lucky price – The Interiors Addict

Our 10 favourite interviews of 2017

One of the best things about writing for Interiors Addict is being able to learn about amazingly creative people. From artists to designers and everything in between, these individuals have a lot of insights, ideas and inspiration to share. Below are some of our favourite interviews, so get ready to bookmark!

Therese Moussa, The Grounds’ head stylist: Immaculately detailed, the gorgeous Grounds eateries make you feel like you’ve entered an enchanting wonderland, far, far away from Sydney. We spoke to the head stylist, Therese Moussa, about just how much work goes into transforming these bespoke spaces.

Sarah Ellison, stylist and furniture designer: For eight years, Sarah Ellison was the design savvy-mind behind Real Living magazine, but now she has gone solo… creating her own interiors brand. With a style that is modern and relaxed, Sarah gave us the lowdown on her new furniture and homewares.

Lucky Price, The Block’s casting director: A self-confessed ‘old hag’ when it comes to The Block, Lucky Price has been working as a casting director on the hit reality show since 2010. So if you fancy being on our TV screens, it comes as no surprise that Lucky is the man with the tips!

Jemma Bell, Canvas+Sasson’s resident designer: Canvas+Sasson began as a lot of small businesses do, from home, with the juggle of kids, family and boxes and boxes of cushions. Ten years on, one of the designers behind Canvas+Sasson spilled the secrets, on how the label has flourished over time.

Tracie Ellis, AURA Home’s founder: We’ve long loved AURA Home so we thought it was about time we learnt about the woman behind the brand, Tracie Ellis. With a background in fashion and design, in 2000 she created her own line. And as they say, the rest is history!

Carla Coulson, photographer: While it was Carla Coulson’s stunning art prints which first caught our attention, it was her back story we knew we had to share. At 35, Carla took a plunge, moving to Italy to study photography. If you want to take a leap of faith – but need a little push – this is a must read!

Cleo Ganis, Leaf & Co’s co-founder: A family affair, Leaf & Co is run by a mother and her two daughters. Working primarily with ceramics, the pieces are handmade using Australian sourced clay, natural minerals and oxides. If you need to do some Christmas shopping, it’s definitely worth checking out.

Natalee Bowen, Indah Island’s founder: Jen’s been Hamptons obsessed since she visited earlier this year, but turns out, she may not have had to travel half way around the world… with interior designer Natalee Bowen beautifully portraying Hamptons decor right here in Australia. The photos are a must see!

Christopher Broome, artist: It’s always exciting to discover an artist at the beginning of their career, and Christopher Broome has a particularly interesting story; giving up his job as an electrician to follow his passion: art. This interview will give you all the good feels.

Catherine Heraghty, The Stables’ founder: No doubt many of you are familiar with the modern, coastal aesthetic of interior styling company The Stables… they’re well-loved on Instagram that’s for sure! We find out more about the lady behind the feed; plus her story provides plenty of inspiration for any budding designers.

We hope you liked this list.

How to: get on The Block, with casting director Lucky Price

A self-confessed ‘old hag’ when it comes to The Block, Lucky Price has been working as a casting director on the hit reality show since 2010. That’s a whopping 11 seasons for those playing at home! In that time he’s seen thousands upon thousands of audition tapes. And it just so happens that casting for the next Block opened yesterday! So how can you stand out? Turns out the answer is simple… just be yourself.

“It’s all about trying to find people who can be their true self in front of the camera,” explains Lucky. “Some people spend lots of money making really fancy video submissions and don’t get me wrong they look fantastic and break up my day. But in the end my job is to see through all those bells and whistles and get down to the core of who these people are.”

One audition that is particularly memorable is that of Polly and Waz, way back in 2011. And while it wasn’t showy or overly-produced, it did see the future contestants think outside the box. “Their video was them in their car, driving around and interviewing each other,” says Lucky. “But every so often they would stop and collect hard rubbish from the side of the road. At the end of the video they got all the stuff out of their station wagon and put together a lounge room in a park! It was inventive and so lovely.”

Importantly, Lucky (who also cast The Block judge Darren Palmer for homeMADE way back in 2009) says not to be disheartened if you don’t get on the show from your first attempt. In fact Ben and Andy from last year’s season began applying in their late teens, but just needed – as Lucky affectionately says – “a little longer in the oven” before they were Block ready. “I met them four times before we cast them on the show. When I first met them they were so young and it just wasn’t feasible to give them the reins on a multi-million dollar property. However, what we found over time was they were tenacious, they kept applying for the show and they had absolute focus. They’re the kind of qualities we look for.”

While it may be hard to believe, Lucky doesn’t go into the casting process with a fixed brief in mind. “I’m not looking through the video submissions trying to find the bitch, the bimbo, the jock and the dweeb and then pit them all against each other. Some shows definitely do that but that wouldn’t work on The Block. This isn’t an elimination show, we’re hanging out with these people for three months, they can’t be cardboard cutouts.”

Think you’ve got what it takes? Apply for season 14 of The Block.

For more on Lucky | Get your Block fix