Top 10 Interior Designers in Sydney
5 min
Everyone knows everything is bigger, bolder and better in Sydney, including interior design. Here’s our top 10 list of movers and shakers in the design world, from the big names, to the emerging practices, as well as a few hidden gems.
GREG NATALE
Natale has been running his own practice for more than 20 years now, which has grown from residential design to include a mini empire of rugs, soft furnishings and tiles to tableware and decor items such as vases and bookends. He has released three books, the latest, The Layered Interior, is about to be released. Expect pattern, colour and, above all, glamour as he leans into everything from old Hollywood to European Art Deco.
Picture: Anson Smart
YSG
This young practice, headed up by design ingenue Yasmine Soleh Ghoniem, has built a reputation for out-of-the-box interiors that experiment with colour, shape, pattern and texture. Not an aesthetic for the faint-hearted, the YSG look has nonetheless garnered considerable interest with its youthful, innovative approach. At the moment, the look is rich earth tones of terracotta and sage green but expected the unexpected from this exuberant studio.
ARENT & PYKE
There’s a reason why this dynamic team of Sarah-Jane Pyke and Juliette Arent keep sweeping the awards pool every year. Their colour-rich spaces perfectly balance to-die-for aesthetics with the practicalities of family life, creating spaces that are at once classic and utterly contemporary. Celebrating their 15th anniversary in 2022, they continue to demonstrate that they are masters of manipulating space and light.
Picture: Anson Smart
KAREN AKERS
Her name may not be so familiar, but this talented designer knows a thing or two about creating classic interiors that are neither conservative nor dull. With a thorough understanding of colour, pattern, and texture, Akers knows how to listen to her clients and respond to their briefs with wonderfully grown up spaces that feel both inviting and invigorating.
DECUS INTERIORS
It’s no wonder gifted designer Alexandra Donohue Church is in demand with architects such as Luigi Rosselli with her creation of seemingly effortless spaces that are both subtle and sophisticated. While the mood is often one of exclusivity and lashings of style thanks to her love of natural stone and judicious use of jewel-like tones, there’s also an element of the surprise. Expect to fall in love.
Picture: Anson Smart
ALEXANDER & CO
Popular with the eastern suburbs set, architect Jeremy Bull has created a design studio that understands natural light incredibly well, perfectly walking the line between drawing it in and keeping it at bay when the sun is beating down. With extensive experience working with older properties as well as more contemporary home, he knows how to champion original architecture while creating beautiful spaces perfect for modern living.
HORTON & CO
Ok, so strictly speaking, this design practice is based in Newcastle, but director Stewart Horton sharpened his skills in Sydney interior design firms before heading north in 2010 to open his own practice and realise his clients’ dreams of beautiful, classically designed homes. A champion of heritage homes under threat, Horton has breathed beautiful new life into grand old homes with his own definition of coastal luxe. Think smart, sophisticated spaces that embrace that indoor/outdoor lifestyle and you’re on the right track.
SARAH DAVISON
Biophilia might be all the rage now but Sarah Davison was doing it before it was cool. This Potts Point-based designer knows how to create stunning homes that embrace their environment without missing out on the best that city living has to offer. Natural materials such as stone, timber and leather create a palette that doesn’t just look beautiful, but feels incredible as well. With a thorough understanding of the design rules, Davison isn’t afraid to weave in the unexpected to surprise and delight.
HARE+ KLEIN
Another firm of designers who are no strangers to awards, the team at H+K are perhaps best known for their mastery of the neutral palette, with depth and weight coming from their deep understanding of the textural qualities of materials. Just as at home with contemporary beachside homes as they are with older, industrial buildings, their work is a masterclass in managing space, light and materiality.
Picture: Shannon McGrath
SJB
This multidisciplinary firm is possibly the largest firm on our list but there are few studios better equipped to meet the needs of a complex design project. From individual residences to hotels and commercial spaces, the SJB team love diving into the detail to create environments that you love being in, even if you don’t fully understand why. Materials are familiar, and yet used in ways that are wonderfully contemporary and perhaps even charming.
How much does it cost to hire an interior designer in Sydney?
Costs vary but expect to pay $50 to $90 an hour for a less experienced designer, up to $100 to $300 an hour for a more established name. If that seems like a lot of money, designers often have access to trade discounts and can be formidable negotiators. Clients regularly discover that the money they have saved on materials has more than paid for the design services.
Why Hire An Interior Designer For a New House?
There are so many reasons to hire an interior designer for a new build, not least because of the stress it will take off your shoulders. Anyone who has built their own home knows that there are dozens of decisions that need to be made on a daily basis. Having someone who has existing relationships with suppliers and is across every detail of your project will not only save you time but will result in a fully considered design that meets the needs of your whole family.
When should you engage an interior designer?
Most interior designers will tell you that it’s best to engage them as early as possible in the build and design process because it places them in the best position to create a cohesive space that looks beautiful while still being highly functional. They can provide expert advice on aspects of design like where to specify custom made joinery and the best ways to integrate everything from curtain tracks to kitchen appliances.
This stylish family home combines a classic palette and finishes with a flexible floorplan
Just 55 minutes from Sydney, make this your creative getaway located in the majestic Hawkesbury region.
Discover Melbourne’s ten best schools specialising in co-education.
5 min
The age-old debate when it comes to the discussion around schooling is whether to send your child to a single-sex or co-educational school. And notably, there has been a surge in co-educational schooling in recent years, with close to 86 per cent of students in the independent sector of Victoria alone said to be attending a co-educational school, according to Independent Schools Victoria.
The topic doesn’t come without its share of controversies, however. While many are in the camp that co-educational programs are, in large, leading to a more diverse, inclusive and progressive schooling experience for students, there is also a backing that voices its disadvantages and challenges – coeducational schooling can prove detrimental for certain types of learners, and at times, for girls.
So, as the educational system faces a changing with the times for future students, below we look at the very best co-ed schools in Melbourne based off a number of criteria, from academic and extracurricular programs, to facilities and location, plus more.
But first…
What is co-ed schooling?
Co-educational schooling, in its simplest form, refers to an educational system where both male and female students attend classes together in the same educational institution. Whereas single-sex schooling are institutions segregated by gender.
Is it better to go to a co-ed school?
To many, it depends the specific needs of the child at hand. While it’s proven that co-ed schooling does promote a sense of gender equality, a greater dynamic of social interaction and an opportunity to develop—or further enhance—interpersonal skills, some would argue that it can also present its challenges. For one, it can be said that educators would need to employ a more diverse teaching style to accomodate for the varied learning styles of both male and female students.
What is the most expensive school in Melbourne?
In 2024, it’s Geelong Grammar, with an average tuition fee of $46,344 per year for Year 12 students.
What is the most prestigious school in Melbourne?
While somewhat subjective, the most prestigious school in Melbourne is often determined by a number of varying factors, like academic performance, facilities, and extracurricular activities. Geelong Grammar, again, is at the top of the schooling hierarchy in Victoria – a boarding and day school founded in 1855 and one that has long held a reputation as one of the most prestigious co-educational institutions in Australia.
Below you will find nine other prestigious co-educational schools in and around Melbourne.
1. St Leonards College
Located in Brighton East, St Leonards College is one of Melbourne’s leading independent co-educational schools catering for students in all year levels, from ELC for three-year-olds through to Year 12. Since 1914, St Leonards College has been the Bayside school of choice, and remains an institution well regarded for its extracurricular activities.
2. Geelong Grammar
Geelong Grammar is Australia’s largest co-educational boarding school, catering for over 1,500 girls and boys from pre-school through to year 12. In its rich 168-year history, Geelong Grammar has taught some notable alumni or “Old Geelong Grammarians”, including media mogul Rupert Murdoch and even King Charles III.
3. Carey Baptist Grammar School
Carey Grammar is a known leader in independant co-education, with campuses in Kew and Donvale that caters for students from early leaning to Year 12. With a strong focus on innovation, Carey is renowned for its progressive and diverse curriculum.
4. Wesley College
Wesley College is an open-entry, co-educational school that has been offering the highest forms of education and cocurricular programs for over 150 years. Today, Wesley is one of Australia’s leading coeducational schools, with multiple campuses throughout Melbourne. Notably, Wesley is also one of the leading International Baccalaureate (IB) schools in the country, and is the only school in Victoria to offer IB from primary through to senior school.
5. Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School
In Melbourne’s north-west you’ll find the suburb of Essendon, where you’ll find most of the city’s most popular co-educational schools: Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School, or ‘PEGS’. But PEGS offers a different structure to its co-educational system; in primary years of prep to year 6, there is a seperate junior school for girls (Moonee Ponds), and boys (Essendon). Its flagship Keilor East campus is home to a seperate Middle School campus for girls, and one for boys. From years 11 and 12—or VCE—, the senior school is combined.
This structure, as PEGS explains, allows students to “enjoy the proven benefits of a single-gender education during childhood and early adolescence as well as a mature co-educational environment during critical VCE years.”
6. Haileybury
With an educational history dating back to 1892, Haileybury is considered one of the country’s finest co-educational schools thanks to a number of factors, from innovative teaching methods and outstanding academic results, to a strong focus on international studies.
7. Yarra Valley Grammar
A school that is highly regarded for its extensive range of contemporary opportunities and impeccably high standards of performance—led by principal Dr. Mark Merry— Yarra Valley Grammar, a school originally built on farmland “in the middle of nowhere”, is one of Melbourne’s best co-educational schools in the heart of the famed Yarra Valley region.
8. Caulfield Grammar School
Caulfield Grammar has long held its reputation for academic excellence, as well as its commitment to a well-rounded, co-educational program. With a particular focus on VCE curriculum, students in years 10–12 will participate in a diverse academic program with 49 VCE subjects to choose from, and a range of broad and balanced co-curricular experiences.
9. Mentone Grammar
Located in Melbourne’s idyllic Bayside area, Mentone Grammar is a leader in co-educational schooling, providing students from ELC to year 12 a plethora of opportunities to thrive, from its creativity and science centres to its immaculate sporting facilities, all designed to support a well-rounded—and highly regarded—educational program for females and males.
10. Huntingtower School
With a strong focus on literacy and numeracy, the co-educational program at Huntingtower School in Melbourne’s south-east enables its students to “develop deeper level thinking skills.” Plus, with a strong extracurricular program that allows students to experience activities like triathlons, urban adventures and language immersion programs, there’s no shortage of what is possible at Huntingtower School.
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All Photography supplied.
Just 55 minutes from Sydney, make this your creative getaway located in the majestic Hawkesbury region.
This stylish family home combines a classic palette and finishes with a flexible floorplan
