“Interior design’s not just about the cushion plumping. It’s about the cushion fill,” laughs creative director of luxury interior design studio Studio Trio, Lauren Mahoney, on this week’s episode of The Edit.
As we trace her path from Western Sydney kid circling IKEA catalogues to buying her own studio at 28, Lauren opens the door on what really makes a home feel expensive, calm and actually you. She also shares the hard truth: “There’s no point designing something people can’t afford. You both need to win, they get a beautiful home, and you make some money.” Lauren spills fabric-world secrets, the reality of late-night scheme sessions, and why starting “at the bottom” is still the best design school there is.
“Stick with the plan… if it’s navy and white, don’t let a random terracotta cushion derail your life.”
Lauren Mahoney
Host and editor of Home Beautiful, Elle Lovelock, goes inside Lauren’s 1913 Federation home with its white walls, dark floors, and a Taubmans Double Grey “French blue-grey” kitchen. Lauren insists she’s “not a chopper,” declaring there are only two kinds of people: “cushion choppers, and not.” There’s incense burning after dinner, Byredo candles, eucalyptus spray around the bins, and a single framed wedding photo in a Ralph Lauren frame that quietly sums up her whole ethos: classic, sentimental, and never overdone.
For anyone paralysed by Pinterest boards and terrified of costly mistakes, Lauren’s advice is ruthlessly comforting: break it down to one room, one sofa, one palette. “Stick with the plan,” she says. “If it’s navy and white, don’t let a random terracotta cushion derail your life.” Whether you’re dreaming up your first apartment or finally tackling the ‘grown-up’ living room, this is your permission slip to design slowly, thoughtfully and on your own terms.
…plus inspiration for living room styling – where do you start? Our trend expert, Paula Cincotta from Oz Design, gives unique insights into the progression of interior design trends, sharing ways to style easily without getting overwhelmed.
How to style your home easily without getting overwhelmed
Our trend expert Paula Cincotta from Oz Design who gives unique insights into avoiding trends to cut through the noise and style your living room in a way that’s uniquely you. ““”You can’t just jump on a trend and use it if you’re not comfortable with it,” says Paula. “I think you’ve got to embrace things that make you feel like yourself.”
“Don’t worry about chasing every trend; pick one or two details that feel like you and let them build on the look you already love.”
Paula Cincotta, OZ Design
If you love refining your home sanctuary, interior design, home makeovers and real-life renovation advice, this episode of The Edit is your ultimate starting point. Hit play to get inspired, get practical tips you can use this weekend, and see your home with fresh eyes.
The Edit Episode 9
The Edit podcast from the team at Home Beautiful is supported by OZ Design and Luxaflex.
A space to connect and belong to a growing group of our audience who want to go behind the scenes of our glossy pages to discover exactly what makes a house a home.
We’re talking to our favourite people in the interiors world – designers, retailers, homewares heroes, and some unexpected interiors enthusiasts who’ll share what makes their own homes special, from the first memories of the spaces they inhabited in childhood to how they live and entertain today.
Listen now: Episode five of The Edit is available via the iHeart app, homebeautiful.com.au, or wherever you get your podcasts watch below or listen here.
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