DAY ONE: MONDAY 28 SEPTEMBER 2020

The Perfect Room

Kathryn M. Ireland (US)

10am – 10.50am (AEST)

Born and raised in Europe, Kathryn divides her time between Santa Monica California and her French Farm. She is considered one of the most influential interior, textile, and furniture designers worldwide. Her signature style is described as comfortable, bohemian, and family friendly with large doses of color and a lack of orthodoxy.

Kathryn most recently set out to disrupt the digital design industry, working with major Silicon Valley tech companies to found The Perfect Room, the first luxury online concierge design service, providing unparalleled design expertise in a simple online platform.

Her clients include actors and playwrights, Steve Martin, Drew Barrymore, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and David Mamet, Tech entrepreneurs from the Dollar Shave Club to Apple. Kathryn is the author of six best-selling books, including Timeless Interiors, Summers in France, and Kathryn At Home. She has also starred in Bravo TV’s Million Dollar Decorators, and on ITV’s Design Wars. She continues to appear on Good Morning America and other morning shows.

Her signature fabrics are distributed internationally, and her work has been published globally including features in Architectural Digest, World of Interiors, House and Garden, Elle Decor, House Beautiful, the Wall Street Journal and New York times. Kathryn is consistently named as one of Elle Decor’s A-List designers, was coined one of the Top 100 Designers in the United States by House Beautiful, and in 2020 was included on Architectural Digest’s list of the top 20 Most Famous Interior Designers Working Today.

Adding to her long list of credits, Kathryn also hosts Design Retreats each summer at her home in the South of France, and regularly hosts design boot camps in Los Angeles for designers and design enthusiasts.

Kicking off the first virtual Australian House & Garden International Seminar Series at Decor + Design, join Kathryn and be inspired to create ‘The Perfect Room’. This seminar will be an exclusive mix of pre-recorded footage and live Q & A.

A MASTERCLASS IN PATTERNS

Greg Natale (AUS)

12pm – 12.50pm (AEST)

Join multi-award-winning Australian interior designer Greg Natale for a masterclass on how to use pattern and colour to create bold but sophisticated spaces.

Greg’s name has become synonymous with flawlessly glamorous interiors, both in Australia and around the world. In the words of Jonathan Adler, “Greg Natale’s rooms are designed with such sureness that they look as if they were always meant to be!”

His designs have featured in numerous local and international publications, including Architectural Digest, Harper’s Bazaar, The Wall Street Journal, Vanity Fair, Vogue Living and Belle Australia. With projects spanning hospitality and hotels, residential and collaborations with leading brands such as Designer Rugs, Bizarra and Grange, Greg Natale truly is a force majeure in Australian design.

Learn how to intricately layer patterns and colour with Greg’s finesse, and become unafraid of using big notes and tones. Join us for this exclusive virtual seminar which will be a mixture of pre-recorded footage and a live Q & A with the man himself.

: @gregnatale

WILDLY BEAUTIFUL INTERIORS

INTERNATIONAL KEYNOTE | Abigail Ahern (UK)

3pm -3.50pm (AEST)

Leading UK-based designer Abigail Ahern is known for being consistently ahead of the design trail.

Whether she’s pioneering faux flowers or dark, inky colour palettes, Abigail’s trendsetting designs are synonymous with glamour, eclecticism and quintessential British humour. An arbiter of cool Brit girl style, her palette seamlessly fuses masculine and feminine for a hip aesthetic that creates spaces you never want to leave.

Abigail began her career in interior design in the states, with a portfolio that spans lavish residential properties such as the Ritz Carlton Palm Beach. Returning to London, Abigail founded her own retail business 2003. The Abigail Ahern flagship store in Islington is one of the UK’s top design boutiques, voted one of the coolest places to shop by Elle Decoration and the Telegraph.

Abigail has a global following thanks to her retail and product designs, best-selling books and influential blog. In the words of The Independent, “each post on the addictive blog of Abigail Ahern reads like a love letter to your home.” She has also authored three interiors books and is a regular contributor to newspapers and magazines.

Abigail has also almost single-handedly made faux flowers and plants cool again. Her foraged take on faux botanicals uses a wild aesthetic to merge house and garden. Think trailing tendrils, native branches, heirloom blooms and woodland fronds.

Join Abigail for this masterclass on how to create fearless, wildly beautiful interiors that look as if they were always meant to be.

The seminar will be a dynamic mix of exclusive pre-recorded footage and a live Q & A with Abigail.

: @abigailahern

KIT KEMP’S DESIGN THREAD

Kit Kemp

4pm -4.50pm (AEST)

Over the years Kit Kemp MBE has been forging an internationally-acclaimed reputation, not only for her unique hotel interiors as Founder and Creative Director of Firmdale Hotels but also as a successful textiles, fragrance and homewares designer, author and a highly-respected champion of British art, craft and sculpture.

Kit Kemp is the creative force behind Firmdale Hotels. First opening Dorset Square Hotel in 1985, Firmdale has 10 properties, with eight hotels in London including Ham Yard Hotel, The Soho Hotel, Covent Garden Hotel, Charlotte Street Hotel, Haymarket Hotel, Number Sixteen Hotel, Dorset Square Hotel and Knightsbridge Hotel, and two in New York, The Whitby Hotel and Crosby Street Hotel. Kit is celebrated for her individual and original approach to the way she transforms and arranges buildings, with a colourful and detailed storytelling in her design.

Kit has collaborated with leading global design brands such as Wedgwood, Wilton Carpets, Andrew Martin, Anthropologie, Christopher Farr, Chelsea Textiles and Fine Cell Work, creating collections including tableware, fragrance, furniture, fabrics and wallpaper. Many of these products are available to purchase through Shop Kit Kemp, an online store complete with a range of products ready to buy for the home.

In 2012, Kit published her first book, A Living Space which follows an inspiring personal voyage through the many spaces she has designed. This was followed by a second book, Every Room Tells A Story. Her third and latest book, Design Thread, was published on 21st February 2019.

In 2019, Kit launched Kit Kemp’s Design Thread. A new website which showcases her world of colour and design including collaborations, films, and a blog which shares an insight into her work, design dos and don’ts and day-to-day experiences.

Kit Kemp is also a Trustee of Fine Cell Work and the Heritage of London Trust.

Join Kit for this mini masterclass and learn how to create storied interiors which feature an extraordinary design thread. Kit will talk about her approach to hotel design, product and fabric design, art, craft and beautiful interiors.

This seminar will be a mixture of exclusive pre-recorded footage and a live Q & A with Kit herself in London.

DAY THREE: WEDNESDAY 30 SEPTEMBER 2020

Live with Nate Berkus

Nate Berkus (US)

10am – 10.50am (AEST)

American design superstar Nate Berkus established his award-winning interior design firm at the age of 24. Since then, his elevated but approachable design philosophy has transformed countless homes across the world through his interior design work, home collections, books, television shows and media appearances. Ever since Nate’s first appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2002, he has become one of the world’s most recognisable interior designers.

Nate’s work has been featured in many publications including Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, Harper’s Bazaar, VOGUE, InStyle, O Magazine and People. He is included on the ELLE DÉCOR “A-List” of the world’s top designers and was named to the AD100 list in 2018.

This is your chance to get up close and personal with Nate, who will be LIVE for 50 minutes Q & A with Editor-in-Chief of Australian House & Garden, Tanya Buchanan. Get the inside scoop on some of Nate’s favourite projects, how he approaches a new client and the inspirations behind his gorgeous collections.

FUTURE DESIGN

David Hicks

1.30pm – 2.20pm (AEST)

A keen advocate of streamlined, well-resolved spaces combined with an elegant and sophisticated decorative layering, Hicks has revolutionized modern design and has created a unique international style, for which he is well known and in constant demand.

Known for his fastidious attention to technical detail, razor sharp eyes and relentless pursuit of perfection, Hicks spends much of his time trying to push boundaries and seek out new and creative ways of resolving, producing and managing his unique projects.

Join Hicks for a look into his design world and what he calls ‘Future Design’, the next chapter in his design journey, addressing the importance of design in this ever-changing world and consumers’ expectations on quality and craft. Hicks will take you on a journey through his recent collection of projects, both built and conceptual, and explain how he has seen and adapted to a shift in design along with insights into what he believes is the future of design.

This seminar will be an exclusive mix of pre-recorded footage and live Q & A.

WORKSHOP | PRACTICAL TIPS FOR THE BUSY DESIGNER

JAMES TREBLE (AUS)

3pm – 4pm (AEST)

James Treble is an award-winning interior designer, TV presenter and writer with over 25 years’ experience in the building & design industry. In addition to his vast expertise and experience in home renovation and the construction of new homes, he is a qualified interior designer, colour consultant and real estate agent. To say he loves anything to do with the home would be an understatement!

James is well known for various roles on Australian TV over the past 10 years, including seven years as the resident Interior Design expert on the popular program The Living Room. James is currently presenter on Open Homes Australia and the design judge on Renovate or Rebuild, both on NINELIFE.

A master of juggling jobs, this workshop will be LIVE from James’ studio. It is designed to give you an arsenal of practical tips, with James sharing his selection processes, how he works with his clients and how he’s been dealing with the impacts of Covid.

Whether you’re an experienced decorator or designer – or new to the field – this workshop promises to be an entertaining opportunity to learn ‘Practical Design’ tips from one of the most in-demand designers in the business!

: @designerjamestreble

DAY FIVE: FRIDAY 2 OCTOBER 2020

TRANSFORMATIVE INTERIOR DESIGN

INTERNATIONAL KEYNOTE | BOBBY BERK (USA) & Jen Bishop, The Interiors Addict

10am – 10.50am (AEST)

Bobby Berk is best known as the design guru on Netflix’s Queer Eye, for which he has gained a huge following (2.7 million on Instagram).

However, Bobby is far from an overnight success. He spent 20 years in New York working his way up in companies like Bed Bath & Beyond and Restoration Hardware, before becoming Creative Director for Portico Home + Spa.

Berk started his eponymous company in 2006 and opened his first showroom in Manhattan in 2007. In 2015 he launched his full-service bespoke interior design practice for residential, commercial and hospitality clientele.

The Bobby Berk firm has quickly established itself as a leader in the home building and interior design industry, refusing to accept anything other than innovative and exciting design solutions.

Epitomising hip, urban luxury, Berk’s designs reflect a stylish and youthful spirit that perfectly fits any lifestyle. The results are proof of the transformative power of design.

Join Bobby Berk for a seminar in conversation with Jen Bishop, Founder of the hugely successful blog ‘The Interiors Addict’. Discover his secrets for creating accessible, stylish designs which transform lives. The session will be an exclusive mix of pre-recorded footage and a live Q & A with Bobby.

: @bobby

Flack to Basics – Creating ‘Forever’ Spaces

DAVID FLACK (AUS)

1.30pm – 2.20pm (AEST)

David Flack is Founder & Principal of Flack Studio, a multi-disciplinary practice of designers and architects in Melbourne who are committed to delivering supremely elegant, contemporary interiors.

As the scion of a construction business family, David has a deep-seated understanding of the built environment. As a sophisticated traveller with an appreciation for art and culture, he is attuned to the potential of interiors to not just provide shelter from the world, but to create one’s own identity within it.

Respectful of the architecture that precedes him, Flack is adept at creating environments that resonate with their era – and echo into the future.

David will show you his unique approach to interior architecture, in which spatial planning, detailing, materiality, furniture, lighting, textiles and fittings coalesce into a holistic – if sometimes idiosyncratic – experience as he creates ‘forever spaces’ for his clients.

This seminar will take you into David’s design approach to give you a sense of how Flack Studio creates its spaces. It will be a mixture of exclusive pre-recorded footage and live Q&A.

WORKSHOP | DIGITAL STRATEGY FOR THE DESIGN INDUSTRY

ROWENA MURRAY (AUS)

3pm – 4pm (AEST)

Row Murray is the Director of creative digital agency Kenobi Digital. A digital marketing specialist for over 15 years, she has run major digital projects for household-name brands such as Priceline Pharmacy, 7-Eleven Stores, Swinburne University, Melbourne University, SkyBus, John Frieda Haircare and more.
In recent years, Row has worked with a range of stylists, artists, designers and agencies as she’s supported their businesses to pivot into successful digital landscapes – allowing business owners to meet their clients and customers wherever they are.

We now live in a world where a customer’s virtual experience is primary. Join Row for this live workshop to optimise your design business’ digital strategy. From social media to a powerful web experience, Row will talk through what great UX and CX means in today’s digital landscape.