I don’t have a simple Curriculum Vitae I have a portfolio of skills that make me an awesome Interior Designer Decorator!
Written below is the short version of things, if you can believe it! Read on, check me out and by the end I hope you gain a little insight into the fact that this is a passion for me that has never ceased, no matter where I lived or what else I’ve done!
Interior Design and Decoration was a career change for me at age 23.
I graduated from high school with honours and went straight to university to become a kindergarten teacher.
In 4 short years I went from teaching assistant to running a children’s centre that looked after 75 families a week.
I got to the top of the career path and although I loved every minute of it, I knew that it was time to make a change.
After careful consideration, lots of work experience in a variety of different Interior Design and Decoration fields, 4 art classes and lots of late nights spent learning to draw. I was accepted to RMIT (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology).
In 1997 I proudly completed a Diploma of Interior Design and Decoration
My career started as a lighting consultant for Custom Lighting www.customlighting.com.au
I had the opportunity to work with electricians, designers, architects and of course the clients.
I designed electrical plans for new homes, renovation specifications and even lamp shade updates for many a lamp.
After a year of lighting I had the opportunity to work in a fabric showroom. This was an interior design job perfectly suited to me.
I Love Fabrics! I love pattern, texture, warp, colour, weft, styles, weave, chintz, silk, velvets…
I proudly worked for Redelman Fabrics, www.redelman.com, for 5 years.
I worked with all of Melbourne’s top designers in interior design, fashion and the movie industry.
Curtains, upholstery, wall hangings, quilts, hats, hand bags, children’s clothes, scatter cushions we did all of this and more.
It was while working at Custom Lighting that I met the fabulous Brett Ronald Howell. In 1998 Brett and I started Stett Designers.
Our private consultation business for all things Interior Design and Decoration.
For 5 years we helped clients all over Melbourne to make houses into gorgeous homes.
Colour, furniture, lighting, art work, carpet, rugs and fabrics there was nothing we didn’t do.
Stett Designers had a name change in 2004, Brett is still in business under the name ION Design.
LJ Hooker is a well know Real Estate company that has offices all over Australia. I was fortunate that for almost 2 years I was able to work with many of their vendors selling homes. I would spend time in the homes de-cluttering, re-organizing and improving the overall look. The photographers loved it and every home that I worked in sold for above asking price.
In November 2003 I said goodbye to Redelman Fabrics, to Stett Designers and to LJ Hooker and headed to Whistler BC for a much needed break.
Working full-time as the manager at Redelmans and consulting in the evenings and weekends had taken a toll.
Looking through the view finder of a camera and capturing someone just so, was something I had come to love.
In Whistler BC I was given the opportunity to work for Coast Mountain Photography. I got paid to ski to work, take pictures of people and then ski home.
It was by far the best perspective change I could have ever asked for.
After an amazing winter season and then a fabulous summer of fun I accepted a job with Resort Quest Whistler as their in house Interior Designer.
I was happily surrounded once again by fabrics, paint chips, carpet samples and furniture. Over a 3 year period I helped property owners up grade their rental units.
This was an awesome opportunity to be extremely creative, no-one wanted to spend a penny more than they had to, yet I wanted their places to look so good that people wanted to stay and I can proudly say they did.
Moving to Whistler not only gave me a new perspective on things, it introduced me to the man that would become my husband and in 2007 I left Resort Quest Whistler to become a Mom.
I always knew that having a teaching diploma in my possession would maybe someday come in handy.
The week my baby boy turned one. Louise Schell and I opened Platypus Playcentre, lots of interior design ideas from me. www.platypusplaycentre.com
We have spent 4 years building what is proudly known as the exceptional children’s centre for Squamish BC.
I am now the Mom of two amazing little boys and while I will never step away from Platypus completely, my desire to once again share my passion for all things Interior Design and Decoration is abundantly clear.
Go on call me, let’s see how gorgeous we can make your home!
