• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Interiors Addict

Heart Your Home

@interiorsaddict on Instagram   @interiorsaddict on Facebook   @interiorsaddict on Pinterest  
Subscribe
  • Job Board
  • About
  • Before & Afters
  • RENO ADDICT
  • Kitchens
  • Bathrooms
  • Kids Rooms
  • Bedrooms
  • Living Room
  • Shopping
  • Expert Tips
  • Recipes
  • Parenting
  • Travel
Interiors Addict
  • Job Board
  • About
    • Our Story

      Australiaโ€™s largest interior design, styling and renovation blog for the everyday Aussie. By former journalist and magazine editor Jen Bishop, the original interiors addict!
      READ MORE

      Weโ€™re big on Instagram!
      @interiorsaddict

      • About
      • Contact Interiors Addict
      • Work with Interiors Addict
      • Advertise / Find a job in Interiors
      • Press
      • Get Your Free Ebook

        This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
    • bookcover-jens-reno
  • By Room
    • Browse by Room

      Where you can search for all our posts about a specific room. Only interested in kitchens and bathrooms? We got you!

      • Kitchens
      • Bathrooms
      • Kids Rooms
      • Bedrooms
      • Living Room
      • Home Office
      • Dining
      • Laundry
      • Outdoor & Exteriors
      • Renting
    • bookcover-jens-reno
  • Before & Afters
    • Before & Afters

      Who doesnโ€™t LOVE a good before & after? If you want to be inspired by the whole reno process, and not just the shiny photos at the end, this is the place for you!

      View Articles

      • Before & Afters
      • Jen’s reno
      • Real Renos
      • RENO ADDICT
    • DINING-6-AFTER-0P9A4023Before & After: This week’s Selling Houses recap (Clermont QLD)
    • AFTERLush, resort-style backyard reno provides holiday at home
  • Reno Addict
    • RENO ADDICT

      Looking for reno inspo? Find it all here, from other peopleโ€™s projects to the latest trends, tools and products, whether youโ€™re DIY-ing or employing trades.

      View articles

      • Reno Products
      • The Block
      • DIY
      • Reno Trends
      • Before & Afters
      • Real Renos
    • AFTERLush, resort-style backyard reno provides holiday at home
    • Screen Shot 2023-03-16 at 8.34.31 pmBefore & after: Classic, contemporary Adelaide bathroom reno
  • Shopping
    • Shopping

      Want to know where to buy the latest furniture, homewares, rugs, art and more? Weโ€™re always sharing our latest finds and telling you where you can buy them.

      View Articles

      • Furniture
      • Homewares
      • Art
      • Smart Home
      • Appliances
      • Reno Products
    • MargueriteNew Sage x Clare range + creative director’s top picks!
    • Screen Shot 2023-03-08 at 9.49.47 amKmart partners with Wiradjuri artist Judith Young on home range
  • Inspiration
    • Inspiration

      While Jenโ€™s a legitimate interiors addict, sheโ€™s no design professional, so she calls on an army of the countryโ€™s best to share their expertise with you. Be inspired by their stories too!

      View Articles

      • Decorating 101
      • Interviews
      • Expert Tips
      • Before & Afters
      • House Tours
      • Designers
      • Styling
      • Renovating
      • Real Renos
      • Covet my coffee table
    • TAYLORS OF BERRY HR-11Inside Neale Whitaker’s stunning new modern country guesthouse
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle

      Weโ€™re mostly about the home but Jen also likes to share other things she thinks youโ€™ll love, like food and travel.

      • Recipes
      • Travel
      • Parenting
    • Sashi X Cobram Shoot – 15th November_GRIFFIN SIMM_Finals 36Foodie Friday: Sashi Cheliah’s chickpea curry in a hurry
    • 211025_Rosedale_12Stylist Steve Cordony’s stunning Rosedale Farm is on Airbnb!
  • Jobs
    • Advertise on our job board
    • Job Board FAQs for advertisers

3 interiors businesses who have pivoted thanks to Covid

By Jen Bishop โ€ข 2 Comments

FacebookPinEmailTweet

As a small business owner, this global pandemic has sure been a rollercoaster. For me personally, March and April were pretty scary months as pretty much everyone (bar one extremely loyal longterm advertiser and another new one) pulled their marketing spend with Interiors Addict. I totally got it, people were more concerned with keeping their employees in jobs. But it was scary nonetheless.

  • Rebecca Tyndall
  • Emma Blomfield
  • Andrew Algar
These 3 business owners have learnt a lot more about their businesses since Covid

I started thinking about mortgage pauses and using our savings and whether blogging would even still be a viable business in the new normal. Fast forward a few months and I’m thrilled to say that business is back and things are feeling so much better. But I had to seriously tighten my belt, do two people’s jobs for a while and for much of the time with no childcare.

I know I’m not alone and I’m not looking for pity. What I did learn from going back to basics, was what I really needed to spend money on and also, by going back to doing most things myself, I took a good look at all our systems and what worked and didn’t. I also did a lot more writing content and enjoyed it (I’m a journalist by trade after all!) and thought more about what our readers want to read about. All really useful stuff. Not to mention I had a bit of headspace to work on a new arm to the business which I’ll be able to tell you more about later this year; one which will hopefully provide an additional, and perhaps more predictable and recurring, revenue stream.

I thought I’d ask some other small business owners in the industry how they survived Covid and what they learned about their brands in the process. And while none of us is brave or silly enough to rest on our laurels and declare everything’s back to normal, it’s great to hear some positive stories.

Andrew Algar owns Contents International Design, an independent furniture and homewares store in Sydney’s Supa Centa Moore Park. As a bricks and mortar retail business, COVID hit hard in the beginning. “Like everyone else, it was the uncertainty that was the hard part. If you knew it was going to be for a certain period of time you could at least plan to batten down the hatches knowing the tap would turn back on,” he said.

Inside Contents International Design

“We closed the shop doors for general thoroughfare in April and were operating by appointment with the option of taking individual pieces to clients’ homes to assist. JobKeeper was also a big help. Everyone was working remotely and did their best to help wherever they could so I’m very thankful for them.”

Their online business rose to the occasion which helped pay the bills as well as having the processes in place to be able to work remotely if/when needed. But it was really amping up customer service, which they had always prided themselves on, which allowed them to make great connections to each and every sale and customer. “It felt more necessary to be thankful for them, and this has had a huge flow on effect which we are so appreciative for.”

Thankfully, foot traffic in the store is back up now. “A lot of people are spending more time within their homes with lockdowns, and not going out or away. It’s been a good time for people to take some time to realise that their home is their own sanctuary and making it nice means spending more time in it isnโ€™t a chore,” Andrew says.

Andrew Algar

There were lessons learned too. “It was similar to going back to the start again and being able to run the business off the smell of an oily rag! It allowed us to re-look at a few things that we thought were making a difference or adding to the business but were just costing for not much gain. Now we know this should be something done on a regular basis not just in a time when thatโ€™s necessary.

“The silver lining for me was that it made me take stock of what was the way forward and what to be appreciative for. There are things to worry about every day running a business but with something like a pandemic totally taking everything out of your control, you can only do what you can control.”

Interior stylist and designer Emma Blomfield, has been offering e-decorating since 2011 but the last few years have seen her doing much more in-person consulting. That all flipped during the first few months of Covid. “Since lockdowns have been relaxed I’ve been back out meeting with clients but have noticed follow-up consults tend to happen online where we meet on Teams or Zoom and I share my screen, showing the design work and getting instant feedback from my clients. I was very thankful for taking the time earlier on in my career to set up that service properly which meant I could just run with it when the online consults started rolling in.”

Emma Blomfield

She also used the extra time at home to work on a new business. “It had been a long time coming, I just never carved out the time for it before. Having some extra time on my hands at the start of the year meant I went all in on my plans for Decor Library (a project management platform to streamline the way interior designers work with their suppliers and clients) and now it’s a fully fledged business we’ve just launched a few weeks ago. If it wasn’t for lockdown, I may never have started the business.”

Emma said she’s never been more grateful to be self-employed with the flexibility to pivot and change as needed, and be in control of her own destiny. “It was 100% up to me to keep the business running once Covid hit and I’m pretty proud to say it’s been a mega year for me in terms of revenue when I thought I was headed for total disaster back in March.” 

She admits she used to be quite slack at checking in on her financials but this has now changed! “At the end of March, I spent about a week reviewing every single inch of my business from website wording through to analysing every single expense. I now set time aside every month to review all of those things again and am better at meeting my monthly revenue targets.” 

So now her advice for other business owners is simple: “Don’t get too busy working in the business that you forget to work on the business.” Emma suggests finding yourself an accountability buddy and meeting with them once a month. “Having someone else to talk through your goals and financial stats with is an absolute game changer. As a solo business owner it’s easy to ignore those things but that’s the worst thing you can do for the future of your business. Pay attention to all the little details, it pays off!” 

Melbourne-based business Willow & Wood, who make and sell off-the-shelf mudroom solutions, managed to move interstate to the Gold Coast in July, in between lockdowns! They’ve used the time to really fine tune their niche and to bring all manufacturing on shore.

Rebecca Tyndall of Willow & Wood

Co-owner Rebecca Tyndall, who runs the business with her dad Russell, said: “We are completely making in Australia now. We moved our workshop to the Gold Coast in July and weโ€™ve been super busy in the last three months. We are making a real push to get this business growing because we are the only one that specialises in mudrooms and I donโ€™t want to lose that edge before we can grow and be known for what we do.”

For now, she’s still in Victoria while Russell and the team are busy making up north. “Itโ€™s particularly hard when I canโ€™t even travel to my workshop but we are making it work.”

In the New Year, they’ll be discontinuing their popular Bookworm kids’ bookshelves and introducing new mudroom options to really hone in on that side of the business. “We don’t want to do fitted, built-in joinery because that’s what joiners specialise in. We’ll be sticking with our off the shelf products, adding more options, and really hoping to see the business grow in 2021.”

For more on Emma Blomfield and Decor Library

Shop online at Contents International Design

Shop online at Willow & Wood

Mudroom ideas: Willow & Wood introduce mix ‘n match
What’s a mudroom, I hear you ask? (I really have heard a lot of you ask this!). I think we’ve seen a few on shows like The Block, only they’re…
Styling your home: getting the icing on the cake right!
Styling is what Emma Blomfield calls “the fun bit” of interiors! And it’s definitely the case that a few styling tricks can totally lift your space. We’re big on homes…

FacebookPinEmailTweet

October 12, 2020

Primary Sidebar

Popular This Week

  • Australian kitchen dimensions: standard sizes for every last detail
  • Breathtaking new Hamptons style home in Melbourne’s south east
  • Palette Cam 15 apps to help you build your dream home
  • How to: bench seat with storage for just $1200
  • Lime wash blonde brick house makeover for just $50! Really!

Follow us on Instagram

Did you see this cracking little transformation on Did you see this cracking little transformation on @sellinghousesaus last night?

We have all the finer details on the blog today via link in bio. Particularly love the kitchen refresh using the existing blue cupboards which really weren't doing anything for me before ๐Ÿ˜‚

#sellinghouses #sellinghousesaustralia #beforeandafterkitchen #beforeandafterrenovation #beforeandafterlivingroom #renoshow #realreno #interiorsblog #interiorsaccount #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #bluekitchen #budgetkitchenmakeover #budgetdiy #budgetmakeover
How's this for a compact back yard TRANSFORMATION? How's this for a compact back yard TRANSFORMATION?!

Our friends at @mintdesignau have done it again!

Homeowner Briony Marsh says: Itโ€™s totally changed our home lifestyle now we can sit outside on the lounge in the sun or shade, be in the pool, spa, sauna or cooking pizzas and hanging out with friends. It sounds cliched but it really feels like we are on holiday at home!โ€

Head over to the blog to see the finer details, including a sauna and a seriously good looking copper pizza oven. There's a lot packed into this space!

#backyards #smallpools #smallpool #homesauna #pizzaovens #outdoorpizzaoven #landscapedesigner #mintdesign #holidayathome #resortstylehomes #landscapeartist #backyard #exteriorinspiration #exteriormakeover #exteriordesigns #pergoladesign #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
Swipe for before & afters of today's real reno. L Swipe for before & afters of today's real reno.

Located inside a 1912 sandstone villa in Adelaideโ€™s Kensington, this bathroom makeover combines classic and contemporary elements that complement the homeโ€™s original, period features. 

Designed by the homeโ€™s owner @designby_Tahirih, who is a property stylist too, the renovation came sooner than expected after water ingress made the makeover of their only bathroom an urgent necessity!

The whole project cost an impressive $20k, project managed herself.

Read all about it via link in bio now.

#realrenovations #realhomes #realreno #heartyourhome #renoaddict #freestandingbath #classicbathroom #classiccontemporary #classiccontemporaryinteriors #theinteriorsaddict  #interiorsaddict #jenbishop #homestaging #laundrymakeover #bathroomrenovations #bathroomremodels
Maybe it's an antidote to the grey weather but we Maybe it's an antidote to the grey weather but we find some of the most colourful interiors from my motherland, the UK!

This beautiful lilac kitchen is found in a renovated apartment by @llidesign in a grand mansion block in London's Bloomsbury. You can tour the rest of it on the blog now, via link in bio.

#londonapartment #bloomsbury
#bloomsburylondon #luxuryapartment #westendlondon #lilackitchen #colourfulkitchen #londonhome #londonhomes #londoninteriordesigner #londoninteriors #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsdaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #kitchenshelf #kitchenshelves #kitchenshelfie #openshelves #openshelvingkitchen
I remember the chair being such a key purchase whe I remember the chair being such a key purchase when I put together my first ever baby room for Seb. I spent many an evening relaxing on mine while pregnant as I tried to get my head around impending motherhood! Not only are glider recliners like the Chelsea fromย @iltuttoย the most comfortable chairs EVER for those many hours spent feeding and settling, why shouldn't they look this good too, am I right?!

Did you love your nursery chair? Did it look this good?!

See more on the Il Tutto Chelsea Glider Recliner Chair via link in bio now.

#feedingchair #nurserychair #nursingchair #reclinerchair #nurseryroomdecor #nursery #nurserygoals #nurserydesign #babyroomdecoration #babyrooms #babyroominspo #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #iltutto #newmumlife
Here's a sneak peek of the kitchen and powder room Here's a sneak peek of the kitchen and powder room to whet your appetite! 

Head on over to the blog via link in bio to see the rest of this gorgeous Sydney reno by @_studio_trio 

Pix by @mareehomer.photography and styling by Jackie Brown.

#interiorsblog #interiorsaccount #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #realreno #housetour #australianhomes #australianhouses #sydneyhomes #sydneyhouses #texturedtiles #kitchenshelfie #kitchenshelves #kitchenshelf #powderroomdesign #powderroomwallpaper #studiotrio #kitchenhooks
There's a LOT of goodness in @sageandclare's lates There's a LOT of goodness in @sageandclare's latest collection Marguerite but the Aida rug has to be my personal fave.

Handcrafted from wool, it features a rustic check design with a rainbow of nostalgic colour. Embroidered edge stitching furthers its handcrafted feel. 

โ€œThis is pure colour joy bundled up in a hard-wearing and happy rug that will lift any room with ease," says creative director Phoebe Bell.

Head over to the blog now via link in bio to see more, including Phoebe's 5 faves.

#sageandclare #rugshopping #rainbowrug #tartanrug #checkeredrug #flatweaverugs #statementrug #handcraftedhomedecor #handcraftedhomewares #funhome #interiorsblog #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
A DIY dining nook bench seat with storage for $120 A DIY dining nook bench seat with storage for $1200!

After 4 years of saying โ€œa dining nook would be great thereโ€ฆโ€ South Australians @the_groves_abode finally got a quote from a local cabinet maker for a built-in bench seat with storage. When the $4,000 price tag was revealed, criminologist, chronic over-achiever and wannabe carpenter Andrew decided to have a crack at it instead.

And we're so impressed with the end result which cost just over a grand. Read what they did, what they used and how in the blog now, via link in bio.

#diningnook #benchseat #benchseating #builtinbench #upholsteredbench #diybench #diycouple #budgetdiy #bunningsdiy #interiorsblog #interiorsaccount #theinteriorsaddict #interiorsaddict #heartyourhome #realrenovations #realreno #diningroomideas #breakfastnook #breakfastnookdesign #homediyproject
Mess = stress! Today on the blog, @little_label_c Mess = stress!

Today on the blog, @little_label_co founder Natalie Manoushian is sharing her top tips for a more organised home. I'd love you to share your best tips in the comments too!

"Disorganisation puts barriers in the way. Imagine how much quicker you would get things done if your home or work space ran smoothly. Researchers have found that clutter can actually make it more difficult to focus on a particular task. From the frustration of not being able to find what we need, to the feeling of being constantly surrounded by chaos, a disorganised environment creates brain fog and can lead to procrastination and reduces productivity. It can also trigger feelings of stress and anxiety, making it difficult to switch off, relax and sleep well."

Read the full post via link in bio now 

#littlelabelco #labelling #labellingeverything #homeorganisation #homeorganizationtips #homeorganising #homeorganisation #organisationtips #tidyingtips #homehack #storagegoals #pantrymakeover #interiorsblog #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #cupboardstorage
Follow on Instagram
Visit Jen's profile on Pinterest.

Get Your Free Ebook

Ebook cover

Never miss the latest renovating and interiors products, news and inspo again! Sign up for our newsletter and we'll send you the best bits from the blog, direct to your inbox. Plus you'll get our latest eBook: What Made The Biggest Impact in Jen's Own Reno.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Avatar

About Jen Bishop

Jen Bishop is our owner and publisher and an experienced journalist and editor. Interiors Addict has been her full-time job for more than 10 years. She is mum to two young boys and lives in Sydney.

More from Expert Tips

How to: bench seat with storage for just $1200

Mess and stress: how to get more done by being organised

Step inside and be inspired by Australia’s best sustainable homes

Kitchen

Modern Hamptons style: How to bring it into the kitchen

5 home styling trends that will take over 2023

Plunge pool

Plunge pools: everything you need to know about small pools

2023 outdoor trends: Mediterranean is the new Hamptons

A hotel suite named after you? Neale Whitaker can now claim this!

How to choose your outdoor paving pattern: 5 options

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarAlicia says

    October 14, 2020 at 9:48 am

    Great to hear some success stories. It has really made us all appreciate what we have and look at life from a different view.

    Reply
  2. Avatarsue wheeler says

    May 10, 2021 at 11:39 am

    Such a lovely piece and so inspiring. I love reading this kind of story as it’s so motivating. Thanks team IA. Sue

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Footer

Interiors Addict

Interiors Addict

  • About
  • Contact
  • Work with Jen
  • Press
  • Jobs
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure Policy

Browse

  • RENO ADDICT
  • Jen’s Reno
  • House Tours
  • Real Renos
  • Interviews
  • Styling
  • Designers
  • Bedrooms
  • Covet My Coffee Table
  • Expert Tips
  • The Block
  • Art
  • Furniture
  • Recipes

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RENO ADDICT

Copyright © 2011–2023 Addicted Media Pty Ltd
Website care by ClickWP ยท Log in

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!