Once simply a haven for sewing enthusiasts, Spotlight diversified into homewares a while back and the range keeps improving. From quality poster frames to good looking soap dispenser pumps and its vast cushion range, Spotlight has a plethora of affordable home options.
KOO Sylvie quilted coverlet multicoloured queen/king: Quilted with diamond patterned stitching, this stylish coverlet is the perfect trans-seasonal piece. Pair it with matching European pillowcases to complete the look. $79.
Living Space hourglass vase pink: Available in pink or moss, this lovely ceramic vase contrasts matte and glossy glazed surfaces. $10.50.
KOO Elite Gingham Towel Collection Rust: Available in pink, rust, silver and charcoal, this on-trend towel range features a medium-scale gingham design. From $6.
KOO Speckle soap dispenser black: Made from stone, this terrazzo look hand wash dispenser would make a chic addition to any bathroom. $18.
Cooper & Co slimline arch mirror black: Finished with a black or natural slimline wooden frame, this mirror measures 91cm in height making for a fabulous statement piece. $80.
Living Space rings ornament marble 21 x 12 cm: Featuring three interlocking rings, this resin ornament looks like marble and would look fabulous stacked on top of a pile of coffee table books. $40.
Where you studied and what: I did a Diploma in Interior Design, Diploma in Colour Consulting and Diploma in Auto CAD at the International School of Colour & Design.
When you started your business and how: As a maker and artist I have always been called upon by my friends and family to help them with their homes – making curtains, blinds, cushions, bed linen, choosing paint colours and more. I officially started my business eighteen years ago after graduating from my course but kept it small whilst I raised my three kids. That was until five years ago when I stopped turning work away and have now let my business flourish. I used to work from home for convenience with my family but have had a studio for the past four and a half years.
The best business advice you ever received: To walk in the shoes of my clients
Size of your team if you have one: I employ two staff members and a number of support staff on a contract basis.
Your proudest achievement so far: I am fortunate enough to have a few very proud moments. I’ve had one of my projects featured on the cover of House & Garden and have been published in Belle Magazine, House & Garden and on Interiors Addict. I also won the FIAA Award for Best Kitchen Design 2017 and was a finalist in the 2017 Dulux Colour Awards.
When did you realise you’d made it? I am always striving towards my next goal so I’m not sure I can say that I have ‘made it’.
Best investment you’ve ever made in your business: Building and continually revising my website and branding.
What do you outsource? I have the support of an accountant and book keeper for all tax related requirements. We have a branding agency to help us with changes to our print material and website. I hire a writer for revisions to my website and competition applications. I also outsource to architects when needed and other interior designers for CAD support when we have a heavy load.
Biggest challenge in running a business: Wearing lots of hats when you really want to concentrate on completing a design.
Favourite project of all time: The one I’m working on now – stay tuned!
Whose work inspires YOU? I am massive fan of Kelly Wearstler, Joseph Dirand, India Mahdavi, Patricia Urquiola, Zaha Hadid, Ilse Crawford, Arent & Pyke, Decus Interiors and Greg Natale.
Describe your own home: My home is architecturally traditional (Californian bungalow) with a contemporary twist. We have renovated it about three times and love the results. It is very much a home to my husband and I, three children (young adults) and our dog Mimi. The general scheme is black, white and grey with accents of strong greens and blues. There is lots of wallpaper and beautiful textiles and an eclectic collection of art (from the kids and professional artists), ceramics, objects, tapestries from my mother, the odd antique, modern furniture and natural objects.
I embrace change and the curation of my home is forever changing. I am fortunate to work in an industry where I am surrounded by exquisite things that sometimes come home with me! I love to cook and entertain so there is always someone popping in or joining us for meals, which gives me an opportunity to try out new recipes and have fun with my tablescapes – I have a collection of fabric napkins, different glassware, different styles of cutlery and china.
How big should your rug be? I typically design the rugs that are installed in my clients’ homes so they are custom sized and designed as part of my bespoke design approach. My preference is to anchor a rug just underneath the front feet of a chair or sofa and I am a big fan of quirky shapes – rugs don’t just have to be rectangular, square or round! It’s a good idea to work out the negative space in a seating area and work out your size from this. I also LOVE a rug underneath a bed – I’m a big fan of layering!
Your advice for would-be designers/stylists: Be curious, hungry and passionate about all things design and your environment. Practice on your family and friends to build your confidence and skills and offer your services to people that you can learn from. Never be afraid of picking up the phone and reaching out for advice and guidance – build relationships. Get to know who the suppliers are in the industry and visit showrooms frequently to understand what is out there. Most of all, roll up your sleeves and work hard and be prepared to do the menial tasks. I always clean (if necessary) and style my clients’ homes as well as make their beds as it keeps you connected with the design, client and humble aspect of good relationships. Be aware of what is happening in the industry – magazines are your textbooks. Listen too podcasts too! Know what is happing on the catwalks around the world as it informs our industry.
What you’re working on at the moment: A wonderful residential project where the home used to be a ships’ chandlery. It is a full house renovation and I am blessed to have trusting clients that are allowing me to flex my designer muscle and deliver unique and beautiful results. I can’t wait to share this project with you.
Do you love your job now as much as ever? My love affair with design continues to grow. I am thoroughly passionate about interiors and can’t imagine doing anything else. I am an advocate of helping clients to understand that interior design is an art form as much as it is a service. I am driven to help my clients’ improve their lives with practical and beautiful spaces.
FAVOURITES
Colour: Not one for favourites – I love them all!
Piece of furniture in your home: My Louis XV antique sofa that is covered in a bold black and white contemporary geometric textile – I love contrast!
International designer/stylist: Kelly Wearstler
White paint colour: Dulux Vivid White
Accessory for a wow factor A ‘Noon’ Mirror by Ross Gardham
Where you studied and what:I deferred a journalism degree to do PR and writing at RMIT.
When you started your business and how:I was working as a freelance publicist, but after 20 years in the game, I realised that I was always trying to get my clients to do home shoots so I could get in and style their homes. I started to approach all the home mags to get some experience, then a very fortunate meeting with the incredible Aleksandra Beare, the art director on Sunday Life magazine, lead me to trying my hand at styling and writing for Sunday Life and I haven’t stopped since. It will be 10 years this August!
The best business advice you ever received:Don’t try to be anyone else – back yourself and your aesthetic, and just do you. This advice came to me in various forms and from a few different people, and it took a while to make sense to me, but honestly, trying to be like everyone else will only get you so far in this industry.
Size of your team if you have one:A writing job means it’s just me with my dog and cat at my feet for company. On shoots, I’ll have as many assistants as the budget allows for – so generally there’s just one, or occasionally on big shoots I’ll hire two.
Your proudest achievement so far:I love working with start-up clients who have great products but no idea how to translate them into marketable, commercial and beautiful imagery. It’s a blast seeing their brand come to visual life, and to launch them into the world. The actual client shoot I’m most proud of is, of course, very hard to choose – but a recent highlight was creating the imagery for Cult’s 20th anniversary with my good friend, the photographer Mike Baker. Oh, and I was seriously chuffed to be part of a recent campaign for West Elm which ran in Inside Out magazine – I got to glam up my home and myself and pose with my dog – heaven!
Heather in a West Elm advertising campaign for Inside Out magazine
When did you realise you’d made it?Oh I don’t think I will ever consider myself ‘made.’ I’ve got way too much left to do.
Best investment you’ve ever made in your business:Styling doesn’t require a lot of investment in anything but your time – there really isn’t a lot of equipment you need to get started. My biggest investment is the time I spend thinking about my clients’ businesses, how I can help them grow by making the most beautiful, commercially viable imagery possible.
What do you outsource?Really very little. My amazing husband, realising that I’d never get paid if it were left to me, does all of my invoicing and tax. I can run a budget spreadsheet, but GST, BAS, tax and all of that stuff leaves me cross-eyed.
Cult 20th anniversary shoot
Biggest challenge in running a business:The boring numbers bit, but thankfully my husband has that in hand. Also, doing admin things like updating my website always seems to take a backseat when I’m constantly busy working on my clients’ businesses.
Favourite project of all time:Oh, hands down it was the Christmas shoot my family and I did for Sunday Life magazine a few years ago. My friend and awesome photographer Armelle Habib shot it, and it featured myself, my husband Jem, and my girls, Annebelle and Alexandra, doing our Christmas thing. I shoot peoples’ homes all the time, but I didn’t realise how incredible it felt to wake up on a Sunday morning, race out and get The Age, and open it to see my beautiful family in our lovely home.
Heather and her family in Sunday Life magazine
Whose work inspires YOU?Oh loads of people – my friend Kirsty Macafee who is an artist and is simply the smartest person I have ever met. Her work challenges me, a lot. Each of the photographers I work with as they all bring another layer of collaboration to my styling ideas on a job. Also, my occasional work collaborator Bree Leech, whose trend forecasting skills are unbelievable.
Describe your own home:It’s a 1904 weatherboard that really needs renovating – we are finally trying to do the bathroom and the kitchen this year as we always said we’d do it once the kids’ school fees were out of the way. But now that it’s time, I find myself completely hamstrung and incapable of making decisions for myself that I make so easily for others all the time. However, it’s got beautiful bones – high ceilings, great sized rooms, and a really lovely feel to it. It’s been the backdrop for so many shoots, and has had so many coats of paint, and I’m sure I’ll be struck by inspiration for the renovation soon.
How big should your rug be?As long as your toes can touch it from the sofa, I’m not too fussed if it sits underneath or out from it.
Your advice for would-be designers/stylists:Aspiring stylists should find an aspiring interiors photographer and just start shooting, shooting, shooting. Build yourselves a portfolio, and learn what makes a great shot by practicing loads.
What you’re working on at the moment:I’m doing heaps of really interesting work at the moment – some styling, some set design, and loads of writing. I’m creating the names and descriptions for an incredible range of terrazzo by Fibonacci Stone, which is the most delightfully creative process. My clients range from very high-end to high-street, and I adore that mix.
Do you love your job now as much as ever?Umm, I honestly think so – I mean every job is different, so there’s no getting bored on that level. I think as long as my clients keep asking me to come up with new ideas, and I can keep coming up with them, I can’t imagine myself doing anything else.
FAVOURITES
Colour: Green. And pink if I can choose two.
Piece of furniture in your home: The old pine dining table that was once my in-laws’. It’s a bit derelict now but I’m way too sentimental to replace it.
International designer/stylist: Any stylist who does work for Spanish AD – my goodness their imaginations are off the hook.
White paint colour: Natural White by Dulux.
Accessory for a wow factor: Art, art and more art. Big art, small art, expensive art, cheaper art, posters. Unadorned walls depress me.
EITHER OR
Open plan or separate rooms? Separate. I love kitchens that are kitchens, with round tables in them.
Luxe or casual? I’ll have a bit each way on this one…
Neutral or colourful? Colourful. Really, really colourful.
Linen or cotton bedding? Linen please.
Wallpaper or paint? Paint, as even after working with Dulux for five years, I’m still in awe of the transformative power of paint.
Bath or shower? A shower in the morning and bath before bed.
Tea or coffee? Coffee by the plunger-full in the morning and tea in the afternoon. But both must always be served in tea cups.
Photography: Amelia Stanwix, Mike Baker and Armelle Habib
In the second of our regular posts from The Block Sky High winners Alisa and Lysandra Fraser, it’s Lysandra’s turn! She reveals how they spent most of their budget on the show on tradies, picking up bargain furniture, linen and accessories from Ikea, Freedom, Kmart and even op shops, only splurging here and there. Just up our ‘style without the snobbery’ street!
Growing up, Alisa and I were always taught the value of a dollar. If you wanted something, you had to work hard to get it. Money was spent wisely and it had to stretch a long way. These same values followed Alisa and I as we entered The Block, and I believe they ultimately contributed considerably to us being crowned the winners.
