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Let Me Feel!
Setting the mood in interior design.
Jun 26, 2025

One of the greatest gifts that interior design has given me is the ability to express my feelings through my work. For many years I suppressed who I was and how I felt in order to stay safe and palatable to my social environment. My great internal shift started to occur soon after my Saturn Return (for those not astrologically inclined, that is soon after my 30th birthday). I was working at the time as a corporate lawyer for a leading Australian law-firm on Collins Street in Melbourne. Ostensibly, all was to be well - but alas all was very much not well!

The thing that took up most of my time, my work, was making me deeply unhappy and miserable. Life was grey and I remember telling my partner toward the end of my legal career that I felt dead inside. Now I am hardly the first corporate-lawyer-turned-creative to tell such a story, but if you’re interested in my story (and learning about how to make your interior moody) then read on.

They say that to heal, we must first feel. We are all healing from something and I was (and still am) no different. In those early post-lawyer days I felt incredibly lost and yearned for my ‘purpose’ in life. Soon after leaving my corporate job, my partner and I relocated to Brisbane. There was something about the warm July air that made me feel as if Brisbane had welcomed me with a hug. That feeling stayed with me for the three and a half years I lived there and I can still feel it now. Shortly after moving up, I met with a psychic who told me that I would become an interior designer and also that I should go and spend more time in nature. I couldn’t accept at the time that I would be an interior designer because I wasn’t ready for it yet. But I took her up on the idea of spending time in nature. I would drive up weekly to Sunshine Beach and would swim in the water and ride the waves with child-like abandon. I noticed that whenever I would swim there I would feel alive and joyful and that my whole system would reset. Slowly but surely, nature did its thing and I eventually came to the realisation in my own timing that interior design was the path for me.

So, what has any of this got to do with good design? It is my humble opinion that to design well you need to be able to feel deeply and convey those feelings into a physical space. If you think back to a moment when you noticed good design, perhaps in a friend’s house, an incredible hotel or a beautiful restaurant or store, think about how it is that you were able to experience that good design? Most likely you felt it.

Interior design isn’t just about what you see, it’s about how you feel when you walk into a space.

What is mood in design?

Mood is one of the key starting points in design. It is the moment you establish how you want a space to make you feel - it goes beyond any one particular “look” because the “look” of your space has never been created before! When I make a mood board, it can take hours because to me every image that makes up the mood board needs to feel exactly how I imagine the space to feel. Design is such a felt experience that it can sometimes be difficult to put into words. If I were to attempt to explain it, I would say that a design unfolds visually in my mind and viscerally in my body at the same time. Call it a sixth sense if you will, but good design decisions are based on how something feels and a knowing of whether it is right for the space or not.

In the interior design world, mood is all about how you want a space to make you feel. There is no right or wrong - some spaces are meant to make you feel joy and some are meant to make you feel serious and contemplative. But the best spaces will have a clear idea about what the feeling is. When that clear mood is established, it is something you can keep coming back to throughout the design process to ensure that the outcome is what you wanted.

Is ‘Style’ the same as a mood?

In short, the answer is no. Let’s use minimalism as an example. The person who first asked Mies van der Rohe for a minimal space couldn’t have asked for a minimalist ‘style’ because it had not yet been created. Perhaps what they asked for was a space that felt calm, peaceful or distinguished. People often confuse style and mood, but they are not the same. When you try to impose a style on a space or place that can’t support that ‘style’ the result will often feel a bit flat. That doesn’t mean you can’t lean into elements of a particular style to inform the mood of a space. If there is a particular style that you like, then ask yourself what that style makes you feel and drive your design in accordance with that feeling or mood.

The Mood-Fear paradox

I have always been an avid reader of people - it is probably why I have gravitated to work that involves working with people. One thing I see all the time is people being fearful of their own feelings about things - “Oh no! I couldn’t possibly buy a couch in that colour…even though I love it”.

When working in retail, customers would ask me how they should choose between two items. I would always answer that there is never a should, but rather, which one do you love more. The light that I would see flicker on in their eyes was something to behold. Like a weight was lifted and life became viewed in technicolour for the first time. At the end of the day, if you love something it will work. I have never experienced otherwise and I doubt you have too! When we love something it is because our body, mind and spirit are aligned in saying: this thing will work in your space. There - I have said it, that is the secret to how interior designers work!

Never be afraid of what you love and certainly don’t back down because you are worried about whether it is too bold, colourful or over the top. Life (and interiors) are all about expressing yourself as big, bold and beautiful as you are. Don’t let anyone dim your light (unless they’re downlights, in which case always dim).

How to design with mood in mind

This is where design gets personal and where you need to get a bit vulnerable. As an interior designer, I want to know about what my clients want to experience in the space they are imagining. The bigger the feeling the better - there are no limits to how much we can feel and there are no limits to how a feeling can be translated into a space. Some of the things which I go to over and over to transform what is essentially a box into a room with meaning:

Colour

For too long we have been afraid to use colour; there is more to life than Lexicon Quarter! Colour can convey so much in a space and can be used in so many formats from paint to tiles and upholstery. I won’t get into the depths of colour psychology (I’ll save that for another post) but needless to say there is a lot to it.
Materials

Materials are the alchemical ingredient that transform a space into something magical. Getting the right balance of materials and prioritising natural materials will alter the way you feel in a space. Ever been to the Taj Mahal? I rest my case.
Lighting

Lighting is drama and the way you light your space will dictate how much drama you get! Never underestimate the power of good lighting to transform and enhance your space.

Final thoughts: how lucky am I!

It is a great joy for me to help people transform their homes and spaces into something truly special which enables them to feel and live better. From a career that left me feeling ‘dead inside’ to finding something which allows my own feelings to run wild, I feel very grateful and humbled. So my final thought is this: don’t be afraid to let your feelings out - feel them deeply and let your spaces reflect the wonderful, multi-dimensional person you are.

Designing for 2026
Jan 14, 2026

Now I am not an astrologer or Feng Shui master, but here are the vibes I am channelling for design in 2026. This isn’t about trends - because for the love of God, if something is on trend, then run the other way! That was definitely proven when Pantone announced its colour of the year was a shade of white... This is more about what I see as the design waves to ride in 2026.

Get Decluttered

First off, clear out your space. This should ideally be done regularly, but if you have found that your home is getting a bit cluttered and you can’t even see all of your decorative pieces or clothes, then it is time to let things go. I do not purport to be a minimalist, but I strongly advocate for a coherent design scheme - even if coherence to you looks like something that is eclectic. I am all for that, but ensure there is a rhythm that is peaceful to the eye.

Think of it this way: by clearing out the clutter, this could be your moment to very clearly see your space for the first time in a long time. You might find that underneath it all, you are really happy with your space. Or you might realise that the reason there is so much clutter is because you are lacking in furniture or storage space. But before you rush into any decision about buying more, stop and pause. See how the space feels once it has been decluttered and get clear about what, if anything, is needed.

I think it is worthwhile venturing into your cupboards. All of your cupboards. Yes, even those cupboards in the hallway which are jam-packed with the unknown. Sort through them and let go of anything that you no longer use or need. Most things can have a second life via the op shop. Allow somebody else to enjoy them. It is really cathartic to let go, especially at the beginning of the year where we might be trying to embody a new version of ourselves. We can’t embody that version, until we have let go. So start by letting go of things that no longer reflect you anymore, whether it’s an old corporate suit (I am projecting here!) or an object gifted to you from an ex.

I like to think from an ‘energetic’ perspective, that it’s always a good thing to have at least some totally empty space in your cupboards. I can’t explain why exactly, but it feels good. It feels like there is breathing room in the home and space for new things to enter. That might not literally mean new objects for your house, but it could be the space to finally tackle a project or start going to the gym.

In the same vein, if you are in the habit of storing things under beds, couches, vanities and so on, then those should be a priority for you to clear. Let the air circulate!

Buy-for-life

Now that I have said what I need to say about de-cluttering (a personal passion of mine, just ask my mother!), here is where interior design truly comes in. So this is nothing revelatory, but I am hoping in 2026 we continue to put greater emphasis on buy-for-life. Our marketplace is saturated with poor quality goods at cheap prices that are destined for landfill. When you buy something for life, it feels good and it changes the way you think. Instead of instant gratification, you might need to spend some time saving up before that thing can arrive in your life. The notion of delayed gratification also means you will more carefully consider exactly what you want, so that you don’t just be something impulsively and later regret it. Sometimes a buy-for-life piece involves compromise. You might decide that one really good coffee table from your favourite Australian designer is much better than 4 different size nesting tables made so cheaply that they will be in landfill before 2027 rolls around.

Quality materials & craftsmanship

The same extends for those of you contemplating renovations or new builds this year. Focus on quality over quantity. We have been led to believe that we need to have large homes, but the truth is you can do more with less. It is a valid option to dedicate your resources to a well-designed and well-constructed home with good quality materials and craftsmanship while also making sure there is room for everyone. If your budget is super-tight, then try to make a few mindful decisions that can help make a difference - not just for the planet, but because what you choose to have in your home reflects who you are.

If you’re nodding your head ‘yes, yes, yes!’ then read on… If you are really keen for your home to sing, then invest wherever possible in quality, natural materials. You will thank yourself every day when you get to live amongst beautiful stone work, timbers and porcelain tiles. If you read on and now feel sad that you might not be able to afford them all, then by all means you don’t have to have solid timber joinery, but keep any synthetic materials as they are. What I am saying is, for all of humanity’s sake, do not use synthetic materials that try to look real. I will say it plain and simple - it’s a bad vibe! Working with a designer can also help you lean into ways of designing your home that you might not otherwise have thought about, especially when it comes to incorporating different materials.

Functional art

The other thing that I am hoping to see more of in 2026 is functional art. This idea is similar to my previous point and it really is just about choosing furniture from makers who really care about what they do. Beautifully and intentionally designed pieces that can be used every day. To me, that is functional art. Art is not just about pretty things, it is about the creativity and effort that gets put into everyday pieces like dining chairs, coffee tables and lighting. There are brilliant Australian makers making incredible furniture and there is also no shortage of genuine antique or vintage pieces for sale that don’t have to cost a fortune. Get curious about what exists beyond large format furniture stores!

Welcome back

After a month off enjoying the sun and the beach, I am excited to be back for 2026. I have a lot of exciting projects and ideas on the horizon and I am looking forward to sharing them with you.

At the turn of the new year, there is a movement in the collective for setting intention and taking new action. I know some will say that it is a bit naff, but I say ride that wave! Take advantage of this collective energy; it is there for the taking.

Make it Flow.
The power of spatial planning.
Jul 30, 2025

Let’s talk about getting the flow right in design: a beautifully laid out and carefully considered floorplan that works perfectly for your space. Where everything is where it should be and moving through it feels a pleasure.

The concept of good design flow has been important since the ancients. The ancient Chinese and Indians had systems for this known as Feng Shui and Vastu Shastra, dating back to around 4000 BCE and 1000 BCE respectively. These systems codified intuitive knowledge about how to layout and orientate spaces, as well providing information about the optimum geometric configuration so that spaces are well designed and feel good.

But we all hold a piece of this intuitive knowledge. You have probably heard people say some of these things about houses (especially when they are looking to buy): “that house had a great flow” or “that house just felt really weird” or “it was all just a bit higgledy-piggledy”. Just like every other creature on this planet, we have innate knowledge about what feels good in the spaces we inhabit.

Let’s explore.

What is Spatial Flow?

At its very core, spatial flow is the arrangement and relationship of spaces in a physical environment. But there is more to it than merely connecting two rooms together or knowing that the dining space should be near the kitchen space. Designing good spatial flow is really a feeling converted into a diagram converted into physical space.

Good flow feels natural, purposeful and intentional.

Spatial flow considers the way people like to move around and interact with spaces, how moments can be created within spaces and how the natural elements play into the home environment. Making sure that spaces are oriented toward optimal sunlight, cross breezes and landscape is vital to having good flow.

Good flow means open-plan living, right?

I have a love-hate relationship with open plan living. Open-plan living can be an example of having good flow, but it is not always the answer. Every space is different after all. If you have ever meandered through a forest, you might have noticed that there are parts where the path is narrow, parts that are wide, parts where you move by a large boulder or small cave and sometimes you stumble across a clearing. But the clearing is only appreciable by the fact that the rest of the forest is not cleared. If it was all cleared, you would be in a vast open paddock and not the intimately enchanted forest. Feel the difference?

The same can be said of good floorplan flow. There should be parts that feel private and den-like, parts that are pathways leading from one area to the next and other parts that feel expansive and for sharing.

Sometimes opening up an entire house and connecting all of the living or shared spaces can have the opposite effect where there is so much opportunity for flow that one doesn’t quite know where to go or where to look. There is a comfort we all hold in being easily able to understand and identify what a particular space is intended for and for it to feel at ‘human scale’. That is to say, flow requires hierarchy.

Flowing up and flowing down: the hierarchy

Hierarchy can be a trigger word, especially for those of us recovering from corporate careers. But no corporate speak is needed here - homes (and any space for that matter) require hierarchy to both function well and feel good.

Hierarchy is the invisible sign post that gives you information about how you can best move through a space. It ultimately guides you to finding comfort. When you walk into a home, you want to feel clear about where to go and equally where not to go. A private room, perhaps an office or bedroom, should give that sense. Hallways should clearly lead somewhere. Living spaces should feel inviting. Bathrooms should feel enclosed and away from public spaces.

In a project I am currently working on, simply moving the bathroom door over by a few meters completely changes the way you experience movement through that space. Rather than feeling like you are entering the bathroom from the middle of the kitchen/dining space, it now feels like you enter it via the hallway. Every little decision contributes to the whole.

Good flow supports wellbeing

In a previous iteration of my life, I also worked (briefly) as a yoga teacher. Wellness is something that is important to me, but it’s not just about Lululemon pants and a daily smoothie. To me, wellness and wellbeing is a state of feeling supported by your environment and the choices you make.

When it comes to the space that you live in, it follows that good design and a harmonious layout will in turn support your wellbeing. When you can live in your home with ease, where everything is in the right place and you can have people around and make them feel comfortable in your home then your home will work well for you. It’s not about making your home look like every other home or following any rule books, it is about tapping into the uniqueness of what works in the home that you have. Guiding you to that destination is my job as a designer.

The power of the negative (space)

Balance is one of the key elements of good design. All things sit on a continuum and when things are correctly balanced, they will feel good. Negative space is not about being a minimalist, but rather about honouring spaces that are not filled. Negative space in itself is a design element. When you design a space, it is as important to consider all the functional requirements and things that need to fit in the space as it is to consider where emptiness is needed.

In the context of good flow, negative space allows the eye to rest, avoiding the sense that a space is chaotic or cluttered. Whilst it might seem ideal to have every part of the kitchen filled in with joinery and more storage space than one could ever need, you will feel much more at ease when some space is intentionally reserved.

What to do if you have a challenging floorplan?

All is not lost! Even tricky floorplans can be reconfigured to create a more harmonious flow. In these kinds of projects, the focus needs to be on getting the floorplan right and allowing that to support a good design outcome.

In every house there will be at least some spaces that are working well, with the remaining needing improvement. This can be a more costly exercise as it will involve structural intervention, but the outcome will almost certainly be worthwhile.

Designers understand spaces in ways that others can’t yet see, so speak to someone with knowledge who can help show you how your space could be transformed into something that really works for you. When it comes to fixing up more challenging spaces, there is no one-size-fits all approach and it is very much a bespoke endeavour.

Final Thoughts

Designing a home that you feel great in is about much more than just looks. Spatial planning is the basis of good design. In the end, it doesn’t matter how good your space looks aesthetically if the flow isn’t right.

Good flow makes us feel comfortable and at ease in a space. It allows us to read spaces so we know which way to go, where to stop and rest and how to feel.

There are many aspects of a space that you can change over time. You can change your paint colour, retile your bathroom or re-upholster your couch, but changing the spatial arrangement is both difficult and expensive. Spending time on getting your floor plan right from the start is vital. While it might not be something immediately or obviously visible to you, it is something that you can sense and will deeply impact how you experience your home.

On Character, and the Homes We Inherit.
Aug 29, 2025

I have been thinking a lot about the notion of character.

For many, the envy of the real estate world is having a home that is full of character.

But what does character actually mean?

Too often, it’s reduced to shorthand for “old features” like ornate plaster ceilings, fireplaces with tiled surrounds and leadlight windows. And yes, those details are beautiful. They tell stories. They anchor us in time. But character isn’t something that only existed prior to the early 20th century. It didn’t die with the Federation or Edwardian eras.

Character is still very much alive and well. It lives in the detail of all good design. Let’s explore.

A good character?

Like we know from every TV series or movie ever written, not all characters are good. But I want to actually go beyond good and bad, or the idea of hero and villain. Because even a villain (when well written) is actually a good character in the sense that they have depth, intrigue and a rich narrative around them.

The same is true in buildings. You might not like all characters equally (maybe you love Federation Filigree but detest Soviet Brutalism) but there can be an acknowledgement that true characters are all worthy of consideration. A truly bad character on screen is much the same as in a building - cheap, dull, derivative and lacking any nuance or dimension.

The early 1990s Federation Revival in Australia (think the home of Kath Day-Knight!) is an example of trying to replicate good character but in a context that makes no sense. Don’t get me started on faux French style mansions - as Kath would say herself, it looks effluent!

Good design is in its very nature filled with character, not because it looks like something out of a Bonnet Drama, but because it has been conceived with care and consideration.

A nothing character

Sadly, some homes simply have no character. A quest to be ‘timeless’ or ‘neutral’ has led to the disastrous outcome of a house with no life at all. Character contributes to a sense of aliveness in your home. It is the very thing that makes you stop, look and think about how something in the design of the home intrigues you or captivates part of your imagination. That is not to say that timeless and neutral can’t create beautiful character filled homes when done well.

But going back to the big screen analogy, enticing characters are inherently alive. Once a character dies, they are no longer a character. What captivates us on screen is the tension that exists in the lives being lived. What captivates us in a home is the subtle tension that exists within the space. That tension is created intentionally through the interplay of materials, shape, scale, light and colour. Sometimes it is subtle, sometimes it is dramatic - just like the characters you see on TV. But could you imagine watching a TV show where there was no tension and everyone was just beige, boring and benign. I very much doubt it would be renewed for a second season. When your home is designed with character in mind, you will constantly be awed by how it changes and looks different with changes in light, season and age. It remains alive.

‘Contemporary’ character

The myth that contemporary homes have no character can now be put aside. Let’s start with defining the word contemporary. Contemporary just means something that is ‘of the moment’. Therefore it doesn’t carry stylistic ideals - it just means whatever is currently being envisaged.

Going back to what I wrote at the beginning, character did not end in the early 20th century. Perhaps we generally hold the view that it did because up until the early 20th century European style architecture was much more elaborate than what started appearing later in the century. There is no doubt that period homes have an exceptional amount of detail from plaster mouldings to mosaics and timberwork. However, that has not been lost and you can still see it in homes that are being built or renovated today. Leading designers will always lean into detail to convey meaning or to create a building that is more than just a structure. It’s just that contemporary character looks different to the type of character that existed 100 or more years ago.

There is so much that can be done to create character in your home, whether you are creating an addition to a heritage home or a new build. For example, joinery is an area where you can get very creative, as are ceilings, floors and bathrooms. There really are endless opportunities for creative expression and to instil life in your space. You don’t have to resign yourself to a lifeless home destined to be a side character at best - add the coloured walls, the patterned tiled floor and the marble doorway trim!

Colour as Character

One of the most powerful and accessible tools for reintroducing character is colour.

There is no need to paint your entire home in various shades of white. Historically, colour in interiors was far more adventurous than we sometimes assume. Deep burgundies. Rich greens. Bold contrasts.

When it comes to period homes especially, I look for ways colour can create dialogue between old and new. A moody, saturated wall can amplify the depth of a decorative plaster ceiling. A glossy lacquered door in a jewel tone can make an original timber floor pop again.

Character lives in colour because colour makes us feel something. It stops a home from becoming a beige reproduction and transforms it into something that feels alive, layered and intentional.

Character is found in the detail

Details are what make you pause and notice. They’re also where a lot of homes fall flat in renovations. Details really are the defining feature of your home. That doesn’t mean they are loud or garish, but they create beautiful harmony. When we think of ‘character’ most of us will associate ceiling cornices, fireplace details or leadlight windows - all elements which, at some stage, would have been crafted by an artisan. There is no reason these types of elements can’t be included in a new or re-imagined space. Just don’t replicate something from somewhere else!

One of the best parts of my job is getting to reinterpret detail so that the character of a home is nicely translated from the old part to the new. This is a very imaginative process and, at least for me, it can be very exciting when a totally novel idea springs to mind to tie everything together.

When detail is done with care and thought, it creates a continuity of character, even when the language shifts from Victorian to contemporary.

Character as an Act of Care

In the end, creating character in heritage renovations is about care.

It’s easy to either over-preserve (turning a home into a period set) or over-modernise (stripping it into anonymity). The true art of it lies somewhere else altogether: listening to the bones of the building, responding cleverly and layering in mood and detail that make it feel personal again.

When done well, a renovation doesn’t just preserve character. It creates it.

Final Thoughts: A Living Dialogue

I think about all homes, but especially period homes, as conversations we get to have across time. The original builders left their mark. The owners who came after added theirs. And now, with each renovation, we’re invited to join the dialogue.

Our responsibility is not to silence the past, nor to drown it out, but to speak back with clarity, confidence and imagination. Be willing to place value on creating character and you will have a home that endures for many years.

Because character is not nostalgia. Character is life.

The Alchemy of Design
Making Design Magic
Oct 17, 2025

Like the careful preparation of ingredients in a chemistry class, design is made up of a mixture of elements that, when combined exactingly, can create something extraordinary. But, like in chemistry, when the ingredients are not quite right you end up with something you didn’t quite intend for.

If the Witches have ‘eye of newt’ then what is the secret ingredient that Designers have?

At least for me, the key ingredients are colour, material, texture, lighting, scale and geometry. Mix in each of these at just the right quantities and you will be almost all of the way to Design Magic. There is at least one final ingredient that cannot go unmentioned and that is the unique story being told by the space - whether it’s a couples first home together, celebrating an art collection or a life reinvented. This uniqueness is what brings the space to life and births its personality and soul.

Materiality: creating resonance

Materiality is where design begins for me. Stone, timber, metal, fabric - these are the raw ingredients of a home and their natural resonance can be easily felt.

Think of marble: cool to the touch, veined by history, instantly commanding a sense of permanence. Now contrast that with timber: warm, pliable, alive to the seasons. Put them together in the right proportions and you create tension - strength and softness, gravitas and warmth.

Materiality is also where character reveals itself. You can have the exact same floor plan, but if one home is built from faux floorboards and painted everywhere in Builder’s White and another from Australian timbers, limewash and brass, the difference is palpable. One feels flat and sterile, while the other feels grounded, resonant and full of life.

And the magic isn’t always about a sense of extravagance. Sometimes it’s the restraint of choosing a single honest material and letting it speak. A wall of rough-rendered plaster that catches light differently at every hour. A brass handrail patinated by touch.

While I am not totally against synthetic materials, there is just something so elusively elegant about natural materials. Marble has lived a life, growing over thousands and millions of years. The markings on timber show how it has grown and aged. I do believe these materials do, in a way, communicate with us. Their being natural helps us to feel better.

Materials are where design becomes something more. They invite you to feel, not just see. And in that feeling, magic lives.

Colour: playing with energy

Colour changes energy instantly. It creates atmosphere, invites emotion and brings aliveness into a room. Yet too often, it is treated as decoration. Something brushed on at the end. In truth, colour belongs at the heart of design.

Consider how a deep, moody green can wrap a study in intimacy or how a warm apricot wall can let natural light flood and expand a space. Think about the joy of a lacquered red door that surprises you as you enter a hallway or the peacefulness of a soft grey ceiling that quietly holds the room together.

Historically, homes weren’t afraid of colour. The Georgians loved bold contrasts. The Victorians leaned into richness and drama. It’s only in more recent decades that white-on-white minimalism has become the default. And while neutrality has its place, it should be a choice - not a default setting.

For me, colour is also deeply personal. It’s about what makes you feel something. Clients will sometimes hesitate “I love this but it might be too much.” My answer is always the same: if you love it, it will work.

Because colour doesn’t just change what you see. It changes how you feel in a space. And when feelings align with design, that’s alchemy.

Texture: visibly invisible magic

Texture isn’t something that I have yet touched on. But believe me when I say you want it!

Texture is dimension, an element of space. Smooth, rough, shiny, sharp and soft. Our sense of vision enjoys having a variety of textures to look at which help to delineate spaces and objects, offering a sense of depth. Yet when it is done right, you barely notice it.

Food is a great analogy here - our taste is not only informed by the flavour profile of a dish, but also its texture. Really great dishes will never just be a soft mush or an all crunch rip-your-pallet-off. The plate is usually dotted with delightful balance - a soft and pillowy mashed potato, perfectly cooked greens that are still crisp, a silky sauce and some crunchy nuts strewn atop.

I think this is where a lot of so-called ‘neutral’ interiors go wrong. It is not that they just stick to one colour, but usually one texture as well. Imagine eating a meal that was just a plate of Kraft pre-sliced cheese. All flat, shiny and lacking any substance! And don’t even think of suggesting that adding in a dot of blue cheese will make all the difference, because adding a ‘splash of something’ is not a strategy to bring an otherwise bland and lifeless meal (or space) back from the brink.

There is no effortless magic

Of course, Design Magic sometimes looks effortless. That’s part of the spell. But behind it lies countless decisions, drawings, samples, rethinks and refinements.

Alchemy isn’t chaos. It’s chemistry.

It is knowing when to balance rough with smooth, dark with light and intimacy with openness. It is the discipline of editing until every choice feels both inevitable and alive. Layering a home with meaning and intention takes time, practice and care.

And perhaps most importantly, it is listening. To the architecture. To the context. To the people who will live there. Because true design magic doesn’t impose, rather, it responds.

Final thoughts

We all know homes that are “nice.” But they don’t linger in your memory. They don’t change how you feel.

Then there are homes you can’t stop thinking about. Spaces that move you and make you feel more yourself just by being in them. That is the elusive dream we are all after.

Realising that dream doesn’t come from following trends. It doesn’t come from copying Pinterest boards. It comes from working with the raw ingredients of design - colour, material, texture, lighting, scale and geometry - and transforming them into something that resonates on a deeper level.

That’s the work I love most. Creating homes that don’t just function or impress, but that conjure that elusive magic.

Because in the end, design isn’t just about what you see. It’s about how you feel when a space suddenly makes sense. When it feels alive, inevitable and entirely your own.

That’s the alchemy of design.

Interior Design in the Early Age of AI
Feb 10, 2026

This week I found out that it is possible to have your palm read by AI. Being the curious person I am, I prompted AI to be a palmistry expert and tell me about what fortunes lay ahead for me. I won’t lie, it gave me a very positive outlook that made me smile earnestly. One thing that crossed my mind as I was going down that rabbit hole was that, if I really wanted a palm reading, I would go and find a reputable person to read my palm so that I could truly trust the answer. To be totally honest, it has made me even more curious to actually go out and do that.

The other thought that kept playing out in my mind was “AI doesn’t actually know me, cannot see or sense me and doesn’t have lived experience”. I realised from that recurring thought pattern that what many humans hold as valuable is not just the answers we receive to our problems. Rather, it is the experience of getting to the answer with someone who makes you feel seen and understood. That kind of relationship of trust and care is what takes the answer from something that is a bit flat, to something that you feel connected to. When it comes to AI, that sense of connection is always limited because no matter how you view it, you are not talking to a real human person.

AI can do all kinds of things and I am not here to debate it on a moral or environmental basis. What I am keen to explore is how AI can be both a helper and a hindrance when it comes to interior design.

So, what is the message that we can take from my palmistry experience? I would say that the answer is that value lies in our humanity. Artistry, whether it’s that of a palm reader or a designer, cannot be engineered by a computer. Art belongs to the intuitive senses. The very nature of artistry is that it is the antithesis of artificial intelligence. AI has no inherent value when it comes to an artistic concept because there is no effort, expertise or lived experience on its part to know and reflect on whether something is actually going to work well or push the boundary. While artificial intelligence can definitely be intelligent, it is not spirited. That is, it has no soul that can look to your soul to understand who you are. In design terms, it cannot sense a space. It can only use visual cues and combine it with other visual cues, but there is more to a space than geometry. Really well designed spaces create feelings and AI does not have feelings.

However, let’s not throw away the good with the bad. It is important to be aware of the limitations of AI, but it is equally important to see where it is helpful. I see plenty of videos on social media that show you how you can create an interior design scheme entirely by uploading an image of your space into AI and giving it prompts. Everyone of those designs that I have seen, at least to me, looks awful. Not because they look ‘weird’ or ‘AI-like’ but they just lack any sense of personality or soul. They are generally pretty rudimentary. From my experience of using AI to mock up ideas that arise in my design-mind, it is really hard to prompt AI to showcase an entirely novel, context-appropriate design. The reason it is hard, is because the concept has never been done before so AI doesn’t have the imagery on hand to then recreate it. And that, my friends, is what you pay a designer to do. To create something that is entirely unique to your home or space and imbue it with feeling.

What I do find useful about AI is the ability to create really simple imagery that demonstrates design ideas for a project. It is a helpful tool to showcase what is already inside my imagination - but it can only ever go so far. For example, this week I had a client ask me about a house she was considering purchasing. I used AI to prepare some very simple images (based on the real estate images) to showcase how it could be updated to help her visualise the space being different from what it is currently. This by no means creates a fully comprehensive ‘ready-to-go’ scheme. It just showcases an idea in its simplest form. My 91-year-old grandmother asked me recently whether I used AI in my work. I told her that I did. She responded in her usual intelligent way: “but even with artificial intelligence, you still need to apply your own intelligence, right?”. Quite right.

Interior design is a highly specific and detailed practice. AI can definitely feed you a lot of information that is helpful to know. But when it comes to creating something that is both unique and layered with feeling, that is something that can only be done by a sentient being. Reassuringly for all human kind, I don’t see how that could change any time soon. If by some chance, humans develop the ability turn inanimate objects into sentient life, then we will have much bigger worries than whether AI can create a beautiful design scheme. For the present moment, at least for those of us who value artistry and the warmth it brings into our homes and spaces, AI will remain just a tool.

The Sentimental Home: Why Curated Spaces are the Forever Trend.
Mar 12, 2026

Thinking about what makes a home feel personal is par-for-the-course for interior designers. I can’t help it, my brain is just wired that way and always has been. Looking around my own home, what makes me feel grounded and what fosters a sense of belonging comes down to a single word: sentimentality.

Sometimes sentimentality can get in the way, like when we hold on to things that we don't even like but are associated with a particular memory or person. That doesn’t help anyone actually feel good in their home, it usually just creates an association between that object or thing and the feeling of guilt. I am speaking of a more intentional sentimentality. One where we have curated our homes around things that are deeply meaningful to us. To me, something carries meaning when we consciously choose to have that thing in our home because we feel drawn to it.

Going back to what I said above, it’s not about feeling guilty about keeping that hideous sweater your step-mother bought you for your 18th birthday or a frightful artwork that you questionably acquired while backpacking around South East Asia (both true stories!). I am talking about the striking artwork you chose to acquire because you felt something when you saw it or the intricately carved cabinet custom made for your space.

It is the latter that affords you the opportunity to forever look around your house and think to yourself “all of these pieces tell part of my story”. For me, the art of interior design is about curating spaces that are layered with meaning and depth. Hand glazed tiles from Morocco carry a different feeling than industrial produced large format tiles. It isn’t about better or worse, but rather the ability we have as humans to connect with the idea of something that has been created byfdsfdsf human hands.

I think this can be extended to all aspects of designing and building a home. The design of your house will remind you of your relationship with your designer, the builder and the joiner and the funny or interesting encounters you had with them. The colour of the walls will remind you of the conversations that took place to select a colour that felt right for the space. The creative process is itself a story to be told and holds sentimental value. When it’s all layered up and a finished home comes to be, then you get to experience these moments throughout every space.

I know that can sound a bit abstract, but look around your own house. Think about the things that hold the highest sentimental value. I bet they make you smile. I bet they make you feel something. I bet they make you remember something you had forgotten. I love when I look at my dining chairs and they remind me about the maker of those chairs; the conversation I had with them. I remember why I chose those colours and what they represented to me - a movement into a bolder expression of myself. They have now moved beyond their physical silhouette into something more.

I have a piece of art, the first piece I ever acquired. Over the years the artwork keeps evolving. As I grow, it seems to grow with me and reveal deeper layers of meaning. When I was younger, I just saw a cool piece of art that I liked. Now it talks to me about the cosmic interplay between the yin and yang and of bringing ideas into form. Same art piece. But the message has grown.

Our spaces are much the same. Perhaps you choose a tile or a colour or a couch because you just really love it, yet the reason you love it can only be revealed over time. That is how a truly sentimental home becomes timeless.

So while it is tempting to fall into trends, how about we give sentimentality a try first. Let’s consciously create our spaces so they are so filled to the brim with meaning and stories that we can’t help but feel that we belong there. And so that we can’t help but smile there.

How to Choose the Right Sofa.
5 Key Things to Keep in Mind when Searching for the Perfect Seat.

May 14, 2026

In this article I am stepping out of my usual design philosophy space to give you something super practical (but fret not, you will still need to connect to your felt senses).

The question to be answered is how to choose the right sofa. Or perhaps phrased better, how does your designer choose the right sofa for you?

Sofa choice is more than just where you buy it from, what fabric it is or whether you go full custom design. Sofas are the anchor of any living room and, in some cases, anchor an entire home. There’s a reason I say that. Our living rooms are usually the place we spend the most time being leisurely - whether that is winding down at the end of a long day, reading a book on the weekend or sharing our precious time with friends and family.

When it comes to interior decor, they are probably the piece where you will spend most of your effort and your dollars.

There are a number of things I keep in mind when selecting a sofa:

1. Shape

My starting point is the always the shape of the sofa that is required for the space. When it comes to shape, there are more options than you have probably considered. From semi-circular to straight across to totally organic shapes. The right shape is as much about how you want to use the space as it is about the particular feeling you want to create.

If you want a more formal feel, the shape may look more traditional and structured. But if you want something more casual, then the shape may look a bit more rounded and loose.

Then of course there are the legs or no legs at all!

There are quite literally thousands of options, so when it comes to the right sofa, I always trust my instinct for what the space is calling out for.

2. Scale

Scale is shape’s sister. Once you know the kind of shape you’re after, it’s then time to think about its scale. This is extremely important - there truly is nothing worse than walking into a big room and the sofa is just way too small for the space, dwarfing everything in its wake. Likewise, there’s nothing more compelling than feeling enveloped in a space by a slightly oversized sofa. Scale needs to be used intentionally and needs to be used well.

3. Material

Much like the shape, the material choice can completely change how a sofa looks and feels. Material choice is also something that is closely considered alongside what kind of rug is being specified and basically everything else that is going into the design scheme. The thing with furniture curation is that it is complex and a bit like a set of dominoes. If one piece in the set is changed, there is usually a flow on to everything else.

When it comes to materials, the first thing I think about is tactility. A lot of people go straight to to maintenance and care, but the truth is high quality fabrics will generally last much better than any material that sits on a bargain-basement sofa. Investment in quality pays off in the long term, while cheaper sofas will probably have structural issues before the material even gets a chance to be dirtied! If you want to know how tough a fabric is, always check the Martindale Score.

Fabrics are a great choice for both casual and formal spaces and have a nice soft feel. The way the sofa impresses upon the space will very much depend on the pattern, colour or texture of the fabric. I love something like a striped linen for a look that blurs between formal and informal, mohair in a bold colour for a show stopper or a simple singular colour in a textured fabric to bring warmth.

The other alternative most often considered is leather or suede. Both are incredibly beautiful and durable and add sophistication to any space. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for vegan leather…

4. Comfort

Comfort is a big one. There’s no use having the most beautiful sculptural sofa if it is incredibly tough to sit on. Comfort is definitely subjective, but there are a few easy things to look into. Generally sofas that have feather inserts (or at least a feather wrap) will feel more plush. Foam will usually feel firmer, but can still be very comfy. I find depth is one of the key determinants. Sofas that are too shallow won’t support your legs properly (unless you’re on the shorter end of the height spectrum!). Ultimately, you need to find a sofa that suits what you feel is comfortable.

5. Longevity

The price of a sofa can vary considerably, but a well made 3-seater sofa will safely start at around $10,000 and go upward from there. The structure of a sofa is very important for its longevity, as is the quality of the material it is finished in. A well crafted sofa should last many, many decades.

There is a lot of thought that goes into selecting the right sofa for a space. When it’s done right it creates a centerpiece for your home. Whether you are out solo-adventuring for your own sofa or are seeking a helping hand, these 5 tips will help you navigate toward the right piece for your home.

BRADLEY MONTAG