sophie gunnersen – The Interiors Addict

How to become a stylist: all our best advice

We know many of our readers are design students and wannabe stylists so last year, we tried really hard to bring you plenty of inspiration on how to get into this highly competitive industry from those who have been there and done it! Today, we curate all those interviews here in one place. If you dream of becoming a stylist, this could be the best blog post you ever read!

We loved Lucia Braham’s no-nonsense rundown on what to expect as a stylist’s assistant. She’s worked with the best: Steve Cordony. Read more. It’s not all bad though; as well as giving a warts and all account of the very non-glam side to styling, Lucia also shares why it’s totally worth it if you’re really passionate.

Lucia Braham has been assisting Steve Cordony for years

For anyone thinking they’ve left it too late to pursue their dream of becoming a stylist, be inspired by Aimee Tarulli’s tale. She left a senior role in advertising to become a stylist after designing her own home with her builder husband made her realise how much she loved interiors. She started off assisting Julia Green at Greenhouse Interiors. Julia also left a completely different industry, pharmaceuticals, to follow her dream!

AimeeTarulli03 — Aimee Tarulli at home. Pic by Armelle Habib

Not all stylists are women though! Meet Adam Powell in this interview. His work is popping up all over the place and we definitely think he is one to watch. He works part-time for Temple & Webster and the rest of the time on freelance projects, as many stylists do. His work has been featured in Real Living and elsewhere.

Adam_Powell_Portrait — Photo by Maya Vidulich

It took Tahnee Caroll a while to work out it wasn’t interior design but styling that she was destined for. But once she worked it out, her career took off in leaps and bounds. Read her story.

And if you fancy a nosey inside a stylist’s very own home, take our tour of Sophie Gunnersen’s. It’s gorgeous!

I hope these stories have left you inspired! Read all our styling stories.

A look inside stylist Sophie Gunnersen’s home

Everyone loves a sticky beak, and when you’re getting a glimpse into a stylist’s home, well you know you’re in for a treat!

Sophie Gunnersen, creative director of Stamp Interiors, is the owner of this beautiful South Melbourne terrace. Sharing it with her husband and son, she’s a lover of mixing the old with the new, keeping the bare bones of the home and instead adding a modern feel through the soft furnishings and finishes.

“My house is a total collection of my worldly travels,” says Sophie. “It’s an organic, user-friendly space that is very welcoming and homely. I lived in Italy and Argentina for some years and so I have shipped some of my favourite pieces home that are very special. This gorgeous terrace is old and I love that character. The pieces inside are modern and fresh and I think this is a great combination.”

With an eclectic and somewhat quirky style, Sophie is a fan of anything bright and fun. A self-confessed bowerbird, her love of colour can be seen through her favourite space in the house; the open plan living, dining and kitchen area.

“We love to entertain so the open plan space works incredibly well for us and the gorgeous AGA is always ticking along with something slow cooked simmering away inside,” explains Sophie. “It’s the one room I think everyone gravitates to, it has a very warm, friendly feel.”

Also a feature is her custom-made dining table, with custom joinery being a signature in her work. “I design a lot of furniture and my stepfather makes most of the stuff I design. I have custom made pieces such as the dining table, wooden drawers and shelving. We love recycled timber and I am in the middle of getting my little boy Kip’s new bed made from recycled oak.”

Sophie’s approach to designing her own home was very organic: “It wasn’t a very thought out process. I just throw things together and they seem to work. It’s not contrived at all, I actually strung all the pieces together in a very easy fashion.”

While Sophie takes a more regimented approach to her professional design work, having to work to clients’ briefs, she still likes to mix old and new and create something that won’t date too soon.

“For Stamp Interiors it’s not so much about what’s in and modern and happening. Rather, we use a lot of older pieces; antiques mixed with modern finds. I think our stuff is quite timeless and that’s the look I wanted to create in my home.”