Laura Downie – The Interiors Addict

Real reno: Alexandria factory conversion comes together

This beautiful factory-conversion in Alexandria was designed by Laura Downie of Studio 1 Interiors. The design brief was simple; the Collier Family had a newly renovated house but in their words, “it just didn’t quite feel finished”.

“This family’s dilemma is one I come across quite regularly,” says Laura. “Following the renovation of their home, often people don’t quite know how to finish it. Either their previous furniture doesn’t quite seem right in the new space or they’re afraid to buy anything new which won’t go with their new reno and spoil it!”

The result is a modern, functional space that showcases the simplicity and clean lines of Scandinavian design. Yet the soft colour palette and natural finishings (think a mix of timbers, rattan and wool) create a cosy family home with plenty of personality.

Art from Mondocherry and Anya Brock helped inject some colour into the open plan living and dining space. The colour palette of both works influenced the soft furnishing choices and the subtle blue hues which continue throughout the home, creating a wonderful sense of flow.

A huge rattan pendant from Ahoy Trader and the spirit rug from Indigo Love helped zone the dining space and make it cosy in the evening.

The clients wanted their master bedroom to be a real sanctuary. In this room the blue hues continue in an artwork from Penny Farthing Design House in Balmain. Fresh bed linen and side lamps, plus the addition of hanging plants and a large wool rug under the bed help to soften the timber tones of the floor and bedroom furniture.

A beautiful desk space where the lady of the house can write, do her make-up or just take a moment to pause before the day starts was also incorporated into the master bedroom. Laura selected the Ethnicraft Oak PC console from ClickOn Furniture and finished off the look with an oversized round mirror.

“Laura was great. We’d recently renovated our house but just couldn’t get our act together to make it look like a home,” says the client, Elissa Collier. “She helped us turn our space into a beautiful and functional home. She helped us purchase products that worked with our own style and just we love it.”

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Looking for more renovating inspo? Take a look at Blockheads Kyal & Kara’s beachside sanctuary

A yoga and meditation studio so nice, you’ll want to move in!

Gyms and fitness studios are rapidly changing. Gone are the days of dated colour schemes and broken machines. Now, they’re places that promise to revitalise the body and the mind.

W1LL Studio in Sydney’s Surry Hills, is a new yoga and meditation studio that delivers such an experience. Once home to Urban Yoga, the team behind the studio were keen for a rebrand and a redesign. So, with the help of white walls, wall to ceiling linen sheers and an impressive concrete wallpaper by White Mica, the space was transformed.

Designed by Studio 1 Interiors, their brief was to create an open, relaxed reception and lounge area where visitors could have some down time before and after class; a space where they could really feel at home. “I went big on comfort,” says Laura Downie, the founder of Studio 1 Interiors. “Three large armchairs from Uniqwa Furniture steal the show, and once you find yourself sitting in one you’ll find it very difficult to get up! They’re a meditation in their own right!”

Set in a huge light-filled space, the studio’s colour scheme is black and white, with accents of army green and copper. Various seating spaces are softened with the addition of subtle timber tones paired with soft velvet cushions and throws. And of course, no project is complete without greenery, and in this case, lots of it.

“This has absolutely been one of my favourite Studio 1 Interiors projects to date,” explains Laura. “The studio reports that their members and guests all want to move in, so I am deeming that a success!”

Classes are set to music, and there’s a huge screen projecting videos of vivid landscapes, wild animals, sunsets and glittering beaches. And if you’re not in Sydney, they’ve also launched an online yoga and meditation platform.

W1LL is a yoga and meditation studio with a difference. The 1 in W1LL stands for one human. So, every time you practice or purchase a product you are helping a human in need through The Human Kind Project – a non-profit foundation that funds projects in Africa and India.

Try W1LL now | For more on Studio 1 Interiors