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The bank told Nicholas Karlovasitis they could not give him a business loan. No trading history. So he called back and told them he needed $30,000 for a pool party. An epic one. Just the once. They offered him $50,000. That was 18 years ago. Today, Design By Them — the studio Nicholas built with his co-founder Sarah Kay from a Newtown apartment — has a team of 35 and dealers across Dubai, the UK, the Netherlands, and the US. When their accountants recently asked about their exit strategy, Nicholas and Sarah walked out of the meeting laughing. They do not have one. They just really love what they do.
This conversation goes somewhere most design podcasts do not. We talk about what it means to be given the gift of choice — and what it costs to build a business that tries to pass that on to other people. Nicholas is the son of migrants who watched his mother count hours at a paper factory and his father work 16-hour days to pay off a home loan in four years. Everything he has built is quietly shaped by that. Including the royalty model that puts real money in the hands of Australian designers who have been treating their work as a side project for too long.
In this episode, we explore:
Growing up as a child of migrants and what that instilled — the optimism, the relativity, and the lifelong obsession with a better futureA conversation with his father in Year 7 that removed the burden of expectation and gave Nicholas the gift of choiceDeciding on industrial design at 13, and why passing up a Qantas avionics engineering programme was the best decision he almost did not makeWorking school holidays at a paper factory with his mother — and the moment he understood what an hour of someone's labour was worthThe pool party loan: how Design By Them was founded on $30,000 a bank was happy to hand over for an epic one-time eventBuilding a furniture brand in a market that barely existed — and why 'if there's no industry for us, we'll create one' became the founding philosophyThe white t-shirt principle: the early business advice that shaped how they thought about products, cashflow, and creative ambitionThe copied letterbox incident that sharpened their supply chain strategy and changed how they thought about protecting designers' workThe real economics of manufacturing locally versus overseas — and why the debate almost always misses the most important argumentBuilding a supply chain in China over five years, and what quality control actually looks like when you are doing it seriouslyRunning a business by designers for designers — and why they put prices on their website when no one else didExhibiting at 3 Days of Design Copenhagen and the patient, deliberate path to global reachWhy Nicholas and Sarah walked out of a meeting with their accountants laughing: no exit strategy, no Porsche, just the workWhy this conversation matters
In a world where scaling fast is celebrated and soul is usually the first casualty, Nicholas Karlovasitis offers a different model. Design By Them has grown from two people to 35 without losing what it set out to be: a brand that pays designers properly, builds for the long term, and believes that clarity of purpose is not a luxury — it is the strategy. His story is also a reminder that the most meaningful businesses are often built not to be sold, but to outlast the people who started them.
About Nicholas
Nicholas Karlovasitis is the co-founder and creative director of Design By Them, the Sydney-based furniture design studio he built alongside Sarah Kay from a Newtown apartment in 2007. He studied industrial design at UTS, where he also taught for a period, and has spent nearly two decades championing Australian designers while pursuing global reach. Design By Them manufactures across China, Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, India, the US, and Italy, operates a royalty model for the designers it represents, and is currently expanding into the UK, Netherlands, and US markets. Nicholas describes the business simply: it was built by designers, for designers. He still does not have an exit strategy.
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🎧 Available on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
If this episode resonated, please like, subscribe and share — it helps Build Beautiful continue to tell deeper stories from the world of design, architecture and creative life.
RESOURCES MENTIONED
Design By Them: designbythem.com
Instagram: @designbythem
3 Days of Design Copenhagen: 3daysofdesign.dk
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Your agent wants to sell. Your valuer wants the truth. And most people — designers, renovators, developers — never call the valuer. They call the agent, they trust the gut, they make decisions without one crucial piece of information: what will the market actually pay, with no skin in the game, before you've already spent the money. Belinda Botzolis has been the missing voice in that conversation for 17 years. She is done being missing.
Belinda Botzolis is the founding director of Add Value, a property valuation consultancy. She has inspected more than 15,000 Australian homes, assessed nearly $12 billion in real estate, and spent 17 years translating complex property and tax concepts into plain, actionable language — including the 2026 federal budget changes and the rarely-understood six-year capital gains tax rule.
This is a conversation for every designer, renovator, and developer who has ever made an expensive decision without a valuer in the room. About the ceiling on every property — the number the market won't cross regardless of how beautifully you design it. About demographic-led renovation strategy, the mistakes a bank valuer will never reward, and why the person with no stake in the outcome is sometimes the most important person you can have on your team.
In this episode, we explore:
Why every property has a ceiling — and why crossing it in renovation is one of the most common and costly mistakes homeowners and developers makeThe demographic analysis Belinda runs before recommending any renovation: from kosher kitchens in Rose Bay to prayer rooms in Lakemba and courtyards in the inner westThe 2026 federal budget decoded: what actually changed for investors, what's grandfathered, what to hold off on, and why Belinda compares the policy to a school group assignmentHow the property valuer fits inside the design team — and why most designers have never thought to include oneFlipping vs. forever home: why the design rules are completely different depending on your exit strategyThe budget blowout scenario: why a neutral valuer can sometimes say the things a designer can't — and why clients hear it differently from a third partyThe six-year CGT principal place of residence rule — and why Belinda used it herselfWhy the new negative gearing changes might make your primary home the most tax-efficient place to hold capital in the current landscapeInvestment property renovation strategy: why neutral and durable beats trendy and cheap every timeBuilding a business on social media before going solo — and the grandmother story that explains her entire philosophyWhy this conversation matters
Property is where design and money converge. Most people make their biggest financial decisions without a valuer's perspective, relying instead on agents, friends, and gut instinct. Belinda Botzolis is changing that. In an industry where valuers are almost invisible to the people whose homes they assess, she is quietly doing something radical: explaining it clearly, accessibly, and without an agenda.
About Belinda
Belinda Botzolis is the founding director of Add Value, a property valuation consultancy. With 17 years of experience, a degree in Property Economics, and dual registration as a certified valuer and tax agent, she has valued nearly $12 billion in Australian real estate across residential, government acquisition, and investment work. She built her reputation online by translating complex property and tax concepts into plain, accessible language — driven by a belief that everyone deserves to understand the rules of the game they are already playing.
Watch / Listen
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🎧 Available on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
If this episode resonated, please like, subscribe and share — it helps Build Beautiful continue to tell deeper stories from the world of design, architecture and creative life.
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Her water broke on the last day of filming The Great Gatsby. She had spent years inside Baz Luhrmann's creative world — researching Moulin Rouge in Paris, drinking absinthe in the streets, helping Catherine Martin dress Beyoncé, designing over 200 rugs for the Faena Hotel in New York. And she did all of it as the black sheep of a Lebanese-Australian family where everyone else became a doctor, a surgeon, or an engineer. She was the one who took the detour. As it turned out, the detour was the whole thing.
Silvana Azzi Heras is the founder of House of Heras, a Sydney-based textile and interior design studio known for its maximalist, emotionally rich patterns rooted in folklore, flora, and cultural memory. Before founding her studio, she spent over a decade as head designer at Bazmark — Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin's creative company — working across Moulin Rouge, The Great Gatsby, La Bohème on Broadway, and The Get Down for Netflix.
This is a conversation about what it means to follow an instinct when the world expects something safer from you. About heritage and culture as the raw material of a creative life. About the phone call that changes everything — and what happens when you finally say yes to yourself. About maximalism as a philosophy, not just an aesthetic. And about the strange, glittering, unglamorous work of building something entirely your own.
In this episode, we explore:
Growing up Lebanese-Australian: arriving in Sydney at age two, navigating identity, and returning to Beirut at 35 to understand her parents' resilienceBeing the 'black sheep' youngest of five — how family pressure shaped the long road to designStarting with a Bachelor of Welfare Studies, meeting her husband there, and going back to university as a mature-age student to study designThe phone call that changed everything: how a university lecturer put her name forward for Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin's studioLife inside Bazmark — researching Moulin Rouge! in Paris, drinking absinthe, walking the streets, and building a world from scratchThe Gatsby baby — her water breaking on the last day of filming The Great GatsbyGoing to Cannes twice and the Oscars twice, including helping Catherine Martin dress BeyonceDesigning over 200 rugs for the Faena Hotel New York, in collaboration with Peter MikicFounding House of Heras — filling a gap for maximalist, culturally rich design in a minimalist marketPre-visualisation as a design practice, the art of knowing when to stop, and why there are no shortcutsWhy this conversation matters
In a design world that often rewards restraint and minimalism, Silvana Azzi Heras is doing something rarer: making work that holds memory, carries culture, and takes emotional risks. Her story is also a reminder that the creative path is rarely linear — that detours, late starts, and unexpected phone calls are often the beginning of something extraordinary.
About the guest
Silvana Azzi Heras is the founder and creative director of House of Heras, a Sydney-based design studio specialising in textiles, rugs, wallpaper, and interior design. She spent over a decade as head designer at Bazmark, the production company of Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin, working across some of the most visually ambitious films and productions of the past two decades. Her textile collections are stocked internationally and she has designed for the Faena Hotel New York, Designer Rugs, Milton & King, and CB2 in the United States. House of Heras is expanding into commercial interior design, and a new Axminster rug collection is due for release later in 2026.
RESOURCES MENTIONED
House of Heras website: houseofheras.com
Instagram: @houseofheras and @silvanaazziheras
Designer Rugs: designerrugs.com.au
Milton & King wallpaper: miltonandking.comCB2
(US): cb2.com
Faena Hotel New York: faena.com/new-york
Peter Mikic: mikicdesign.com
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Helen Lynch and Karyn McRae, co-founders of McRae & Lynch Design, have been in business together for thirty years. They met on the first day of design school, started taking on projects while they were still studying, and have since built one of Sydney's most quietly enduring interior design practices, spanning residential, medical, hospitality, and even cruise ship interiors for Carnival.
In this episode of Build Beautiful, Helen and Karyn share what three decades of partnership has taught them about resilience, reinvention, and charging your worth. It is a conversation about friendship as foundation, the unglamorous parts of building a creative business, and what it really means to design for the long game.
In this episode, we explore:
How a chance hand wave on the first day of design school became a thirty-year creative partnershipHelen's path from primary school teaching into interior design, and Karyn's beginnings in architectural drafting at Inscand DesignWhat makes a design partnership actually work, and why mutual respect, shared values and morning therapy sessions matter more than rigid role descriptionsDesigning cruise ships for Carnival across five years: dry dock, IMO certification, boiler suits, and being the only women on the shipWhy they had to rebuild the business from scratch after the cruise ship era ended, and what that humility taught themThe reinvention behind going back to study during COVID to become registered building designers, and why interior designers still fight for recognition in AustraliaThe two-year nudge from their business coach into podcasting, the imposter syndrome that nearly stopped them, and the moment they realised authenticity outperforms polishGoing on Aussie Build for Channel 9 Life, finding sponsors in six weeks, and what television taught them about being themselves on cameraCharging your worth: the spreadsheet that changed everything, the twenty percent contingency rule, and why a one hundred percent strike rate means you are underchargingWhat 'build beautiful' means when you have spent thirty years designing for other people's lives, and why the goal is shoulders dropping at the front doorWhy this conversation matters
In an industry obsessed with overnight success and polished feeds, Helen and Karyn offer something quieter and rarer: a thirty-year case study in patience, partnership and reinvention. Their story matters now because the path they walked, slow growth, hard pivots, going back to study late, learning to charge what you are worth, is the one most creative business owners are actually on, even if no one talks about it.
About the guests
Helen Lynch and Karyn McRae are the co-founders of McRae & Lynch Design, a Sydney-based interior design and building design practice they have run together for thirty years. Their work spans high-end residential, medical and dental fit-outs, hospitality and clubs, and a five-year body of cruise ship interior work for Carnival. They are also the hosts of Two Gins in a Designer's Perspective, which won Best Design Podcast at the 2025 Australian Podcast Awards, and recently appeared as the design duo on Aussie Build for Channel 9 Life. Both are newly registered building designers, certified to work on Class 2 buildings, an accreditation few interior designers in Australia hold.
RESOURCES MENTIONED
McRae & Lynch Design: mcraelynchdesign.com.au
Instagram: @mcraelynchdesign
Two Gins in a Designer's Perspective podcast (Best Design Podcast, 2025)
Aussie Build, Channel 9 LifeDesign Centre Enmore (formerly the Randwick design school referenced in the episode)
Design Institute of Australia (DIA)
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For years, she was running her architecture practice on passion alone. The work was good. The clients were happy. And the money wasn't working. She described it as being "happy but broke" — a phrase so clean and so honest that it stopped being hers the moment she said it, because everyone who builds something creative knows exactly what she means.
Brooke Aitken is an architect and the founder of Brooke Aitken Design, a studio she has led for 21 years. She works alongside her sister and a team that has come to feel like family — a flat, trust-based structure held together by craft, devotion, and a slowly-earned understanding of what it takes to stay financially and emotionally viable in creative work.
This is one of the most generous conversations Build Beautiful has had. About what longevity actually costs. About how you learn to charge your worth after years of not. About the strange rhythm of a creative life — the wearing of every hat, the love that keeps you going, and the business that had to grow up alongside the art. For anyone building something slowly, with heart: this one is for you.
In this episode, we explore:
Why Brooke walked away from a place in medical school to pursue architecture — and the moment she “cut my hair off, dyed it white blonde” and went all inInside the legendary DCM years: being project architect on the interiors of the Melbourne Museum at the very start of her careerFounding Brooke Aitken Design in 2004 with no business training, no marketing, and clients already waiting at the door“I was happy but broke” — what rock bottom actually looked like ten years in, while going through IVF, undiagnosed endometriosis, building her own home, and paying her staff before herselfThe Business of Design podcast moment that changed everything — and why Brooke now sits in a peer mastermind comparing real figures every six monthsDaniel Priestley’s “11 touchpoints” rule, and how Brooke rebuilt her entire marketing engine around it after a decade of hiding her work behind bad photography“Soft Modernism,” slow architecture, and why she’ll usually fight to save a 70s building rather than knock it downInside the studio: a sister, a “design alumni” WhatsApp group, design charrettes, and why “no one has just one problem”“Systems will set you free” — the Asana templates and operating system every creative business owner should stealChatGPT, Midjourney and how an architect known for craft is quietly experimenting with AIWhat she would tell her younger self — and why she still insists success “hasn’t happened yet”Why this conversation matters
In a design industry that polishes every portfolio and hides every struggle, Brooke Aitken does something rare: she tells the truth. For any architect, designer or creative business owner who has ever wondered why beautiful work isn’t translating into a beautiful life, this is the conversation that names the gap — and shows what’s possible on the other side.
About Brooke
Brooke Aitken is the founder and Principal of Brooke Aitken Design, a Sydney-based studio she has led for over 20 years from her base in Ultimo. A registered architect and interior designer — one of the few in the country who delivers both — she is known for an aesthetic she calls “Soft Modernism”: contemporary, considered, deeply liveable spaces shaped by the brief, the building and the way people actually live. Her work spans heritage homes in Sydney’s east, sustainable rejuvenations of mid-century houses, and award-winning international projects in San Francisco and Palo Alto. She is also the founder of Rill + Stone, a homewares brand whose internationally awarded rug collection is made in collaboration with Tsar Carpets.
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There's a version of living with art that most people never reach. They buy something. They hang it. They look at it sometimes. And then there's the other version — where the piece you chose changes the way you see the room, then the way you see yourself, and then, if you're lucky, the way you move through the world. Kym Elphinstone has spent her career in that second version, and she's working to bring other people there.
Kym Elphinstone works across art, cultural strategy, and storytelling, advising collectors and collaborating with designers on how to bring art into spaces with intention. Her work sits at the intersection of intuition and meaning — built on the belief that art is not an accessory to life, but a reflection of it.
This is a conversation about the difference between buying art and living with it. About how to start a collection without being paralysed by the decision. About why the best choices are rarely about taste and almost always about feeling. For anyone who has ever stood in front of a piece of art and felt something shift — this one is for you.
In this episode, we explore:
Kym's unlikely path from law in London to a life in contemporary artThe "baptism by fire" years at MCA Australia working on 12–15 exhibitions a yearFounding Articulate sixteen years ago — with the Biennale of Sydney as first clientWhy she wrote Collecting and Living with Art — and the foreword by John Kaldor"There are no wrong answers" — the biggest myth about how to start collectingWalking into a gallery for the first time — why gallerists genuinely want you thereFostering, not owning: collecting as a form of custodianship for future generationsThe King's College London study proving art physically changes us — heart rate, cortisol, inflammationUnderstanding the value of art — artist reputation, galleries, career milestones and the marketWhy emerging artists need collectors most, and how to spot a singular point of viewSydney Contemporary as "time travel for art" — 45 minutes to take the pulse of the sectorAdvice for designers and architects: commission artists early in the design process, not at the endHow to help clients see the value of a $50,000 artwork the way they see a $50,000 sofaKym's most cherished piece — an Oliver Wagner canvas made from house-paint dustWhy this conversation matters
In design and architecture, art is too often the final decorative layer — if it is considered at all. Kym Elphinstone offers a quietly radical counterpoint: art should be part of the conversation from the very beginning of a home, a career, a life. For designers, architects and anyone wondering how to begin collecting, this is an expert, unintimidating invitation into the art world — and a reminder that living with art changes how we feel inside our own spaces.
About Kym
Kym Elphinstone is the founder of Articulate, a Sydney-based agency specialising in contemporary art, culture and design. A lawyer who left London for the arts, Kym held senior roles at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia — including on secondment at New York's New Museum on the Bowery — before launching Articulate sixteen years ago. Articulate's clients span the Biennale of Sydney, the Australia Pavilion at the Venice Biennale (including the 2024 Gold-Lion-winning Archie Moore / kith and kin presentation), Sydney Contemporary, the NGV, Nonsingular in the Southern Highlands, and a growing roster of private collectors. Her book, Collecting and Living with Art, features 26 Australian collectors and opens with a foreword by John Kaldor.
Watch / Listen
▶️ Watch the full episode on YouTube
🎧 Available on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
If this episode resonated, please like, subscribe and share — it helps Build Beautiful continue to tell deeper stories from the world of design, architecture and creative life.
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If you'd like to be on the podcast, or want to collaborate with Build Beautiful feel free to contact us on [email protected].
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Most designers listen to the brief. Alexandra Donohoe Church listens to what's beneath it. She reads desire, not just preference. Habit, not just taste. The gap between what a client says they want and what they actually need — and she has spent 16 years navigating that gap with a restraint and precision that most designers spend a career trying to acquire.
Alexandra Donohoe Church is the founder of Decus Interiors, a studio she began alone from her apartment in 2009, building from landscape architecture into interior design. Sixteen years later, she leads a team working on some of Australia's most exquisite residential projects, with work published in Architectural Digest, Elle Decoration, Vogue Living, and Belle.
This is a conversation about the psychology of design, the discipline of restraint, and what 16 years of creative leadership actually teaches you. About how to read between the lines of what a client is really asking for. About the spaces that do their most important work quietly — holding people without them ever knowing why they feel held.
In this episode, we explore:
Growing up between Sydney and Seattle — and how living across cultures shaped her eye for spaceThe unexpected path from landscape architecture to interior design — and why she never looked backHow she reads between the lines of a client brief: decoding desire, not just preferenceWhat clients think they want vs. what they truly need — and the art of delivering both with integrityCreating 'tension in a space' — why conversation between art, furnishings and architecture matters more than matchingThe psychology of restraint: why editing is her most powerful design toolRunning a studio for 16 years — what she's outgrown, what she's fiercely protected, and what's kept her goingThe emotional weight of creative leadership — and the discipline required to carry it with graceHer obsession with detail: the proportions, edges, and grooves most people will never consciously noticeWhat 'building beautiful' means to Alexandra — in work, and in lifeWhy this conversation matters
In a design world saturated with trend cycles and visual noise, Alexandra Donohoe Church offers something rare: a practice built on discernment, psychology, and restraint. Her philosophy — that great design is an extension of the client's inner world — is a reminder that the most enduring spaces are not designed to impress, but to hold. At a time when authenticity is more sought-after than spectacle, this conversation is a masterclass in what truly matters.
About Alexandra
Alexandra Donohoe Church is the founder of Decus Interiors, a Sydney-based interior design studio she established in 2009. Over 16 years, she has built a reputation for creating luxury residential interiors that balance refined beauty with the unexpected — resisting signature style in favour of deeply personalised spaces that feel like extensions of their inhabitants. Her work has been published in Architectural Digest, Elle Decoration, Design Anthology, Vogue Living, and Belle. She leads a team of 10–12 designers on high-end residential projects across Australia and internationally.
Decus Interiors website: www.decus.com.au
Instagram: @decusinteriors
As featured in: Architectural Digest, Elle Decoration, Design Anthology, Vogue Living, Belle
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When Darren Genner started his career, he was on a production line in western Sydney — making 34 kitchens a day. Not designing them. Making them. Fast. Somewhere in that sawdust and volume, he developed something most design school graduates never acquire: an absolute, granular understanding of how things are actually built. That foundation — unglamorous, physical, humbling — became the bedrock of a 24-year design practice that has won more awards than he can easily count.
Darren Genner is the co-founder of Studio Minosa, one of Australia's most respected interior design studios, built alongside his partner Simona starting with $400 and a shared vision of what design could do for a life. Over 24 years, they survived the GFC, a studio robbery, and the fog that followed COVID — and came out the other side with a clearer sense of who they are and what they are building.
This is a conversation about craft, resilience, and the love story at the heart of a great creative partnership. About what it means to design life better — not just for clients, but for yourself. About the discipline of doing fewer things exceptionally, the courage of having hard conversations, and why the best design practices are built not just on skill, but on survival.
In this episode, we explore:
How a kitchen factory apprenticeship on a production line became the unlikely foundation of a world-class design philosophyThe mentor who told a young Darren: "A chef will never tell you the ingredients" — and why watching became his greatest toolMeeting Simona at a Poliform showroom — the chance connection over Italian kitchens that changed everythingStarting Studio Minosa with $400, a shared dinner idea, and a water-conscious Corian washbasin called the Puddle ScoopThe white box method: stripping all colour from 3D renders so clients can truly understand space, function and scale before choosing materialsWhy being an early adopter of 3D visualisation — long before SketchUp — gave Studio Minosa a 24-year competitive edgeThe bad client experience that forced them to rethink contracts, communication, and the courage to have hard conversationsHow the GFC, a studio robbery, and the post-Covid slump each tested — and ultimately forged — their resilienceThe "Design Life Better" tagline: not a catchphrase but a moral compass, developed with a Nike brand strategist in 2016Hiring for personality over skill, building a team that stays for 10+ years, and why fewer clients done better is now the goalWhy this conversation matters
In an industry that often chases aesthetics over substance, Darren Genner is a reminder that the most enduring design practices are built on craft, curiosity, and the courage to put process before polish. Twenty-four years in, Studio Minosa is proof that when you genuinely design life better — for your clients and for yourself — the work takes care of itself.
If this episode resonated, please like, subscribe and share — it helps Build Beautiful continue to tell deeper stories from the world of design, architecture and creative life.
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If you'd like to be on the podcast, or want to collaborate with Build Beautiful feel free to contact us on [email protected].
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Nasim Koerting grew up knowing what it means not to belong. Her parents arrived in Australia as refugees from Iran, and she inherited both their drive — the relentless, exhausting migrant roadmap: study, prove yourself, never stop — and their deepest, quietest wish: to belong somewhere, fully, without apology. She has spent her career trying to answer that question through design. The spaces she creates don't just look good. They hold people.
Nasim Koerting is the Creative Director of Merivale — the company behind some of Australia's most celebrated hospitality venues. Her path there was anything but straight: nearly a decade in London, time in Israel and Spain, a transition from interior design into creative direction at workspace developer TOG, and a phone call from Justin Hemmes that brought her back to Sydney to lead one of the country's most ambitious in-house design teams.
This is a conversation about identity and belonging, about the migrant drive that never fully switches off, and about what happens when a creative life is shaped by displacement instead of comfort. About designing spaces that make people feel at home — and about the slow, necessary work of learning to feel that way yourself.
In This Episode:
00:00 – Introduction: From Refugee Roots to Merivale01:20 – Discovering interior architecture by accident
03:00 – Growing up as a migrant child in Australia
05:55 – Breaking cultural expectations in creative careers
09:50 – The pressure to prove yourself as a refugee’s child
11:03 – Publication, ambition, and the myth of “making it”
14:20 – Moving overseas: Israel, Spain, and London
16:38 – Creative direction in London and non-linear career paths
17:40 – The call from Merivale
18:13 – Leading design at scale across iconic hospitality venues
19:51 – Creative freedom vs brand and business constraints
21:00 – Sourcing vintage pieces in France
23:36 – When design mistakes become breakthroughs
25:42 – The collaborative Merivale design process
31:26 – Why Merivale built an in-house design team
32:21 – Living with your spaces and constantly evolving them
36:31 – Where creativity really happens
38:36 – Leadership, self-doubt, and managing large teams
41:12 – Burnout, boundaries, and reclaiming creative energy
45:45 – Advice to young designers from migrant backgrounds
53:25 – What “Build Beautiful” means to Nasim
Connect with Nasim Koerting
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nasimkoerting/
Connect with Build Beautiful
Instagram: @buildbeautiful_podcast
Website: buildbeautifulpodcast.com
Subscribe for more conversations about design, property, art, and the people behind the work.
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If you'd like to be on the podcast, or want to collaborate with Build Beautiful feel free to contact us on [email protected].
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When Sophie Vander launched her online art gallery from a Singapore apartment at 3am, she broke the most sacred rule in the art world: she put the prices online. Galleries didn't do that. It wasn't how things were done. She did it anyway — because she believed that transparency was the only way to make art accessible to real people, not just collectors. That single decision became the foundation of everything that followed.
Sophie Vander is the founder of Curatorial & Co, a contemporary art gallery she built from an online platform in 2015 into one of Sydney's largest gallery spaces — with an international art consultancy practice, four daughters, and a philosophy that has consistently put emerging artists and human connection before institutional convention.
This is a conversation about what happens when you build something around a principle rather than a playbook — about transparency, motherhood, ambition, and the quiet power of doing things differently when the industry says you can't. About opening a gallery in March 2020. About what it means to build beautiful in a world that is often anything but.
About Sophie Vander
Sophie Vander is the founder of Curatorial & Co., a Sydney-based contemporary art gallery that began as an online art platform in 2015. Today, Curatorial & Co. operates one of Sydney’s largest gallery spaces and supports emerging and mid-career Australian artists through exhibitions, art consultancy, and international art fairs.Her work sits at the intersection of curation, entrepreneurship, and motherhood — building a business while raising four daughters and redefining accessibility in the art world.
Connect with Sophie & Curatorial & Co.Website: https://curatorialandco.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/curatorialandco/
Location: 80 William Street, Woolloomooloo, Sydney
Connect with Build BeautifulInstagram: @buildbeautiful_podcast
Website: buildbeautifulpodcast.com
If you’re interested in contemporary art, Sydney art galleries, emerging Australian artists, art consultancy, women in business, or creative entrepreneurship — this episode is for you.
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She was running her architecture practice when it happened. Her husband went into sudden cardiac arrest, right in front of her. She saved his life. And then the adrenaline wore off, and what followed was something nobody prepares you for — not the near-loss itself, but the long, disorienting aftermath of surviving it. Trauma, burnout, nervous system collapse, and the slow, unglamorous process of rebuilding from underneath.
Carla Middleton is a Sydney-based architect and founder of her own practice, known for thoughtful residential and commercial design. After her husband's cardiac arrest, she navigated becoming the primary provider while processing trauma — and rebuilt both herself and her business with a rigour she never expected to need.
This is one of the most honest conversations Build Beautiful has had. About what it means to hold a business together when your inner world has fallen apart. About transcendental meditation, nervous system regulation, and the deep discipline of recovery. About what success actually requires when the life you were building suddenly asks more of you than you knew you had.
#BurnoutRecovery
#TraumaHealing
#NervousSystemRegulation
#Meditation
#TranscendentalMeditation
#LifeOfAnArchitect
#WomenInBusiness
#CreativeLeadership
#BuildBeautiful
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Somewhere in the mid-1980s, a young designer was working at Parish-Hadley in New York — one of the most storied interior design firms in the world, under Albert Hadley, one of the most influential designers who ever lived. He absorbed everything: the history, the discipline, the relationship between craft and restraint. Then he moved to Australia, where nobody was doing what he wanted to do, and built a practice around the same conviction: that timeless is not a style. It is a standard.
Thomas Hamel is the founder of Thomas Hamel & Associates, a Sydney and Melbourne-based interior design practice with over 40 years of work across some of Australia's most significant private residences. His career has spanned New York, London, and Europe, and he is widely regarded as one of the great custodians of classical interior design in this country.
This is a conversation about what it actually costs to stay the course — to resist the pull of the new while others chase it, to design for decades not for the moment, and to build a practice where service, relationship, and integrity matter more than scale. About mentorship, legacy, and what it looks like when you choose depth every single time.
Key Takeaways:
Thomas Hamel emphasises the significance of balancing historical elements with contemporary design, drawing from his diverse educational and professional experiences.Hamel credits his deep personal connections and serendipitous encounters with influential figures for his success in the interior design world.A staunch advocate for integrity in design, Hamel has chosen to prioritise depth and client relationships over pursuing widespread global expansion.Hamel's mentorship program highlights his commitment to nurturing the next generation of designers, focusing on experiential learning and personal growth.Hamel underscores the importance of passion, organisation, and a client-centered approach in building a successful design practice.Notable Quotes:
"I live by being in other people's heads." - Thomas Hamel"It's all about the efficiency of, you know, the descriptions, the details, the cost, how it's then invoiced, how it's… it's that structure that's so crucial." - Thomas Hamel"It's nice to have one or two old souls in a room, but then it's got to have the twist." - Thomas Hamel"The most important word and what is required the most is passion." - Thomas HamelResources:
Instagram @joem7816
Instagram @1stdibs
Instagram @the_london_listThomas Hamel and AssociatesParish HadleyTo get in touch with Build Beautiful or to follow us head to our socials:
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For years, Kate Nixon sat on the other side of the beautiful rooms: the one with the notepad, the editorial eye, the ability to see what made a space sing and translate it into words for a magazine audience. She was good at it. She understood design at a level most designers would envy. And then she left, to build a studio of her own, and discovered there's a version of this work that no editorial eye prepares you for.
Kate Nixon is the founder of Kate Nixon Studio and a former Interiors Editor at Australian House & Garden — one of the most respected positions in Australian design media.
This is a conversation about the gap between knowing what good looks like and knowing how to run a business. About EOS, systems, structure, and the beautiful, counterintuitive truth that discipline sets creativity free. For anyone building a creative practice and wondering why the work they love keeps getting buried under the work they dread.
Key Takeaways:
The EOS Framework: Learn how the EOS model has provided Kate Nixon with an efficient, systematic approach to managing and scaling her interior design business, amidst the challenges of entrepreneurship.Vision and Values in Business: Nixon emphasises the importance of clearly defining and integrating core values into business processes and team culture, ensuring alignment and fostering a positive work environment.Balance of Creativity and Structure: Discover how systems and structure can enhance rather than limit creative freedom, allowing for more intuitive and impactful design work.Client and Team Dynamics: Effective client relationships and teamwork are built upon transparent communication, mutual respect, and a shared vision, all of which are vital for successful project execution.Continuous Learning: Embrace the pivotal role of lifelong learning and adaptability in personal and professional growth, through identified blind spots and constructed feedback systems.Notable Quotes:
"Businesses are business regardless of the industry you're in; the same principles of discipline and accountability apply.""Systems will set you free. It's about repeating success and filtering out what doesn't work to liberate time for creativity.""We are all on the same team, working together to make it better, which requires no ego.""Transparency around fees is crucial in ensuring clients understand the value exchange in service-based industries.""If you look for the good, you'll find it; if you look for the bad, you'll find it. It's about gratitude and finding everyday joy."Resources:
Kate Nixon StudioEOS (Entrepreneurs Operating System): Learn more about this business model by reading "Traction" by Gino Wickman.To get in touch with Build Beautiful or to follow us head to our socials:
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If you'd like to be on the podcast, or want to collaborate with Build Beautiful feel free to contact us on [email protected].
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She was a corporate accountant. She had a new baby. And a psychic looked at her and said: your corporate career is over. You need to go study interior design. What happened next is the kind of story that only makes complete sense in retrospect — because the next step led somewhere she never could have planned, and the step after that even further. Somewhere between the left brain and the left field, Jane Langof found her calling.
Jane Langof is a renowned feng shui consultant and author with a rich background in finance. Having transitioned from a career as an accountant in corporate Australia, Jane found her calling in the ancient Chinese art of Feng Shui, complementing her interest in interior design. She has penned the book "Feng Shui: A Homeowner's Guide to Abundance," and collaborates with architects and designers to harmonize energy flow in homes and community spaces. Jane advocates for creating environments that support personal well-being and prosperity, blending technical expertise with intuitive insight.
This is a conversation about trusting the knowing beneath the noise, about what abundance really means (it's not what you think), and about the quiet, radical idea that the way your home is arranged might actually change your life. Whether you're a believer or a sceptic, this one will shift the way you see your front door.
Key Takeaways:
Transition from Corporate to Feng Shui: Jane Langof shared her inspiring career transformation and the pivotal moments that guided her towards feng shui.Understanding Feng Shui: Discover how feng shui focuses on optimising energy flow in living spaces to enhance well-being and harmony.Applications in Design: Insights into how feng shui principles can be effectively integrated into architectural and interior design projects.Misconceptions Clarified: Jane addresses common misconceptions about feng shui and offers clarity on its practical and aesthetic integration.The Role of Intuition and Technical Skill: The balance between technical aspects of feng shui and personal intuition plays a crucial role in maximising its benefits.Notable Quotes:
"I just had to kind of block out that noise and unlearn… that other people's opinions are not as important as my own.""Feng shui is about your relationship with your environment and how the energy in your surroundings can impact you on a mental, physical, and spiritual level.""I've worked in spaces before where people… lived not like normal people because their feng shui consultant didn't consider practicability.""The ideal is to have a space that is practical and beautiful… feng shui should really enhance your life, not create fear.""Creating an environment that doesn't let you get derailed… that's what living in alignment feels like to me."Resources:
LinkedIn: Jane LangofFor more information on feng shui practices and consultations, visit Jane Langof's website.To get in touch with Build Beautiful or to follow us head to our socials:
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He grew up in Queanbeyan — a small town near Canberra that doesn't have a great reputation, as he'll tell you himself, with a warmth that makes clear he's grateful it formed him. First-generation Australian, son of immigrants from former Yugoslavia, he was sketching elaborate houses with columns and extensions at age four. No one told him to aim that high. He just did. And everything that followed was a direct line from that boy with the sketchpad.
Peter Mikic is a London-based interior designer featured on the AD100, House & Garden Top 100, and Elle Decoration's Finest. His studio works across grand residences, hotels, restaurants, yachts and private jets. He studied fashion at RMIT, moved to London in the 1990s, transitioned into interiors in 2006, and never looked back.
This is a conversation about the long game of creative ambition, about the deep knowing that a life in design requires — of materials, of human nature, of your own instincts. About what it means to build a body of work that carries emotional weight. About the boy from the small town who trusted what he saw, and where that trust took him.
Key Takeaways:
Storytelling in Design: Peter emphasises the importance of storytelling in interiors, drawing from his experiences in fashion and a life full of rich cultural influences.Creative Freedom: A central theme is the value of creative freedom, explored through Peter's work on diverse and ambitious global projects, including high-end residential and commercial spaces.Influence of Origin: Peter attributes his unique design perspective to his upbringing in Australia, highlighting the role of vibrant colors and natural light.Lessons from Fashion: The years spent in fashion taught Peter how to push creative boundaries, a skill he carries into his interior design projects.Embracing Imperfection: Despite his success, Peter discusses the importance of embracing self-doubt and imperfection as drivers of personal and professional growth.Notable Quotes:
"Design is about storytelling. It's about building something lasting and doing it with heart.""Honestly, I think once you sort of train your own eye and you sort of believe in what you believe in, things sort of come together.""I always want everything to be just perfect… I must do better.""I like to understand what their skills are, the team, the team skills, because everyone has different skill sets.""I think Build Beautiful means to me it means to create a space that you feel safe in and a place where you can think."To get in touch with Build Beautiful or to follow us head to our socials:
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If you'd like to be on the podcast, or want to collaborate with Build Beautiful feel free to contact us on [email protected].
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Jenn Sinclair grew up between Hong Kong and the Central Coast of NSW, learning early what it means to have to work to belong. She came third in her class, then ranked last in the top class, and made that her engine. That drive — the quiet, determined refusal to accept the limited version of what you could become — is exactly what she brought into property development: a world that doesn't exactly wave women through the door.
Jenn Sinclair is an architect and property developer based on the Gold Coast. Her debut development broke local sales records and set a new standard for human-centred, design-led small-scale residential development. She is building with conviction in an industry that still too often says: wait your turn.
This is a conversation about entering rooms that weren't designed for you, and designing better ones once you're inside. About property development, architecture, the courage of the first project, and what it means to build generously — with your time, your expertise, and your belief in what a home can do for a life.
In this episode you’ll learn:
How to become a property developer (real steps for property development for beginners)Finding and evaluating sites, reading demand, and trusting your instinctsThe A-Team: builder, town planner, broker, accountant — who to call first and whyDesigning for families vs retirees: floor plans, multi-gen living, and ROI-driven finishesRecord-breaking duplex: the Gold Coast case study and lessons learnedCommunity impact: turning a meth-damaged house into a street that thrivesConfidence & imposter syndrome: navigating a male-dominated industry#FemalePropertyDeveloper #PropertyDevelopmentForBeginners #SuccessfulWomenInProperty
#GoldCoastProperty #HowToBecomeAPropertyDeveloper #HowToStartInPropertyDevelopment
#ArchitecturePodcast #DesignPodcast #DuplexDevelopment #BuildBeautifulTo get in touch with Build Beautiful or to follow us head to our socials:
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She started studying psychology because she needed therapy. Her mother had died when she was 15. Her father had been traumatised by the Holocaust. And in a world that didn't yet have words for any of that, she found her way through by trying to understand — people, systems, what holds things together and what breaks them apart. That instinct never left her. It just found different expression: in finance, in design, in furniture, in a community she has spent decades quietly building for people who needed somewhere to belong.
Caron Grunschlag is the co-founder of KE-ZU, one of Australia's most iconic designer furniture companies, and the creator of the Indie Group, a community of designers, architects and creatives that has become one of the industry's most important gathering places.
This conversation is about what it means to build with purpose when the impulse behind the building comes from loss. About three careers, a community, a business, and the through-line that connects them all: the belief that the right space, commercial, emotional, physical, can hold people up.
About the Guest:
Caron Grunschlag is the co-founder of KE-ZU, an iconic designer furniture business to Australia's refined office, hospitality and commercial furniture spaces. With a unique background that spans psychology and finance, Caron has seamlessly transitioned into the design industry, bringing a blend of emotional intelligence and business acumen. She plays an integral role in nurturing cultures within the design community through initiatives like the indie group, where she creates supportive networks for architects, designers, and creatives.
Key Takeaways:
Emotional Intelligence in Business: Caron emphasises the profound role of emotional intelligence in fostering trust and managing relationships within professional settings.Embracing Failure: Viewing failure as a "First Attempt in Learning" contributes to personal and organisational growth, encouraging a mindset shift toward opportunities rather than setbacks.Community Building: Initiatives like the indie group highlight the importance of nurturing networks where professionals can connect, share insights, and grow together.Legacy and Advocacy: Caron's advocacy for neurodiversity through personal experience echoes the significance of building purposeful legacies in business and personal life.AI and the Future: Embracing AI as a transformative tool can lead to enhancements in business operations and strategy, requiring adaptability and strategic input.Notable Quotes:
"Anxiety comes from not knowing what's expected. So, we work on systems so people know what's expected of them.""I don't want you to sell, do not sell. I just want you to ask questions. I just want you to understand the needs and match them.""I want to sleep at night. Integrity means the ability to rest, for goals for the long term, and fostering trust.""It's about assessing risk. You must pivot in adversity, examine losses, and remain adaptable to change.""Build Beautiful means momentum moving forward… with our senses and aesthetics and purpose and intelligence."Resources:
KE-ZUBook: "Mindset" by Carol DweckMarshall Rosenberg's Non Violent CommunicationTo get in touch with Build Beautiful or to follow us head to our socials:
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If you'd like to be on the podcast, or want to collaborate with Build Beautiful feel free to contact us on [email protected].
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In a design industry that increasingly rewards the photogenic — the perfectly lit, perfectly staged, algorithm-optimised interior — Tammy Miconi has chosen a different measure. She believes a home should tell the story of the people who live in it, not the taste of the moment. That belief isn't just a philosophy. It's a business risk. Because authenticity, in a world built for aesthetics, doesn't always trend.
Tammy Miconi is the founder of Lot One Design, a Sydney-based practice known for soulful, story-led interiors and for work that resonates long after the photograph is taken.
This is a conversation about honesty as a design principle, the courage required to design for meaning rather than for an audience, and what happens when you commit to the real over the beautiful-for-now. About restraint, about failure, and about the kind of work that holds up — not because it's timeless, but because it was true.
About the Guest:
Tammy Miconi believes your home should tell your story, not follow trends. As founder of Lot One Design, this talented interior designer's soulful approach prioritises emotional connection over Instagram-worthy aesthetics—and it's earning serious recognition, including her 2024 Interior Excellence Award nomination.
Tammy's career journey hasn't been linear, but that's exactly what makes her design philosophy so authentic. Her work focuses on restraint, intention, and genuine client connection, ensuring every project becomes a deeply personal experience rather than just another beautiful space.
Key Takeaways:
Intention in Design: Tammy highlights the importance of basing design decisions on a comprehensive understanding of client needs rather than following trends, ensuring every aspect of a project is purposeful and relevant.
Emotional Resonance: Creating spaces that feel right emotionally is as crucial as their physical appearance, focusing on how environments support and reflect the inhabitants' true selves.
Personal Growth Through Challenges: Tammy shares lessons learned from business and personal hurdles, advocating for self-forgiveness and growth from failures rather than being defined by them.
Authenticity Over Perfection: The episode underscores the courage required to maintain creative authenticity, particularly in industries that promote perfectionism.
Client Connection: Emphasising the role of trust and open communication, Tammy explains her client-focused approach, anchoring her design process in building meaningful relationships.
Notable Quotes:
"This should be an enjoyable process for you. This should be fun. Most people only ever get to renovate once if they're lucky."
"You're not even sure who you are… you grow up. Not really."
"Build Beautiful means building with honesty and restraint."
"Creating and creating for life."
"My mum always says, don't hate something, it might be good for you."
Resources:
Tammy Miconi on Instagram: @lot1designLot One Design: Learn more about Tammy's design philosophy and current projects on their website.To get in touch with Build Beautiful or to follow us head to our socials:
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If you'd like to be on the podcast, or want to collaborate with Build Beautiful feel free to contact us on [email protected].
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Alix Helps breaks down interior design business foundations: profit, pricing, process, and pipeline—how to keep a design studio profitable through feast and famine. We cover P&L, Xero reconciliation, procurement markup, boundaries, and more.
Alix has spent 12 years proving that beautiful interiors and smart business sense aren't mutually exclusive. As founder of Alix Helps Interiors, Alix brings something most designers lack - serious business chops earned from running a successful family enterprise before switching to the creative world.
Her spaces are known for their grace and meticulous attention to detail, but what sets Alix apart is her mentoring approach. She's passionate about teaching fellow designers that creating stunning interiors means nothing if your business is broke. This conversation explores balancing creativity with commercial reality, building sustainable design practices, and why financial literacy matters in Australia's competitive interior design scene.Key Takeaways:
Financial Foundations: Alix underscores the importance of financial discipline, maintaining multiple bank accounts for business operations, and scrutinising income and expenditure to build a sustainable practice.Creative Endurance: Aligning business management skills with artistic vision is essential to remain relevant and resilient in the fluctuating world of design.Mentorship: Alix's commitment to mentoring stems from her desire to guide emerging designers in valuing their worth and realising financial success alongside creative fulfillment.Client Relationships: Establishing clear communication and boundaries with clients can significantly impact project success and personal satisfaction in the design profession.Authentic Success: Persistence, self-belief, and adherence to a sound structure are indispensable assets in overcoming entrepreneurial challenges and achieving long-term creative success.Notable Quotes:
"Profit is not a dirty word. Profit is actually essential because that's what's going to allow you to endure.""Sometimes the most powerful thing a designer can do is stay true.""Greatness is in the agency of others.""It's going to be harder than you thought, but it's also going to be more rewarding than you thought.""If you aren't here to make money and have fun, what are you doing here?"#InteriorDesignBusiness #DesignStudioFinance #BuildBeautiful
Resources:
Follow Alix Helps and her work on instagramBook Referenced: Profit First by Mike Michalowicz.To get in touch with Build Beautiful or to follow us head to our socials:
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If you'd like to be on the podcast, or want to collaborate with Build Beautiful feel free to contact us on [email protected].
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Twenty years ago, if you were a woman who wanted to practise architecture and have a family, the industry had a clear message: choose. The structures, the hours, the culture — none of it bent for you. Eva-Marie Prineas heard that message, and instead of adapting herself to a world that didn't want to make room, she built her own practice from the ground up. That decision, made under quiet duress, turned out to be the defining act of a remarkable career.
Eva-Marie Prineas is the founder of Studio Prineas, a female-led, B Corp certified practice architecture practice in Sydney, known for its commitment to sustainable design, heritage sensitivity, and the belief that the most responsible architectural act is often restraint.
This is a conversation about building on your own terms when the existing terms don't fit. About heritage, sustainability, and the radical idea of building less. About what it means to lead a practice with integrity in an industry under pressure — and why the spaces that hold memory are worth more than the spaces that merely impress.
Key Takeaways:
Restraint as a Design Principle: Eva Marie underlines the significance of restraint in architecture, emphasising that building less is often more impactful.Sustainability Beyond Materials: Sustainability is woven deeply into architectural practices, encompassing mindset, usage, and environmental responsibility.Heritage and Reinterpretation: Heritage design isn't about replication but creatively reimagining and respecting what already exists.Guiding Principal: A well-considered plan is fundamental as "the plan doesn't lie," with comprehensive forethought ensuring functionality and beauty.Cultural Connection: Eva Marie shares how her rich cultural upbringing and personal heritage deeply influence her work, creating spaces that resonate with history and contemporary needs.Notable Quotes:
"The most important thing we can do is build less." - Eva Marie Prineas"Restraint is a design principle." - Eva Marie Prineas"It's not trend-driven, it's very much about there's meaning behind it." - Eva Marie Prineas"Sustainability is a mindset, not just a materials list." - Eva Marie Prineas"The plan doesn't lie. Just get the plan right and the rest will come." - Eva Marie PrineasTo get in touch with Build Beautiful or to follow us head to our socials:
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on LinkedIn
If you'd like to be on the podcast, or want to collaborate with Build Beautiful feel free to contact us on [email protected].
To get in touch with Build Beautiful or to follow us head to our socials:
on Instagram
on Facebook
on LinkedIn
If you'd like to be on the podcast, or want to collaborate with Build Beautiful feel free to contact us on [email protected].
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