‘Sun and the City’
South Yarra
My introduction to my client was not in the typical interior decorator – client way. My clients approached me before they had a property to decorate! They were wanting to buy an apartment for family members in inner city Melbourne. So I introduced them to a buyer’s advocate and the rest is history!
Being from tropical Queensland and having family holidays in the Carribean, they wanted colour! Their art that they had accumulated was bright and colourful and reminiscent of the sunny beach locations. Not the art that you would associate with a cool apartment with views of nearby city buildings and coffees on your doorstep!
The challenge was trying to reconcile the vibrant colours and casual lifestyle of the tropics with Melbourne; a bustling city where people are known to wear black.
Aside from getting the feel right, time was an issue. And as my clients were from interstate, they needed the apartment to be turnkey.
A catalogue of their art work was provided so I could help select pieces that would not only fit, but reflect the feeling of the apartment. Yellow, bright cobalt blue, a rich red terracotta were the main colours of the interiors. Wide stripes of beach umbrellas and the narrow stripe of a pinstripe were used in each room to reflect the new sense of place.
For my clients, it feels like a home. With familiar colours, art work and a laid back fun vibe, they can reminisce about their time in the tropics while exploring their new city paradise.
Testimonial
“My husband and I engaged the services of Katie when we purchased an apartment in Melbourne for our daughter to attend VCASS for year 11 and 12. My step son was to live with her to be her carer while we remained in Queensland with our younger children. Furnishing the apartment and having it set up so that our children would be happy felt like a daunting task. It would have been but for the expertise of Katie!
Often I’d say, “just do what you think” and Katie always got it correct.
From the very beginning Katie felt like the perfect fit for the task and we were correct. She listened to our wants and our family history so that she could create a space that catered not only to our children but to us. We wanted a comfortable but beautiful apartment and she delivered. My husband and I are busy professionals and have 5 children so we did not want to have too much input through the process. We allowed ourselves to trust her judgement based on our brief.
Katie would give options when the need arose, which I was grateful for but often I’d say, “just do what you think” and she always got it correct. Katie kept us informed through the process but did not overwhelm us. Katie also went above and beyond helping us with some Body Corporate issues. We came in on budget and couldn’t be happier. The end result is a beautiful apartment and happy customers (and kids!). We’d have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Katie Riddell’s services to future clients.”