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Stacey Kouros: From Greg Natale’s protégé to respected interior designer in her own right

By Jen Bishop •

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Stacey Kouros says it’s a huge compliment to be described as Greg Natale’s protégé. But despite this great start and exposure on reality TV show homeMADE, this young designer has really gone on to carve out her own style and prove her talent, running her own design practice.

“I worked for Greg for more than five years and it was such an incredible experience,” she says. “I started working with him when his business was fairly fresh, so I really got to grow with him. Seeing him go from an emerging designer to one of Australia’s best and being a part of that was invaluable. When I started with Greg I was in my last few months of uni (she studied Interior Architecture at UNSW) so I was pretty green. Having him as a mentor and friend really shaped who I am as a designer and just as importantly, taught me key lessons in running a small business.”

That early work with Greg nurtured her love for quirkiness, colour, pattern and interesting shapes and gave Stacey the confidence to trust her design instincts. “It made me brave enough to push my clients out of their comfort zone,” she says.

In 2009, she set up Stacey Kouros Design. Having never imagined she would have her own practice, after appearing on Channel Nine’s homeMADE, she saw a great opportunity to leverage off the exposure and took the plunge. “Although I would never change it, small business is not what people think. I always used to admire business owners but I now have a completely different respect for them. It’s amazing what goes into keeping a small business running… you can’t just throw your hands up in the air and say “I’m just good at the creative and design part of the business,” and expect the rest to just fall into place, you have to be all over every aspect.”

After a tough first two years, Stacey feels like her business has now gained momentum. “My work is being published, I’m working on some great projects and I have a wide range of clients. And my existing clients are referring me to new clients which is the best type of customer feedback,” she says.

When the opportunity to appear on television came up, Stacey was ready for a new challenge. “An email was circulating through the industry and one of my friends forwarded it to me and told me he thought I should apply… so I did. And then everything changed. My life has never been the same since homeMADE. Although I was only on the show for a few weeks, it was such a pivotal point in my career. I gained so much exposure, built a profile, established key relationships and friendships, and then started my own business.”

Although the exposure gave her a head start, Stacey says it has taken a lot of work to keep the ball rolling. “Although the majority of my work at the moment is residential, I love working on a mixture of projects. It’s nice to have a balance of residential, retail, hospitality and commercial projects, but I do really love working with residential clients. I love people so residential projects tend to be much more personal and emotional. The most important thing is that I’m really happy with the progress I’ve made and I’m loving the place that I’m at!” Editorial exposure in magazines like belle has helped keep her name out there too.

Stacey, who enjoys pottery as a different kind of creative outlet in her spare time, describes her style as modern, eclectic, and a bit quirky. “I love colour and pattern, but it depends on each project and client.”

She’s currently working on two blocks of apartments in Sydney’s Mosman. “We are refurbishing the common areas so that they feel like residential spaces and less like office hallways. There are 90 apartments across two buildings, so it’s an interesting mix of people. Presenting the design scheme at the Annual General Meeting in front of 60 people was a bit overwhelming, but everyone loved it!”

Who does she admire in the industry? Greg Natale of course, fellow homeMADE contestant Darren Palmer “for his masculine and moody interiors” and Stewart Horton of Horton & Co whose style “is totally chic”. She also loves Paul Hecker’s work. “He is super talented and I love seeing his new projects… he is really inspiring.”

She thinks it’s an exciting time for interior design. “Designers are really coming into their own and creating their own look. Design is becoming so much more unique, exciting and inspiring. I love it!”

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June 11, 2012

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Love this one 😍 The brief was simple – to de Love this one 😍

The brief was simple – to deliver a functional, light filled, beautiful and contemporary family home that honoured the history of the old interwar home, whilst being financially efficient,” says @splinter_society_architecture’s Asha Nicholas.

On the homepage now via link in bio.

#interwararchitecture #heritagearchitecture #heritageaddition #heritagefacade #heritagerenovation #heritagefeatures #splintersocietyarchitecture #doubleheightspace #moodywalls #moodyinteriors #paintedbrick #originalfireplace #heritagefire 

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💦 Summer's here and if you don't already have a 💦 Summer's here and if you don't already have a pool, you might be wishing you did, or planning one for next year!

Funnily enough, I've never wanted a pool but that may be because I grew up in England!🤣

The votes are in for Australia's best pools and we have them all on the blog today. Via link in bio.

From tiny backyard plunge pools to big family pools with slides, acreage pools, Hamptons pools, shipping container pools, pools with views, spas and glass windows, pools on sloping blocks and everything you could think of in between!

Do you have a pool? Do you use it a lot? Do you wish you had one?

#poolgoals #backyardpools #plungepool #plungepools #pooldesign #poollandscape #poollandscaping #infinitypool
#shippingcontainerpool #hamptonspool
At the weekend, Seb asked if he could put a box of At the weekend, Seb asked if he could put a box of drawings out the front of the house to sell and raise money for the homeless at Christmas.

Of course I planned to sneak my own coins into the box when he wasn't looking, but then a lovely passer by left this note and $5 in an envelope "To the artist" and made his day 🥰

I want my kids to be kind and empathetic above all else ❤️ You bet I'm proud of him for coming up with this idea himself.

And as grownups, let's be the people who leave a note and encourage this sort of thing 🙏🏻
A or (swipe) B? This divine coloured concrete Jun A or (swipe) B?

This divine coloured concrete Juno bath from @nood_co (available in 21 colours) or this fluted number (available in 1500 or 1700mm length) from @highgrovebathrooms?

Baths are no longer the basic that you choose all your statement tiles and tapware around. Now the tub can BE the statement!

Just two of the new products featured in this week's bathroom roundup, on the blog now via link in bio.

#statementbath #featurebath #bathlover #bathtubgoals #bathtubdesign #bathtubs #freestandingbath #bathroomniche #bathroomtrends2023 #concretebathroom #concretebath #concretebathtub #colouredconcrete #concretebasin #bathgoals #bathtubsofinstagram #noodco #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #highgrovebathrooms
Summer 🌞💦🌸 #hydrangeas #hydrangea #aussi Summer 🌞💦🌸

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Victorians, are you still allowed to have gas in y Victorians, are you still allowed to have gas in your home? We share the ins and outs on what you need to know about the new rule in Victoria when it comes to your energy.

The good news is, for most people nothing will change, however if you are planning a new build/renovation that requires a planning permit – you will need to speak to your builder to get your permit lodged before 1 January 2024!

 We’re here to answer all your questions with the help of @australiangasnetworks! Read more via link in bio now.

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Our ever popular top places to buy Australian bed Our ever popular top places to buy Australian bed linen online post has been updated for 2023! Head to the blog now via link in bio to get some bedroom inspiration!

Whether you liked classic stripes, fun florals, moody linen or cotton covers, we have something for you!

#bedroomstyle #bedlinens #bedroomrefresh #bedlinen #bedroomgoals😍 #bedroomstyling #bedsheet #bedsheetonline #bedsheetlovers #duvetcover #doona #freshsheets #freshsheet #newbedroom #bedroomstyle #interiorsblog #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
The owner of Noosa homewares and furniture mecca @ The owner of Noosa homewares and furniture mecca @coastalvintage, Sally Oulton travels the globe looking for amazing interior finds. And now you can join her on one of her bespoke interior sourcing tours to Bali where you’ll be taken far from the crowds to discover the best homewares and furniture that the Indonesian paradise has to offer. Read all about it via link in bio.

#baliindonesia #balishopping #balishop #balisourcing #balihomewares #balihomedecor #balitrip #balistyle #baliinteriors #baliinterior #baliinteriordesign
Just capturing Mr 5 here before he stops going to Just capturing Mr 5 here before he stops going to daycare and preschool next month and becomes a school boy. All the feels 😭❤️🙏🏻
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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 10 years. She is mum to two young boys and lives in Sydney.

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Comments

  1. AvatarMike says

    June 13, 2012 at 10:31 pm

    Interesting write up. I like her style and feel she will do well in future years.

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