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

June 11, 2012

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

I think not!

Grab the recipe on the blog this morning via link in bio.
Get to know me! I haven't done one of these in YE Get to know me!

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!

#colouredconcrete #noodco #colouredbasin #blockheads #the block #bathroomtrends2022

Pic 1 by @naibudesign_ and 2 by @twostyleinteriors
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. 

We couldn't resist featuring this Canadian house tour today. The amazing Kelly Green  hutch (swipe) was an upcycled $200 find 🤗

Head over to the blog via link in bio to see the rest including one of the best playrooms we've seen in ages!

Project by @in.house.design
📸 @philcrozier
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
"Living rooms are important spaces where our publi "Living rooms are important spaces where our public and private lives intersect."

So says stylist @nataliewalton in her gorgeous new book Style, the Art of Creating a Beautiful Home.

"They are where we gather to welcome guests and entertain. But they are also where we decompress and relax at the end of the day. Increasingly, they are open-plan spaces and need to work within a greater scheme. Bringing all the elements together cohesively requires care and consideration. And, if you want a space that lives up to its true potential, make it personal and create with conviction."

Read an extract, the chapter on elevating your living room, on the blog today via link in bio.

Published by @thamesandhudsonau Pix by @chriswarnes 

#livingroomdesigns #nataliewalton #coffeetablebooks #designbooks #interiorsbooks #livingroominteriors #elevateyourspace
Kids and husband messing with my vignettes again🤨

PS. The coaster was RIGHT THERE 🤪
#weatherforit 🥶 Need a new blanket? Look no fu #weatherforit 🥶

Need a new blanket? Look no further than these gorgeous South African blankets from @baobabcollective, sustainably sourced, ethically crafted and imported by a Southern Highlands couple.

On the blog now via link in bio.
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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. 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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