Business of Design: FURNISHD.
Teleisha Thomas
March 2024FURNISHD is a Collingwood based Interior Design studio. With a firm belief that great design should be accessible, Furnishd strives to help time-poor Australians create aspirational design outcomes that enhance their spaces at an achievable price point through an effortless experience. We sat down with Co-Founder & Director, Wayne Gao to talk about Furnishd’s mission, their seamless process, exciting projects and what is next on the horizon.
Tell us about the vision you had and why you started Furnishd?
For everyday Australians, the idea of hiring an interior designer often remains less explored due to cost considerations .With a multitude of online retailers, showrooms, brands, colours, fabrics, and sizes available to consumers, styling your home can be overwhelming and often results in costly mistakes.
We don't think that's how it should work, so we're changing it with Furnishd. Furnishd champions design outcomes at an affordable price point that transcend time and celebrate the cherished moments of each homes’ inhabitants.
From beautiful pieces to hidden gems, we help clients navigate furnishing decisions effortlessly. We ensure clients stay organised and on track with spatial planning, sourcing, procurement, delivery, and installation.
What’s your creative process?
There are 4 easy steps to create a curated sanctuary via our bespoke fixed-fee online interior decoration services.
1. Onboard
A phone consultation will help us get to know each other and details about your project. After purchasing the offering that suits your needs you will be sent a design quiz to complete, and then your designer will reach out.
2. Plan
Using your provided floor plan and property images we will create a furnishing layout and design direction guide for your home. A budget allocation for each proposed piece is shared with you so you can see how you are investing.
3. Design
Your designer will create and digitally share detailed and personalised moodboards with the furniture, lighting, and decor selections for your space. These images and product details will illustrate the vision for your space, all within your budget, timeline, and style.
4. Shop
Curating a design that’s unique to you requires sourcing and shopping from different suppliers. Our shopping team will coordinate all orders and deliveries so our clients stay organised.
Further to this, how do your clients feel about the approach? Talk to us about a recent project where you successfully transformed a space to meet your clients needs and vision.
Most of our clients are time poor so they appreciate the flexibility around the digital offering and the end-to-end support. Our client base like the transparency around design fees, and that we provide an indicative project spend before we start the process.
One recent exciting project is Bastings House, recently sold by Jellis Craig. Our client sought our expertise to furnish their property slated for sale, envisioning a unique touch that transcends the sales phase. Aiming to invest in distinctive pieces adaptable to their future space, they desired a design imbued with personality, celebrating local artisans, and seamlessly aligned with the locale.
With homeowners staying in their homes longer, how has this affected the demand for interior styling services?
With homeowners choosing to dwell longer in their abodes, the demand for interior design services has seen a notable uptick. As individuals invest more in creating sanctuaries within their residences, the desire for expertly curated interiors has surged
We have also noticed more people looking to update their homes with furniture and soft furnishing pieces instead of renovating. Picking carefully curated pieces can make a big difference in how a room feels.
Can you share any upcoming exciting plans for Furnishd? Are there any new product lines or services on the horizon?
We recently launched our digital directory, SHOWROOM, to promote and showcase the best of Australian design. From finest retailers, esteemed distributors, vintage collectors, to local makers and artisans, we’ve onboarded 30+ brands that our studio loves and collaborates closely with.
We believe SHOWROOM really helps us make great design accessible to more Australians as it creates a new way for us to discover our favourite brands and find inspiration in the season's most covetable pieces. From nature-inspired pieces to contemporary minimalism, we’ve done the homework so that you never have to feel like a design outsider again.
Furnishd Studio offers interior design and decoration services for residential projects.
If you would like to speak to Wayne and his team about your next design project, visit their website to book a consult.
5 Tips from our Furnishd team
- Don’t be a slave to trends. Buy pieces that you love and will work in your space rather than being swayed by what is in a magazine.
- Pay attention to lighting. Floor lamps and table lamps create a beautiful soft glow and balance our overhead lighting. Colour temperature of bulbs also make a huge difference – I always opt for soft, warm and glowing.
- Variety is important. Don’t commit to matching furniture sets as this can look clinical. Also think about the variety and balance of furniture, e.g. a sofa where the base goes down to the ground balanced our by an armchair with a finer frame.
- Artwork framing. Most people collect artwork and prints over a period of time. Frames that are all the same colour will create cohesive walls even with varying subject matters within the frames.
- Keep it clean. It’s amazing how de-cluttering a home and tidying up makes a huge difference to how your home can feel. Finish the space by adding some fresh flowers or foliage.
