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Get to know: Aussie textile designer Grace Garrett

March 8, 2017 Leave a Comment

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Get to know Grace Garrett, leading Australian textile designer.

What’s an average day with Grace?

Every day starts with the mandatory coffee fix. Then a dog walk and a workout. After that? Well that’s the great thing about being a designer; every day brings a new challenge!

Feeling refreshed and ready to go, I’ll log into Designbx to check on design projects – they have launched an online interior design marketplace which has opened huge opportunities as both a designer and a supplier. The best part is that I can work to my own schedule and at times that suit me. Working to this ethos allows me to always bring my best game to the table.

From there, I spend time catching up on emails, attending meetings and chatting with clients or partners. It could even involve hiring a van to make deliveries—that’s what I’ll be doing tomorrow! It’s all hands on deck, whatever needs to be done on the day. Painting, photography, collaborating, designing, connecting…it’s non-stop but a lot of fun!

Currently I’m working on a Moroccan-inspired textile collection as well as an art collection, so I like to dedicate time to that, in between all the other bits! The day flies by, and then it starts all over again, but doing what you love makes every day a great one.

You are a collaborator through and through, what have been some projects you’ve been a part of?

After many years of going it alone, I’ve learnt that collaboration is key. Then you draw upon each other’s resources, expertise and share the success. I was thrilled when Designbx asked me to come on board. They’re committed to shaking up the interior design industry, to pave the way for an accessible, affordable and fun solution for every party involved (clients, designers, suppliers) and I love being a part of it.

I also work closely with Sparkk—another awesome partnership. They print all of my textiles. Recently, I collaborated with Three Birds Renovations. I’m their go-to girl for textiles and wallpaper. I’m also working with Coco Republic on a custom rug program which is just about to launch. I’ve had the great pleasure of working with Taubmans on a number of projects too.

What would be your dream collaboration project and with who?

I’d love to collaborate with a paint company to create a Grace Garrett paint range that coordinates with the textiles and products I design. 

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Sydney but I’ve also spent time living in the US and Asia.

Where do you find inspiration?

My first collection, Beauty of Asia, was inspired by my time in Singapore and travelling around the region. Inspiration can come to me at any time from anywhere. It might be a book, a feather, a branch, leaf, shells, the ocean. All the collections have a theme and then evolve from there.

Deco Glamour was inspired by the release of The Great Gatsby movie and then Australian Collection was a nod to my return home to Australia after being away.

How did you get to where you are today?

I feel blessed to have come this far. I’ve been in the design industry for over 20 years. I started out in graphic design, then worked in fashion and finally ended up studying interiors. It was there I merged my love of colour, graphic design and interiors to start Grace Garrett Design.

The journey has been challenging but also very rewarding. I’ve learnt new skills, formed new partnerships, and most of all, had the wonderful opportunity to express my creativity on a daily basis through my work. Colour and design are my passion. I live and breathe it 24/7. It’s not something you can switch off; it’s the essence of who I am and how I look at the world.

What’s the best advice you have ever received?

Find good business partners that share your values.

What quality do you most admire in others?

Integrity.

How would you describe the style of your home?

I have filled the home with fabrics and rugs from my collections. Each collection has a very different theme but through custom colouring and scaling I’ve managed to mix and match them so they work together. There’s a real mix of patterns in the house but I find if you stick to the same colour palette, it still works.

My own personal decorating style is a relaxed tropical or tribal vibe. I love decorating with found objects like sticks and palm pods, and of course things collected from my travels over the years. I tend to select colours and textures from the immediate environment; it’s a great starting point for creating an interior scheme that reflects the world immediately beyond your front door.

Name five pieces in your home that tell who you are…

My love of pattern and texture is obvious when you walk into my home. I love collecting natural elements and incorporating them into my styling. The black and white rugs from my Tribal and Australian Collections are definitely favourites along with my very own DIY recycled pallet bed and entertainment unit.

I love the pieces I have picked up from Arikaya Homewares, including a stunning macramé wall hanging and African juju hat. I also love the Banana Palm lampshades from The Beauty of Asia Collection. They bring in the greenery from outside and really pop against the black of the master bedroom.

Where do you live and what do you love about it?

I live on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. My favourite area in my home is the living space. It’s so relaxed and a great place to hang out with the kids. I’ve stuck to a simple, neutral palette of black and off-white mixed with pops of green, tan and a dirty orange.

Psychologically, orange is a great colour for our wellbeing; it’s said to stimulate the appetite and promote conversation so I’ve incorporated splashes of that in the living areas. You don’t need a lot to create an impact.

Tell us about some of your passions, personal aesthetic and the elements that define your lifestyle?

Well, for a start you can probably tell that my personal interior design style leans towards the eclectic. I’m very proud of my collections so my favourite belongings are usually key items I’ve used, particularly textiles.

In terms of visual inspiration, I have a lot of respect for Florence Broadhurst, and music is a big part of my life, including artists like Jasmine Thompson, Rachel Platten, Charlie Puth, Sam Smith, Disclosure and Angus & Julia Stone.

My days are obviously quite hectic but I accept the need to get away from it all. My son works at Daniel San in Manly. I love their cocktails and incredible sushi along with a great view of Manly Beach.

How do you recharge your batteries?

A quick trip north to visit my bestie. She lives near Byron. The place has an incredible energy that totally revitalises your body, mind and soul, not to mention the great company there and a chance to switch off from the intensity of city living and technology.

Name an artist you truly admire.

Florence Broadhurst.

What are the three apps you can’t live without?

Instagram, Pinterest and Audible.

Which belonging brings you the most pride and joy?

The ones I have created though my textile collections.

What do you never leave home without?

My phone.

For more information about Grace and her work.

All photography, except photo of Grace, by Cath Muscat.

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Australian made bathroomware is seriously impressi Australian made bathroomware is seriously impressive!

The new @studio.xox ONLY sells Australian brands. Like @nood_co coloured basins, lead-free eco brass from @faucetstrommen and @lindseywherrett's  ceramic basins made by hand in Tassie.

And as for their Sydney showroom (they also sell online): WOW.

See and read more on the blog now via link in bio.

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I'm THRILLED to be an ambassador for the brand new I'm THRILLED to be an ambassador for the brand new @madeinaustshow in Sydney this August.

🦘🐨Forget every tacky association you ever had about touristy Australian made and prepare to see a showcase of the best of home, lifestyle, fashion and beauty made right here. If the pandemic has made you appreciate buying local even more, this is for you.

It's the first business to business trade event connecting retailers with Australian made products to champion our local makers🙏

Apply to exhibit or find out more at their website, via their bio, now!

Are YOU buying more Australian made post covid?

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Do I recommend a timber vanity top? A big fat NOP Do I recommend a timber vanity top?

A big fat NOPE! 💧 

Which is why we have recently covered ours with a Caesarstone top (thanks to @justinplace_sydney for the advice and supply) and the sweet RELIEF of not having to worry about this high traffic area anymore, I'm telling you!🤗

Doesn't matter what they tell you or how many times it's sealed, I'm not sure it's a great idea in a room which is so, well, wet!

I love having the warmth of timber in the bathroom and it's a beautiful piece, but timber on the top? Never again.

Ours probably lasted a year (if that) before it started to go downhill (and we want a good decade out of a bathroom, right?!). 2.5 years on, everything else in this bathroom looks virtually brand new and the water marked vanity top was really letting the side down and making me sad!

But I'm so pleased with this solution, I have to say! Took the plumber less than an hour to remove the sink, install the top and connect the sink back up. We didn't need to move the tap and it isn't too close to the basin.

The kids are allowed to brush their teeth and wash their hands (liquid soap 🥴) in here again and I can leave my hair straightener on there with gay abandon 😆

The reflective surface (which I can clean with whatever I like!💪🏻) brightens the room up too!

Next week I'll tell you what I really think of my brass tile trim too 😉

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Is there a more decadent and delicious soup than F Is there a more decadent and delicious soup than French onion?

I think not!

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I haven't done one of these in YEARS so there's possibly thousands of you who don't know my back story. Here's a few things you may not know about me!

✔️ I'm English 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 and I moved here (just for one year) back in 2008😆 

✔️ I can't end the day without a bath, even if I get home really late or on a really hot day. It's a mental health thing and my happy place. 🛁 

✔️ Before becoming a blogger and running my own small business, I was a journalist from the age of 18. My favourite news gathering times were as a newspaper crime reporter (bit different to interiors!) 📓 

✔️ I once worked at New Scotland Yard in London 🚔 

✔️I had an interview at Oxford (didn't get in!) but chose not to go to uni at all after being offered a job on the local paper #universityoflife 😁

✔️ My mum died when I was 3, I have an excellent dad and one sister (younger) in the UK ❤️ 🇬🇧 

✔️ At school, my favourite subject was French 🇫🇷 and I was head girl 🤓🤓

✔️ I'm addicted to ☕️ , long hot baths and💄 (been wearing it since I was about 14!)

✔️ I'm not a phonecall person and will never ever pick up an unknown number. Ever. They can leave a message 😁

✔️ My favourite cuisine is Japanese 🍣 🍜 and Damian and I honeymooned in Tokyo and Venice 

✔️ I have zero design qualifications. I just started blogging about my passion, which is trying to persuade everyone to #heartyourhome That was 11 years ago...

✔️ My favourite tipple is a good GnT or🍷 

✔️ Cheesy as it sounds, 💁‍♀️being a mum is my absolute biggest joy in life 🧒👦

✔️ I will never give up my old school paper diary! Has to be A5 and week to view 📖 

✔️ My official surname isn't Bishop. I kept my maiden name for work after I got married but changed it for everything else. Often confuse myself!

✔️ I didn't get my Ps until I was 37 and I'm still a terrible parker 😯 🅿️

Hope you feel like you know me a bit better 😘

📸 @vanlowvanlow
Blue, green or lilac? 🎨 @nood_co coloured con Blue, green or lilac? 🎨 

@nood_co coloured concrete basins is a great Aussie business success story. Although co founder Matt Di Costa first found fame as one half of Matt and Kim on The Block, he hasn't relied on this to build his brand.

“We are very honoured to have been a part of The Block, and all they have done for us. I am, however, a believer in letting the product take centre stage,” he says.

Read our interview with Matt via link in bio now.

🙏Share your favourite colour basin in the comments!

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I'd love to see more colour in Aussie interiors! I'd love to see more colour in Aussie  interiors! 🎨 

At the end of the day though, it's a matter of personal taste. I love pops of colour but it's not for everyone. 

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Create an unexpected city oasis with an emphasis o Create an unexpected city oasis with an emphasis on light and nature.

That was the brief for the conversion of a corner shop and a warehouse bakery into a luxury family home in Sydney's Newtown. And how about the library?!

Take the tour of this very special @annacarindesign project on the blog now, via link in bio.

Pic: @justinalexanderphoto
The things that excite me as a 40 year old 🤭 N The things that excite me as a 40 year old 🤭

None of us enjoy laundry (OK, there are a few of you out there who do. Weird!) but we have to do it. And often. So if your laundry bin can be as good looking, functional and space saving as this, then why wouldn't you?!

I've lost track of how many baskets I've thrown out because they've gone soggy or mouldy. They look pretty, sure, but they're not fit for purpose and they're often messy and overflowing.

Here's what I love about his @brabantia_australia one:

✔️ ventilation holes
✔️ no need to remove the lid for small items plus it hides your dirty laundry from view
✔️ easily removable and washable inner laundry bag that velcros back on 
✔️ corrosion resistant so fine in bathroom or laundry 
✔️ Brabantia make things as sustainably as possible
✔️ compact, sleek, European design
✔️ 10 year warranty
✔️ tall and skinny so takes up less floor in my tiny laundry

The Rolls Royce of laundry bins? I think so 👌🏻

TOLD you this was going to be exciting!

Now I need to know, do you have your laundry basket in the bathroom, the laundry, every bedroom? We used to have one in each bedroom but moved to the laundry-only situation which I much prefer (one for colours and one for whites). My boys know to put their used clothes in the bin in the laundry each night and they're 7 and 3!  #raisingfuturehusbands

#gifted
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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 8 years. She is married to Damian and mum to Sebastian and Charlie.

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