• 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

      Australia’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

      We’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 doesn’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
    • DSC_0257Designing Wandarra: Breathing new life into a 1980s homestead
    • 20240206_185022-01Before & after: tiles steal the show in 90s kitchen revamp
  • Reno Addict
    • RENO ADDICT

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

      View articles

      • Reno Products
      • The Block
      • DIY
      • Reno Trends
      • Before & Afters
      • Real Renos
    • Rosso Levanto.2Stunning showroom designed to be a real life Pinterest board
    • Northmead cube bathroomsDi Lorenzo Tiles open new showroom as family business thrives
  • Shopping
    • Shopping

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

      View Articles

      • Furniture
      • Homewares
      • Art
      • Smart Home
      • Appliances
      • Reno Products
    • Rosso Levanto.2Stunning showroom designed to be a real life Pinterest board
    • kuddlava-table-lamp-pleated-white__1416409_pe975547_s5.jpgWhat’s new in furniture and homewares: June 2025
  • Inspiration
    • Inspiration

      While Jen’s a legitimate interiors addict, she’s no design professional, so she calls on an army of the country’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
    • Kaye_1368_LRBreathing new life into Sorrento’s limestone heritage
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle

      We’re mostly about the home but Jen also likes to share other things she thinks you’ll love, like food and travel.

      • Recipes
      • Travel
      • Parenting
    • Salted Choc PB PretzelFoodie Friday: Salted chocolate peanut butter pretzel cocktail
    • Muse marrakech Retreats Co Riad Botanica courtyardAussie in Morocco launches design retreat in Marrakech
  • Jobs
    • Advertise on our job board
    • Job Board FAQs for advertisers

Our 10 best interviews from the heartfelt to the hilarious

By Olivia Shead •

FacebookPinWhatsAppEmailTweet

After two years and over 1,000 articles(!), my time at Interiors Addict has come to end. It truly is bittersweet. To think I started as the editorial assistant, still at uni, working one day a week and feeling very out of my comfort zone… and now I’m here, the outgoing features editor, off to tackle the big bad world as a news producer at Sky News. Goodbye cushions, hello current affairs, business and politics (wish me luck!). 

So to mark my departure, I thought I’d do one more list post. Below, I’ve put together my favourite interviews, from the motivational and heartfelt to the hilarious and oh so juicy.

Maisie Callcott is one inspiring teenager. Starting her business at the mere age of 12, the now 16-year-old runs Maypole Design, an online business selling wall hangings, rope-based jewellery and accessories and clay bowls. They’re beautiful and crazy affordable.

FullSizeRender-4-640x640

Now this was one interview I was quite nervous about. I made Jen read it and then re-read it again. After all, you can’t have any grammatical errors in an article about the editor-in-chief of Vogue Living, Neale Whitaker! He talked all things The Block, life in magazine-world and his many varied inspirations.

neale

I had the fortune of interviewing Shaynna Blaze on more than one occasion, but this interview was certainly my favourite. As a Block judge, resident designer on Selling Houses Australia, author and so much more, Shaynna got very honest as she opened up about her favourite contestants, copping flak and how she juggles it all.

Shaynna Blaze Blank Canvas

What a life Jeff Leatham has led! As the go-to florist to the stars, he’s designed floral arrangements for some of Hollywood’s biggest celebrities and his stories, unsurprisingly, are juicy!

Jeff Leatham Fleurology_Lifestyle 1

There’s nothing quite like a story where someone loses it all but bounces back stronger and better than ever. It makes for some good motivational reading and the story of Claire Falkiner, founder of Merci Perci, is just that. Losing her job just days before Christmas and two weeks before her husband lost his, she decided to change paths and is now a successful artist doing what she loves.

Claire Falkiner

With so many homewares businesses out there it can be hard to stand out from the crowd. But one small business which has been able to do so is Hunting For George, who recently celebrated their fifth birthday. So it seemed only natural we ask: how do sisters Jo Harris and Lucy Glade-Wright do it?!

hunting-for-george-4-640x853

While I’ve interviewed many interior designers it’s hard to compete with the impressiveness of Jeff Copolov, interior design director at Bates Smart. With the firm having a 162-year-old history (now 163!) the projects Jeff has been involved in are absolutely jaw-dropping.

Jeff Copolov

Demian Carey Gibbins has a story many will envy. Feeling like his corporate career was ruling his life, he decided to hand in his resignation and return to his childhood love of painting. Having been a finalist in a range of renowned awards, his most interesting venture has been coordinating a successful exhibition of Bali 9 ringleader Myuran Sukumaran’s paintings.

Demian Carey Gibbins

The making of Incy Interiors is quite the fairytale. Starting with humble ambitions, founder Kristy Withers began the business when after a fruitless search for a bed for her son she decided to design one herself. Now, she’s runs a business of 13 people, has a new flagship store in Sydney’s Chatswood Chase and sells both kids and adult furniture.

Withers025-640x427

No one likes to talk cleaning, but for Murchison-Hume we will make an exception! What started as a local Sydney business has now well and truly gone international, but founder Max Kater’s mission has remained the same: for her products to be the trifecta of safe and green, looking and smelling great and performing well.

Max-+-Charlie-Country-Road-+-Cotton-Love-640x426

We hope you liked this list. 

FacebookPinWhatsAppEmailTweet

December 18, 2015

Primary Sidebar

Popular This Week

  • Latest Kmart Home range, coming later this month

  • Australian bathroom standards: dimensions explained by an expert

  • A luxurious slice of Italy on the NSW South Coast

  • Foodie Friday: Easy roast chicken with an Australian touch

  • Are these Australia’s best restaurant interiors of 2024?

Follow us on Instagram

@decordesignshow day 2 @decordesignshow day 2
Lots to see and great networking at @decordesignsh Lots to see and great networking at @decordesignshow today
Nestled among the rolling vineyards of the Shoalha Nestled among the rolling vineyards of the Shoalhaven area on the NSW South Coast, former Block contestants @rachelandryan Carr have transformed a tired rural property into a luxurious holiday retreat that feels like a slice of Italy. Surrounded by the natural beauty of gum trees and rural views, the property is designed to transport guests to the heart of Tuscany, blending the charm of the Australian landscape with the elegance and luxury of Italian design. 

See more on the blog now, via link in bio and stories.
Australia's first 3D printed house is complete! An Australia's first 3D printed house is complete! And this pair of duplexes look pretty stylish too! Ground floor is printed concrete and the top floor is made from lightweight modular panels.

Want to read all about it and see more pix? Comment '3d" and we'll send the article link straight to your DMs! Or find it on the homepage via link in bio.

#3dprinting #3dprinted #3dprintedhouse #3dprintedhome #3dprintedhomes #houseofthefuture #australianhomes #australianhousing
New @kmartaus home coming later this month and her New @kmartaus home coming later this month and here's a few of the standouts, with pricing and more info on the blog now, via link in bio.

Anything catch your eye?

#kmartaustralia #kmarthome #kmartaus #kmartstyling #affordablehomedecor
A custom look on a budget: we love how this rangeh A custom look on a budget: we love how this rangehood cover was fashioned from a piece of American oak benchtop!

This fresh coastal kitchen showcases some of @kaboodlekitchen's latest products to achieve a truly individual space, without paying a small fortune. V groove doors, premium wireware inserts and a concrete look benchtop make for a great combination that's at the same time on trend and timeless. 

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

#flatpackkitchen #budgetkitchen #uniquekitchen #bluekitchencabinets #vgroove #kaboodle #kaboodlekitchen
Swipe for before An interior designer shares the Swipe for before 

An interior designer shares the clever ways they took this homestead from tired 80s to a welcoming country retreat for holidaymakers without spending a fortune or starting from scratch.

This fireplace became a beautiful focal point after a lick of paint, for example.

See more before and afters from @wandarra_homestead on the blog now via link in stories/bio.
How heavenly is AFL star @rhysstanley_'s home he s How heavenly is AFL star @rhysstanley_'s home he shares with wife @kirstenstanley_ and their young kids?!

When they first set eyes on an expansive acreage on Victoria's Surf Coast, they knew it was the perfect place to build their forever home and embrace working farm life. @studiohallihan helped them bring it all together perfectly!

Take the tour on the blog now, via link in bio and stories.

#modernfarmhousehomes #australianfarmhouse #workingfarm #surfcoastlife #foreverhomes #farmhousestylehome #geelongfootballclub #geelongcats
Brand new furniture in an 1877 house and IT WORKS! Brand new furniture in an 1877 house and IT WORKS!

@castleryau have named the talented stylist @stevecordony as their first Australian brand ambassador and he's curated a capsule of their furniture which he styled to perfection at his stunning country house @rosedale_farm 

I was lucky enough to see the pieces in situ last week and I honestly couldn't believe how well it all worked! They were going for accessible luxury and well, he delivered, and then some!

Head to the blog via link in bio to read more about the partnership.

#castlery #castleryau #stevecordony #rosedalefarm #affordablefurniture #australianstylist
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: Just One Thing To Elevate Your Interior, featuring Australia's top design talent.

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

About Olivia Shead

When she's not writing for Interiors Addict, Olivia is now a TV and radio news producer. She's a journalism graduate of UTS Sydney.

More from Art

Beautiful curation of art brings luxury Brisbane home to life

Vases the heroes in new Dinosaur Designs Bones collection

New gallery brings collectible furniture and sculpture to Sydney

Artist creates for Block’s Dan & Dani after loss of baby Billie

What’s new in furniture and homewares: March 2025

Boyd Blue announce new collaboration with Kate Nixon

New Dinosaur Designs collection: Chestnut

Discover the latest trends in home & decor at Reed Gift Fairs

Weave Australian nostalgia into your home with Carmen Hui art

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Michelle Morton says

    December 28, 2015 at 8:08 am

    we are super chuffed to be the subject of one of your articles (yep cushions) and best of luck with your very bright future!

Promo Area

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 © 2011–2025 Addicted Media Pty Ltd
Website care by ClickWP · Log in