Natalee Bowen has always been creative. At the age of 15, she started designing and selling clothes, a career she would have happily pursued if it wasnโt for her parents. โThey told me they had spent way too much money on my private school education for me to just make clothes,โ Natalee explains. โSo they told me to go study! I couldnโt see the point in studying fashion as I was already making money from it, so the next obvious choice was to go and study interior design and I fell in love.โ
A few years later, Indah Island was born. With a holistic approach to design, sheย works on new builds and renovations, as well as interior styling and custom furniture design. Her style is classic Hamptonsย with a Caribbean twist, an aesthetic that emerged after Natalee visited the US holiday destination. โVisiting the Hamptons, I realised that this was the look I had always emulatedโฆ Hamptons can be such an overused clichรฉ in Australia, however the real look is in how you bring it all together. There are many styles within the American classic such as the glamorous Manhattan look to the traditional classic beach vibe.ย A mansion to a typical home can be styled with this look.โ
Having designed homes across Australia, transforming her own Perth residence has been one of Nataleeโs favourite projects. Adding a pool, an alfresco area, detailed balustrade work and decking, it was a chance for the designer to become the client. โIt was great to experience what I put others through! It is a messy, noisy experience and it can also be a long and tedious ride but the results are amazing!โ
Other career highlights include a beautiful house in a prestigious area of Perth, which she was involved in from initial design to final furnish.ย With the dream brief โjust do what you would do if this was your home,โ Natalee was on site for every breakthrough and setback.ย โWhen renovating, you start to peel away years of a home and it can reveal a load of issues. But if there weren’t dramas I would be worried; these create fast-thinking creative design ideas and great teamwork.โ
Itโs for this reason Natalee recommends clients have an interior designer or project consultant, as while trades read whatโs on a plan, designers are paid to think outside the box. โMy job is to be the advice-giver and problem-solver. You donโt want a client to be asked questions they donโt have the answers to or walk into their home and realise what they got is not what they wanted. A designer saves a lot of heartache and a lot of money in the long run.โ
Now with a successful business behind her, Nataleeโs biggest achievements of late have been on the silver screen. Alongside cameos on a range of interior design shows, she will star in Channel 9โsย upcoming program Ready, Set, Reno. โIn two episodes we are going to go through the entire renovation, up until the reveal. It will allow clients to see the process and the end result in each episode, which is fantastic.โ
With many other exciting television projects underway itโs fair to say we havenโt seen the last of Natalee. So stay tuned, we may have the nextย Shaynna Blaze in our midst!
Comments
Pam says
Love these ideas, however if you are not design talented as these people obviously are you can waste a lot of money. We renovated a few years ago and we need a redesign on our renovation. It’s all about artistic flair ,imagination, skill and implementation!
Ann Thompson says
Hi
looking at your website but I live on the east coast unfortunately
, can I just ask the Stria Linea profile is it the 180
thanks
Ann Thompson says
Hi
can I just ask the Stria Linea profile is it the 180
thanks
Belle. says
Hamptons is not a hard look to create. Just stick to blue white and light timber and you are home and hosed. In a way it is quite predictable.
Linda says
Could I ask what benchtop is used here.
Which engineered marble would you suggest for a Hampton kitchen
Thanks in advance
Karen says
Hi Natalee
Can you please tell me where I can buy the outdoor wicker cane lounge?
Thanks
Jen Bishop says
Hi Karen, you’d be best to contact Natalee direct via her Indah Island website or Instagram. Thanks! Jen