I have been asked a few times of late, so today I will share a little about me!
From an early age I was interested in things that most kids aren’t, re arranging my parents house was a very regular activity for me, as was growing my own garden filled with flowers that I filled endless vases with, as well as getting excited about setting the table, especially for special events, but where did this come from and what does this mean today?
I was born in the inner city of Melbourne, Australia’s second biggest city, but at the age of six my parents packed up our city life and we moved to the rolling hills of South Gippsland, a beautiful part of Victoria filled with pretty countryside and endless views. We went from busy city streets to quiet county roads, we had chickens, a house cow, a pony, vegetable patches and fruit trees, dogs and cats, it was a completely different world and one that today I believe was a perfect foundation, we had endless freedom and spent hours outdoors exploring and creating whatever we dreamed!
I was always festinated by beautiful things, my Dad is a painter and our house was filled with his paintings, not the regular country landscapes that were the normal, but modern abstract paintings that played with colour and shape. My Mum was always making things, from our clothes to a garden filled with endless produce and beautiful flowers. They encouraged me to do what I loved, and I started making and collecting all manner of things, from miniature porcelain animals to making whatever I could imagine from clay and paper.
At the fresh age of 18 I moved back to Melbourne to study textile design, at the end of school I couldn’t decide what I wanted to do, fashion design, interior design, perhaps photography, so I decided that textile design would be my foundation, after all it could be applied to so many mediums. At design school we learnt everything from how to draw, to how to see the world with open eyes, not to mention the fundaments of design and how to be an original designer, not to simply follow the crowd, but to follow your own style and to develop it and embrace it!
My first design job was working for an American interior decorator, she had a great passion for textiles and creating spaces that were filled with colour and classic American style. My eyes were open to the world of interiors, from all over the world. It was a fantasticating place to work, she had no interior design training, but had just started decorating houses and it had grown from there, I realised that what really mattered was a passion and an eye, with out these you could have studied at the best schools in the world, but you could just follow the crowd and no one would notice your personal style.
I then begun dreaming about combining my love of interior design and textiles, I stared designing my own collection of textiles that I started to use in my own home and then started to fill my clients homes with, I wanted to create a range of beautiful, handmade original fabrics that were not governed my trends or fashion, but had foundations in design and originality.
Today I wear a few hats, I work as an Interior Designer, designing homes all across Melbourne, bringing my love of interiors that reflect my clients style and tastes, with a fundamental timeless approach to make homes that will evolve with my clients, that are filled with pieces they will keep for a lifetime. Interior Styling is another of my great passions, not only resolving spaces and homes through styling them, but also though creating folio and editorial features that have a personal touch but keep the induvial style of the project and its vision. Lastly Textile design remains a great love of mine, there in nothing quite like seeing your designs in homes all over the world!
I will forever be amazed at having a thought and then seeing it become a reality and being a designer gives me this opportunity every day!
If you’re ready to make your interior design goals come true get in touch and let Gabriel bring your dreams into a reality, after all the sooner you have the home of your dreams, the sooner you can start living them!
