Her Design, Her Story

Ep. 049 - Sacha Wark-de Boer Sacha is the founder and creative director of Southern Highlands-based interior design studio Opal & Oak. Sacha’s journey into interiors is a fascinating one. With a background spanning fashion, graphic design and creative leadership at Canva, she brings a wonderfully multidisciplinary perspective to her work — combining visual storytelling with structure, emotion with practicality, and beauty with purpose.

Keti Lytras is the Head of Creative at GlobeWest, overseeing her talented Design team. Throughout her time at the business, her role has always had many facets, including trend forecasting, product design, styling, and creative direction of GlobeWest’s range and lifestyle photography. Bought to you by @royaloakfloors_australia

Kelly Thompson is an illustrator, designer, stylist, creative director, speaker and all-round creative powerhouse based in Melbourne. Kelly’s career is a wonderful lesson in following curiosity and trusting where it leads. From fashion photography to illustration, interiors, styling and creative direction, her distinctive eye has shaped an incredibly diverse body of work. We discuss her unconventional creative journey, the experiences that have shaped her, and the importance of following your intuition. Bought to you by @royaloakfloors

Brought to you by @royaloakfloors  Brooke Holm is an Australian-American interdisciplinary artist and photographer based in Brooklyn, New York. Working across lens-based media, sound, sculpture and installation, her practice explores the elemental forces shaping our planet and the complex relationship between humans and the natural world. Her evocative work spans remote landscapes, architecture and the intimate details of the Earth. LINKTREE: https://shorturl.at/TUQBX

She wanted to study architecture. The careers advisor said her maths wasn't strong enough. So Sarah went and built an entire career in design anyway, just via the scenic route: advertising, David Jones, hand-drafted joinery, high-end Sydney residential, a boutique studio in regional Beechworth, and now a fully handmade, Instagram-only textile business she runs from 22 acres. In this episode, Sarah traces the sliding-door moments that took her from a country town in NSW to designing Westfield retail interiors, to closing her own store to care for sick family members, to rebuilding from scratch with nothing but leftover fabric and a login she barely understood. She talks candidly about the 80/20 rule of showing up online, why she still hand-drafts everything, designing by season, and the surprising reason her answer to "if your brand was a celebrity"

Brought to you by Royal Oak FloorsJessica Bettenay is the founder and creative force behind By R.A., an innovative interior design and renovation studio redefining the way people build and transform their homes.With a passion for creating thoughtful, highly personal spaces, Jessica combines creativity with practical expertise to make the renovation journey more accessible, collaborative, and enjoyable. In this episode, she shares her entrepreneurial journey, her approach to design, and the lessons she's learned while building a purpose-driven brand.

Kerrie-Ann Jones is one of Australia's leading interior stylists and designers, based in Sydney. A former style Editor at Real Living magazine, she's since built a career styling editorial shoots, campaigns and residential projects for some of the industry's top designers.  Her signature approach blends vintage and contemporary pieces with sculptural forms, layering texture and colour, creating spaces that feel curated yet deeply personal.  We discuss Kerrie-Ann’s incredible career, as well as her recent pivot towards interior design, publishing a book and the evolution of her online gallery.  Visit Royal Oak Flooring at: https://royaloakfloors.com.au LINKTREE: https://shorturl.at/TUQBX

In this episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Manuela Millan, the Design Manager at Fortis and the founder of Meanwhile in Melbourne, a platform championing local design talent. With incredible experience working across several notable design studios, Manuela has built a career turning real client needs into considered, liveable spaces.  We chat about her pathway to Australia and into design, the lessons learned along the way, and how Meanwhile in Melbourne grew from a personal project into a thriving creative community. Visit Royal Oak Flooring at: https://royaloakfloors.com.au LINKTREE: https://shorturl.at/TUQBX

April Button is the founder and driving force behind BOAST, a strategy-led creative studio helping brands build genuine emotional connection, sharp cultural instinct, and real commercial impact. From ambitious startups to established businesses stepping into their next stage of growth, April and the BOAST team work across brand design, strategy, storytelling, packaging, websites and launch marketing, helping shape how brands are perceived, gain attention, and create the momentum they need to grow. Visit Royal Oak Flooring at: https://royaloakfloors.com.au LINKTREE: https://shorturl.at/TUQBX

Kim Kneipp Studio is an interior design practice based in Melbourne, working across Australia on architecturally integrated residential, wellness and commercial environments. Through careful attention to planning, materiality and atmosphere, we create environments that feel calm, connected and deeply personal. Visit Royal Oak Flooring at: https://royaloakfloors.com.au LINKTREE: https://shorturl.at/TUQBX Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Naomi Singer is on a mission to make plants the most exciting thing on your plate. The Raw Plant Life founder and health coach joins us to talk about her debut book My Vibrant Table was shortlisted for Best Vegan Cookbook in the World at the Gourmand Awards and the story behind her vibrant, flavour-first approach to plant-based eating. Visit Royal Oak Flooring at: https://royaloakfloors.com.au LINKTREE: https://shorturl.at/TUQBX Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Few & Far was founded in 2009 by Tara Solberg and her partner Danny. Tara is a true creative - leading the creative direction and innovation at Few & Far which achieved global recognition receiving the prestigious Global Honouree Award at the Global Innovator Awards. As some of you may already know, Few & Far is a furniture and homewares brand that is based on the South Coast of NSW. Few & Far has stores in Berry, Bowral, Thirroul and Huskisson, as well as an online store servicing those across Australia. Visit Royal Oak Flooring at: https://royaloakfloors.com.au LINKTREE: https://shorturl.at/TUQBX

Genevieve Wallis is the founder and creative director of Genevieve Wallis Studio, an interior design practice recognised for its understated elegance and refined, thoughtful restraint. With a background in fashion media, Genevieve brings a unique design perspective, where composition, craftsmanship and tactile richness are central to her approach. Visit Royal Oak Flooring at: https://royaloakfloors.com.au LINKTREE: https://shorturl.at/TUQBX Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Arielle Lopresti, co-founder of Australian hardware brand Lo & Co, joins Sarah to trace her journey from rehabilitation consultant to design entrepreneur — launching the business alongside her first child and best friend. They dig into the brand's disruptive direct-to-consumer approach, the craft behind their sculptural hardware, collaborative collections, and Low & Co's growing footprint in the US market. Visit Royal Oak Flooring at: https://royaloakfloors.com.au LINKTREE: https://shorturl.at/TUQBX

For years, Katie was the creative force behind Katie Sargent Design, crafting breathtaking, intentional luxury homes across Australia. But after facing the overwhelming mental load of modern motherhood and family logistics, she saw a massive gap in the market. Katie took a massive leap from physical design into the tech world to launch Tribu—an intelligent, secure digital admin vault designed to help families conquer life's paperwork. Visit Royal Oak Flooring at: https://royaloakfloors.com.au LINKTREE: https://shorturl.at/TUQBX

Emma Coyne is the Creative Director and Founder of Camille Agency, which began in 2018. With 24 years experience under her belt working with some of Australia’s biggest retail and hospitality brands, today she maintains her role as Creative Director, leading a team of designers, strategists and website developers. Emma is also a dedicated Mum to her three children, a lover of interiors and fiercely passionate about cultivating a creative workplace that brings people together. Visit Royal Oak Flooring at: https://royaloakfloors.com.au LINKTREE: https://shorturl.at/TUQBX

With over a decade of experience, Julia Levitt’s work has been recognised through multiple industry awards and featured in leading design and architecture publications. Her expertise spans custom landscape design, outdoor living spaces, and bespoke garden design tailored to each site and client, which is all exhibited in her award-winning landscape design studio, Nelson Thomas. Nelson Thomas works across private gardens, luxury homes, and large estates throughout Australia, collaborating closely with architects and interior designers to deliver cohesive, site-responsive outcomes. Every project is designed to enhance lifestyle, improve functionality, and create timeless outdoor environments that are both beautiful and practical. Visit Royal Oak Flooring at: https://royaloakfloors.com.au

Founded by Louise Bastiras in 2019, alongside her husband John Bastiras, the shared dream of two passionate, design-focused minds - In Good Company is the organic outcome of a combined three decades entrenched at different ends of the spectrum of Australia’s design landscape. A family-owned furniture, lighting and homewares retailer; showcasing leading contemporary design from around the globe, including our made-in-Melbourne collection John Bastiras Design. Visit Royal Oak Flooring at: https://royaloakfloors.com.au

Brought to you by Royal Oak FloorsJessica Bettenay is the founder and creative force behind By R.A., an innovative interior design and renovation studio redefining the way people build and transform their homes.With a passion for creating thoughtful, highly personal spaces, Jessica combines creativity with practical expertise to make the renovation journey more accessible, collaborative, and enjoyable. In this episode, she shares her entrepreneurial journey, her approach to design, and the lessons she's learned while building a purpose-driven brand.

Teegan Cocchiaro is the co-founder of Lo & Co along with Arielle Lopresti. Founded in 2016, the brand’s vision was to make ordinary hardware accessories a little less ordinary. The focus and intent were always on creating timeless hardware with functional purpose, whilst ensuring continual reference to design trends, using the highest quality materials and craftsmanship. Their designs are informed by architecture, fashion, and travel, with finishes and materials drawn from contemporary interior design movements. Today Lo & Co continues to enrich their range with new and exciting finishes, constructions and materials. The brand now boasts a broad range of offerings including joinery and entry handles, knobs, hooks, door levers, hinges, towel hooks and more. 2020 saw the exciting introduction of solid marble handles — and more recently travertine — allowing for varied applications to suit all décor styles. All other pieces are lovingly crafted from solid brass featuring signature brass, bronze, nickel, matte black, matte white, aged brass and tumbled brass finishes. Visit Royal Oak Flooring at: https://royaloakfloors.com.au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.