Design Anatomy

A city’s design culture doesn’t thrive by accident—it grows because people make generous choices. We sit down with Manuela “Manny” Millan, founder of 'Meanwhile in Melbourne' , interior designer and design manager at Fortis, to map how one person’s curiosity can lift an entire creative community while shaping more livable homes. Manny takes us from her Colombian roots to early retail and visual merchandising, through the “baptism” of first built projects, and into a developer role where apartments are designed around real rituals rather than tired clichés.We dive into the multi-residential conversation with clear, actionable ideas: layouts that prioritise light and airflow, kitchens built for hosting with three‑metre islands, and bathrooms turned into daily sanctuaries. Manny explains why wellness amenities—steam-capable showers, stretch spaces, cold plunge—are becoming baseline expectations, not luxuries. She also shares how buyer feedback and demographic insight refine design decisions from site acquisition to settlement, and why Victoria and South Australia share a distinct sensibility for materials, cooking, and community.Meanwhile in Melbourne gets a rare behind-the-scenes look: how it began as a student’s directory and became a trusted platform for authentic Australian design. Manny’s curation filters out copycat work and leans into originality, cross-discipline collaborations, and stories that make you pause mid-scroll. She offers practical guidance for pitching projects, protecting your voice, and breaking the algorithm’s sameness. We wrap with a mantra worth stealing: if you don’t ask, you don’t get—so DM the collaborator, show up at the opening, and start the conversation.Listen for grounded advice on apartment design, wellness-first planning, and creative careers. Subscribe, share with a design-loving friend, and leave a review with the one ritual your home absolutely must support.Bree is now offering a 90-minute online design consult to help you tackle key challenges like colour selection, furniture curation, layout, and styling. Get tailored one-on-one advice and a detailed follow-up report with actionable recommendations—all without a full-service commitment. Bookings now open - Book now Join Lauren online for a workshop to help break down the Design steps to run your project & business a little smoother with the Design Process MasterClass, opening 15th October! For more info see below The Design Process MasterClass ONLINE

The colour world just lit a match and called it neutral. Pantone crowned white as Colour of the Year, and we couldn’t let that pass without a serious debrief. With our friend and designer Jono Fleming, we dig into why a “blank canvas” lands as apathy for many, how politics always sneaks into palettes, and what this choice says about the stories brands tell when the world feels anything but calm.We pull apart the forecasting machine—zeitgeist reading, panel dynamics, and the messy lag between runway hype and real homes. From Benjamin Moore & Co's safe browns to WGSN’s transformative teal and Dulux UK’s wave of blues, we compare signals and ask what colour could have held the moment with more honesty. Grey with a breath of blue. A slightly uneasy avocado. Blues that steady rather than sedate. These choices admit tension, instead of painting it out.Then we get practical. What does white mean in lived-in spaces with pets, kids and real budgets? Why does white often telegraph luxury by exclusion, and how can you use it intentionally—layered, textured, characterful—rather than as a default? We share how trend cycles really move, why your home shouldn’t swing with every headline, and how to keep your colour confidence when the feed shouts “reset.” Design is allowed to soothe, but it should also say something. If your palette helps you act, rest and connect, it’s doing its job.Subscribe for more candid interior talk, send this to a friend arguing for the landlord special, and tell us: what colour actually reflects the year ahead for you?Bree is now offering a 90-minute online design consult to help you tackle key challenges like colour selection, furniture curation, layout, and styling. Get tailored one-on-one advice and a detailed follow-up report with actionable recommendations—all without a full-service commitment. Bookings now open - Book now Join Lauren online for a workshop to help break down the Design steps to run your project & business a little smoother with the Design Process MasterClass, opening 15th October! For more info see below The Design Process MasterClass ONLINE

Your home shouldn’t feel like a decision you regret every time you sit down. Lauren goes solo to unpack the biggest myths that keep spaces cold, hesitant, and half-finished—and shares practical moves that make a room feel welcoming without a renovation. From tackling open plan confusion to choosing colours that turn shadow into mood, this conversation is a clear-eyed guide to building a home that behaves.We start with the pain points we all face: decision fatigue after a big build, guests hovering because zones aren’t clear, and the fear of spending on the wrong thing. Lauren breaks down why white paint rarely helps small, low-light rooms and how deep greens, blues, or terracottas can create an inviting cocoon. She explains why larger rugs anchor a living area and visually expand space, how layered lighting signals where to gather, and the simple storage choices that tame daily clutter before you commit to custom joinery.We also dig into the truth about grout lines, tile drench bathrooms, and the divisive charm of tiled benchtops. Lauren makes the case for mixing colours from room to room while keeping a consistent style language across the home. There’s a frank take on electric fireplaces that don’t quite sell the illusion, plus realistic paths to great design on a budget through focused consultations, marketplace finds, and vintage pieces with soul.If you’re ready to swap hesitation for a plan, this episode will help you prioritise the moves that matter most. Subscribe, share with a friend who’s stuck on their lounge layout, and leave a five-star review to help others find the show. Then tell us: which design myth are you breaking first?Bree is now offering a 90-minute online design consult to help you tackle key challenges like colour selection, furniture curation, layout, and styling. Get tailored one-on-one advice and a detailed follow-up report with actionable recommendations—all without a full-service commitment. Bookings now open - Book now Join Lauren online for a workshop to help break down the Design steps to run your project & business a little smoother with the Design Process MasterClass, opening 15th October! For more info see below The Design Process MasterClass ONLINE

What if the secret to better interiors is the same method therapists use to guide change? We sit down with Anouska Milstein of Studio A.mi to unpack a simple framework that reshapes design from the inside out: observe, explain, predict, and then change or improve. It’s a candid, uplifting look at how empathy, psychology, and good systems turn “make it pretty” into “make it personal.”We trace Anouska’s path from psychology lectures to a concept-driven degree and the small practice apprenticeship that taught discipline, file hygiene, and craft. She shares how a COVID redundancy pushed her to build a studio that centres collaboration and consent, right down to greeting clients with a hug when it feels right. Trust becomes practical: a smarter onboarding questionnaire, three feeling-words per room, and a feedback rhythm that avoids polite nods followed by next-day panic emails. We dig into planning for how people actually live, why colour misses often come down to unspoken history, and how to “step into the plan” to test light, flow, and comfort before a single wall moves.If you’re an interior designer, architect, or design lover curious about client psychology, rapport, and creating homes that age with their owners, this conversation is filled with honest lessons. Expect talk of body language, reading the room, mentorship, redundancy as a reset, and the relief of systems that keep creative work organised under pressure. It’s a reminder that design is a service, trust is earned, and the best rooms begin with listening.Check out Studio A.mi's beautiful work on socials:https://studioami.com.auInsta: @studio.a.miEnjoy the chat? Follow the show, leave a rating, and share this episode with a friend who loves thoughtful interiors. Your reviews help more listeners find us and keep these conversations going.Bree is now offering a 90-minute online design consult to help you tackle key challenges like colour selection, furniture curation, layout, and styling. Get tailored one-on-one advice and a detailed follow-up report with actionable recommendations—all without a full-service commitment. Bookings now open - Book now Join Lauren online for a workshop to help break down the Design steps to run your project & business a little smoother with the Design Process MasterClass, opening 15th October! For more info see below The Design Process MasterClass ONLINE

What if “timeless” isn’t a look, but a way of working? We sit down live with Jeremy Bull (Alexander Co.), Simone Haag, Bree Banfield and Nicci Kavals of Articolo Studios to unpack the real markers of longevity: craft, material honesty, and the stories that form when people actually live with their spaces. It’s a candid tour through trend cycles, practical sustainability, and the design choices that keep rooms relevant without sanding off their character.Jeremy shares how Alexander House was conceived to look old before it looked new, using recycled materials and exposed structure to avoid disposable linings—proof that method and supply chain can shape a lasting aesthetic. Simone dives into the power of collectible pieces and why confidence, not caution, carries objects across eras; she argues that the rooms we remember are built on layered narratives, not risk-free palettes. Nicci opens the curtain on craft, from straw marquetry to cast bronze, and makes the case that honest sustainability sometimes means making the few things people will keep and repair for decades.We explore the tension that makes spaces feel alive: old versus new, feminine against masculine, stone with glass, minimal shells warmed by art. We also tackle real-world constraints—budgets, kids, shipping, and the myth that avoiding trends guarantees longevity. You’ll hear practical ways to design for optionality: favour furniture-like kitchens, specify solid timber over glues, and choose pieces you’ll reupholster instead of replace. Most of all, we circle back to memory—why a lamp’s glow at 2 a.m. can be more enduring than any “timeless” swatch.If you believe interiors should age with grace and gather meaning, this conversation will sharpen your eye and steady your choices. Listen, share with a design-obsessed friend, and if it resonated, leave a five-star review and tell us the one piece you’ll never let go of.Check out the incredible works of Jeremy, Simone & Nicci belowhttps://alexanderand.co   +    @alexander_andcohttps://www.simonehaag.com.au   +   @simonehaaghttps://articolostudios.com   +  @articolostudiosBree is now offering a 90-minute online design consult to help you tackle key challenges like colour selection, furniture curation, layout, and styling. Get tailored one-on-one advice and a detailed follow-up report with actionable recommendations—all without a full-service commitment. Bookings now open - Book now Join Lauren online for a workshop to help break down the Design steps to run your project & business a little smoother with the Design Process MasterClass, opening 15th October! For more info see below The Design Process MasterClass ONLINE