Brooke Perry studied Interior Architecture at the Swinburne National School of Design in Melbourne for 4 years and moved to London for 11 years as soon as she graduated. She spent her time in London working for a high end residential architectural practice, which fuelled her passion for heritage refurbishments.
She moved to Sydney in 2015 and has previously worked with Richards Stanisich. She is currently with Arent&Pyke.
When I was launching my candle range, I wanted to photograph my candles in a space different from my own. It had to be the home of someone with impeccable taste, so naturally I turned to my friend Brooke.
I sat down with her recently to discuss all things design.
Do you have a specific design aesthetic that you try and incorporate in your work?
I generally respond to context. A harbourside side interior will generally have a different look and feel to a heritage listed home in Paddington for example. I tend to gravitate towards natural materials for the architectural palette and play with colour and pattern in furnishings. I like designs to be timeless.
What’s one styling challenge you sometimes come up against and how do you overcome it?
Its generally budget related. The key is quality over quantity and also to look at up and coming artisans and makers, as pricing can be more affordable and you can source some really unique pieces.
What’s the biggest design mistake you see people making?
Less is more. Design is always subjective so I wouldn't say people necessarily make mistakes, however selecting quality pieces and finishes provides a far better solution than cramming a lot of ideas into a single scheme.
What’s a good way to incorporate scent when designing a room?
This is dependant on location. If you have an oceanside home or a house that backs onto bushland, its about inviting the natural scents into the room. Diffusers or natural wax candles used sparingly are a great way to incorporate scent into the home.
What key elements are required to perfectly style that room?
Selecting pieces which are suitable to the scale and proportions of the room. Materiality is important and mixing textures and incorporating colour into a space is key. Lighting, lamps and low level ambient lighting can really elevate a space.
Let's get personal...
What else are you passionate about besides your work?
Sustainability and learning about more ways to incorporate this into our work and every day living.
What is your most treasured belonging?
A beautiful artwork by my close friend and artist Prue Clay.
If you weren’t an interior designer, what would you be doing?
I would love to work in a gallery in Europe curating contemporary art.
What’s one thing in your home you can’t live without?
My Mac. It's used for work, TV, music and communicating with friends and family.
In 10 years, I'd love to...
Have done up a beautiful heritage home in the country, rent it out for functions and photoshoots and sell local artisan produce and design pieces.
Brooke's candle is the Henry: The Wattle candle, personalised with her name.