10 Tips Interior Designers Swear By
A little while ago, the Bluethumb team visited Denfair – Australia’s largest design fair. While we were there, we made sure to chat to as many interior designers as possible and get the insider scoop on current trends in interior design, as well as timeless tips for creating the perfect space.
There was almost too much to take in!
Think pink… everywhere. Cult Design.
On Working with Clients
For many commercial designers, the client comes first.”I am influenced by the client’s personality, lifestyle and life goals,” says Mel Sherwell of Soul Shapes. “It’s important to design a space that not only looks good, but most importantly feels good, and has a focus on functionality.”
Miko Yang of my interior design, on the other hand, notes that sometimes she needs to lend a guiding hand. “The customer has their own preference,” she says, “but it doesn’t always work out – for example, they might want an entirely pink house, but they can’t imagine how it will realistically come together. That’s where we come in, with tools to help them imagine the trend in reality.”
Matilda and Alex from Bluethumb, with Miko Yang of Miko Mummy.
On Seeking Inspiration
Inspiration can come from anywhere, at the most unexpected of times. For some, trends are a great place to start. Linda Whitfield of Surround Style, for example, says that she’s currently loving “blush pinks and candy colours, as well as having multiple textures in a room,” whereas for Zoe Murphy of Mco-llection, it’s all about “textural fabrics, such as shearling and cut pile.”
Meanwhile, Dean Foster of Dean Foster Design suggests that one should look outside fads and fashion for true inspiration for original work. “Don’t follow fashion,” he says. “Be innovative. Fashion in interior design follows fashion from the runway. It’s done.”
Go Imamura of Japanese company De-sign Inc agrees, and has a few suggestions for unexpected ways to seek ideas. “I take my inspiration from everything – not just the industry or products. I also get inspiration from my own thinking, from nature and from different people – creative folks, but also others who I come across and have conversations with too – builders, nurses, etc.”
These colours are amazing!
On Sourcing Products
Sourcing products is another important thing to consider when designing an interior space. Laura Uldrikis, of Austin Design Associates, says that her favourite thing about Denfair is “the fact that it showcases suppliers we already love, as well as those we’re less familiar with.”
Susan Pehar, of ducksnest, quotes Spacecraft, Tate and Jardan as her go-to destinations. “They always stay true to their style, yet they manage to look fresh every year and season.”
Manuela Millar suggests checking out her new website, Meanwhile in Melbourne. “The pieces that you’ll find there are sustainable, local and ethical, and it’s a really good way to find it all in one place.”
Let there be light.
On Designing Your Home
Designing one’s own home comes with its own unique challenges, especially as not all of us are lucky enough to have personalised interior design advice on hand! Amy Gray, of Nettletontribe, advises “fill your home with pieces that you love – don’t worry about making them match, or look like a magazine. Just start with one piece and go from there.”
Meanwhile, Leah and Laura Fotofili from The Beholder Styling and Design suggest tailoring a space according to a few key pieces. “We always centre our rooms around the art – find the right artwork and then all of the rest falls into place – the rugs, the soft furnishings, et cetera. Artists we love are George Raftopoulos, Karen Bloomfield and Mariana Mezic.”
Laura Fotofili giving us the goss. Her dress looked amazing with this couch!
These designs are really amazing and wonderful. I loved it so much. Thank you for sharing this post with us.