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“Interior designers are scientists and stylists are magicians,” says Inside Out’s Vanessa Colyer Tay

May 2, 2012

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Vanessa Colyer Tay, who has been style editor at Inside Out for four years, is happy so long as sheโ€™s constantly evolving and being inspired. Iโ€™ve long been a fan of her work, and while sheโ€™s not as self-publicising as some stylists, her work is well known and respected, and that says it all.

This shoot for Inside Out a few months ago was one of my favourites of all time and hey, they were bang on with the neon and pastel trend. Just take a walk around Koskela if you need any further proof!

A versatile stylist who can work to any brief, VCT has honed her skills over the years. โ€œMy understanding of styling processes and development has grown, as with each project comes more experience and a greater understanding of how to deliver a bang-up job,โ€ she says. โ€œAs long as every day is a new notch on the inspiration belt, my style will continue to evolve.โ€

While Vanessa thinks the increased media presence of stylists and interior designers is welcome, work should still be judged on its own merit. โ€œIf the two worlds (media and superbly scrumptious styling) can mesh together it can surely inspire and thatโ€™s a good thing. Loads of work goes into styling photo shoots and if a photo shoot can live longer than a month (or a magazineโ€™s use by date), and go on to inspire more people itโ€™s highly rewarding. I love hearing feedback from people who have been inspired by my work. To me, this is the best possible reward and in turn inspires me to be progressive.โ€

Stylists have a pretty high profile in Australia at the moment. Vanessa says itโ€™s because they tend to have โ€œan in-built flaunt-it mechanism,โ€ describing interior designers as scientists and stylists as magicians.

โ€œInterior design is the crux of any living area. Spatial planning and material specification decide how the interior shell of a space will sit. Styling is like the decoration on a cake, it adds personality and charm. It focuses on items that arenโ€™t fixed, such as furniture and accessories. Ultimately if a space is designed well, it rarely needs as much styling as one that isnโ€™t.โ€

Vanessaโ€™s varied role at the popular magazine includes styling sets and homes for photography, concept development, design blogging and online content production, news and trend snippets along with sourcing merchandise and liaising with suppliers. Before Inside Out she was the senior stylist on another Australian interiors magazine and worked on a number of freelance projects.

โ€œIf itโ€™s creative, Iโ€™m in. Most of my time is committed to Inside Out but when it prevails I do dabble in other styling projects.โ€ Sheโ€™s been working on a new celebrity chef book coming out later this year. โ€œItโ€™s absolutely delightful and on my โ€˜favourite projectsโ€™ list, but for now my lips are sealed,โ€ she says.

โ€œIโ€™m also a firm believer in sharing knowledge so that the quality of styling in Australia continues to grow and stand strong on a global level. Youโ€™ll often find me at design schools having a yarn to stylists-in-waiting or at live talks and presentations.โ€

Following some time out to have her daughter, Vanessaโ€™s now successfully juggling motherhood and work, as much as a mum ever can! โ€œI love working and I love my young daughter more than anything. Saying goodbye in the morning is the hardest part of any day, but I find huge reward in styling. It keeps me inspired, fresh and open to great ideas. I find some peace in knowing that my daughter reaps the reward of my inspired and excitable mind. My imagination is bigger; therefore our craft and play projects are too. I think a job thatโ€™s easy to juggle with motherhood is a myth, and styling is certainly no exception.โ€

So has her house become a mess of toys and all the paraphernalia that comes with children? Somehow I doubt it. To all the mums out there trying to keep their home stylish and kid-friendly she says: โ€œHaving children is a fabulous excuse to indulge in colour, illustrative art and well-crafted wooden objects that are just as delightful on display as they are to play with. The biggest home style saviour for families is storage, lots of it and preferably concealed.โ€

Beautiful photographs like these arenโ€™t just down to the styling. โ€œThe stylist and photographer are a team who together produce one slice of pictorial history. The ability to inspire and push each other in the right direction is essential,โ€ says Vanessa. โ€œWe often shoot lots in short timeframes so using two minds in a productive manner will offer a quicker, tighter, stronger and more comprehensive photo shoot. Itโ€™s kind of like mixing two brilliant colours together to create an amazing shade of tangerine. Without the right amount of effort on each part, the result falls short.โ€

VCTโ€™s a dreamer so she doesnโ€™t see herself being a stylist forever. โ€œFor now I am a stylist, and will always be one in some capacity.โ€ And our magazines are all the better for it!

Photo credits from top to bottom

1, 2 and 3: Sam McAdam for Inside Out

4:ย Sharyn Cairns for Inside Out

5: Sharyn Cairns for Inside Out

Check out more of Vanessa’s work at her website.

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The renovation of this 80s beach shack @camillo_ho The renovation of this 80s beach shack @camillo_house is a work of art and while almost every surface was updated, the decision to keep the original slate floor was genius if you ask us. 

Owner @clarehillier__ says: "With its purple, pink, red and brown tones, the slate was the starting point for our interior palette."

Come and check out the before and afters via link in bio now and read the reno story. It's a real beauty.

And you can book it for your next holiday too!

Blair Smith Architecture @kateshanasy

#slatefloor #slatefloors #80shouse #80sbeauty #camillohouse #interiorsblog #interiorsblogger #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #realreno #holidayhousesofinstagram #morningtonpeninsulahomes #morningtonpeninsula #morningtonpeninsulasmallbusiness #blairgowrie #blairgowriebeach #airbnbstyle
Me and my boys ๐Ÿ’— Me and my boys ๐Ÿ’—
Just a couple of dorks who've been friends for thr Just a couple of dorks who've been friends for three decades going out for a child-free dinner ๐Ÿ’“๐Ÿ˜
Excuse me while I die of a cute attack ๐Ÿฅฐ @damia Excuse me while I die of a cute attack ๐Ÿฅฐ @damianfrancis 

This doesn't happen often these days!
Hello friends! Just thought I'd say hi. Two weeks Hello friends! Just thought I'd say hi. Two weeks since leaving hospital and I'm doing much better than I expected to be at this early stage. A long recovery road ahead but making progress in how much I can move my arm and although I drag myself through some days non-stop yawning, others I can go for a little walk or out for lunch before collapsing on the couch! I can now tie my own hair back and put on a real bra which is very exciting ๐Ÿคฃ Having my bestie here to help us with the boys, drive me places and just be brilliant positive company is the best thing I could have asked for not to mention the many Dinner Ladies vouchers from friends! Thanks for all your kind messages, cards, flowers, gifts and offers of help โค๏ธ
I definitely feel like a statistic now but hoping I definitely feel like a statistic now but hoping to raise some awareness off the back of my misfortune (and also very lucky escape).

@newsouthwaleshealth have just put out this warning about a rise in serious bacterial infections. iGAS (invasive group A streptococcus) is what caused my necrotising fasciitis and sepsis.

Apparently there's similar happening in VIC too.

It's extremely rare but very serious nonetheless so please have a read and be aware of symptoms. I've linked to the article from a button via my link in bio.

#interiorsaddict #jenbishop #necrotisingfasciitis #groupastrep #groupastreptococcus #sepsis
While new technologies continue to shape the inter While new technologies continue to shape the interior design scene, one that has been getting a fair bit of traction of late isย marble-look porcelain. A cheaper alternative to natural stone, the latest printed porcelain tile technology makes it difficult to distinguish from the real thing.

Founded by husband and wife duo Anton and Rita Bourtsev, Sydneyโ€™s @kaolintiles has a unique offering in this space with over 100 different marble-look tile designs in small and large formats.

More via link in bio now.

#porcelain #porcelaintile #porcelaintiles #largeformattiles #largeformattile #marblelooktiles #bathroomtrends2023 #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #heartyourhome #realrenovations #goldsink #brasssink #jenbishop #kaolin #kaolintiles #interiorsblog #interiorsblogger
Promise this is the last wretched hospital photo I Promise this is the last wretched hospital photo I'll post and I hope to be home and with my lippie back on by Monday. You know it's serious when I'm lipstick free, right?!

This was about a week ago in intensive care. And although my arm is still bloody sore I'm now on a normal ward and no longer attached to any drips, drains or a catheter. I've come a long way.

This has been the most physical and mental challenge of my life but I'm through the worst. I kept my arm. The doctors saved my life.

I cannot say it enough times. If you're worried about your health, don't hang around. Things can change so quickly. 

A huge thanks to my amazing husband @damianfrancis We've had the hardest year yet and our marriage has never been stronger, even if my rings did get cut off my finger in hospital ๐Ÿ˜œ

As great of a job as he is doing at home with the kids, I cannot wait to get home now. Countdown is on to a new year and a fresh start.

And I can't say enough just how overwhelmingly grateful I am to all the medical professionals involved in my care, from the @healthdirectaus nurse who sent me to Emergency to the exceptional surgeons, doctors, nurses and support staff.

Happy New Year, everyone. Remember you never know what's around the corner and this is not a dress rehearsal!

And huge thank you for all your kindness here. Has been amazing while stuck in bed.

Xxx

For those who missed it, I was unlucky enough to get necrotising fasciitis. You'll have to Google it.
The unluckiest girl or the luckiest? Day 6 in int The unluckiest girl or the luckiest?

Day 6 in intensive care after suddenly coming down with a very serious necrotising fasciitis in my elbow on Sunday. Four operations later (with more to come) I'm out of the woods, alive and have my arm. But I won't be going home until after Christmas. Also picked up a bonus bit of pneumonia to keep things interesting.

I won't lie. This has been super super hard but I feel extremely lucky nonetheless. Have come across some exceptional surgeons, anaesthetists, doctors and nurses who have been incredibly kind at my most vulnerable as well as great at their jobs. I'm really grateful. Huge thank you to my amazing husband who is holding down the fort with the help and cooking of our wonderful friends. And to friends who check in, send love, flowers, snacks and sushi, I will never forget it.

Of course I will be sad tomorrow but my boys can visit and we will have another Christmas next month.

I'll leave you with this. Never ever ignore those health niggles. @healthdirectaus is always a great starting point.

Wishing you all a merry Christmas and will enjoy everyone else's celebrations on here with only a hint of bitterness ๐Ÿ˜‰

PS. Does this win the most unflattering photo of me ever published? I think so! No lippy for a WEEK.
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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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Comments

  1. AvatarMeghan says

    May 2, 2012 at 3:39 pm

    Thanks for sharing this Jen, Vanessa is definitely one of my list of favourite stylists and one i look to for constant inspiration. Her work is consistently great and perfectly detailed!

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