thank you very much for having me ill,
thank you for today a pleasure.
Speaker 4 (38:56):
Wasn't that amazing advice from Lauren?
Speaker 2 (38:58):
I am having so much fun on our brand new
vod the edit by Home Beautiful. I hope you are too.
Thank you so much for listening. We really appreciate it.
If there's anything that you'd like to hear or have
something to share, leave your comments in the show notes
and we will see you again next week.
Speaker 4 (39:17):
Bye.
Speaker 2 (39:19):
This episode is brought to you by Luxeflex, transforming homes
with beautiful, functional window coverings designed to transform your light
and lifestyle. Thank you to OS designed for our beautiful set.
Come and visit the experienced team in store and see
the collection for yourself.
Speaker 4 (39:42):
This is an Our Media podcast
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Girlfriends: Trust Me Babe
When a group of women from all over the country realise they all dated the same prolific romance scammer they vow to bring him to justice. In this brand new season of global number 1 hit podcast, The Girlfriends, Anna Sinfield meets a group of funny, feisty, determined women who all had the misfortune of dating a mysterious man named Derek Alldred. Trust Me Babe is a story about the protective forces of gossip, gut instinct, and trusting your besties and the group of women who took matters into their own hands to take down a fraudster when no one else would listen. If you’re affected by any of the themes in this show, our charity partners NO MORE have available resources at https://www.nomore.org. To learn more about romance scams, and to access specialised support, visit https://fightcybercrime.org/ The Girlfriends: Trust Me Babe is produced by Novel for iHeartPodcasts. For more from Novel, visit https://novel.audio/. You can listen to new episodes of The Girlfriends: Trust Me Babe completely ad-free and 1 week early with an iHeart True Crime+ subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts. Open your Apple Podcasts app, search for “iHeart True Crime+, and subscribe today!