#GuestSpeaker: Kate Collinson from Stylosaurus Studio

Building a Design Career Through Consistency

Showing up daily, building momentum, and growing Stylosaurus Studio

Group 25 | Online | Trainer @Mel Heard

Photography by Dijana Risteka

Design careers rarely begin with a single defining moment.

They’re built from consistency.

For Kate Collinson, founder of Stylosaurus Studio, momentum hasn’t come from one viral post or perfectly timed launch. It’s come from steady, daily visibility- in her work, her voice and her evolving studio practice.

When you look at Kate’s confident colour palettes, layered material selectionsand calm yet personality-filled interiors, it’s easy to focus on the finished result. But behind the scenes, the real driver has been something far less glamorous:

Consistency.

Hair Union- Ascot Vale- Photography by Jelena Close @ByHer

The power of small daily visibility

Kate’s online presence isn’t built on staged announcements or occasional polished campaigns. It’s built on rhythm.

Project updates.

Site visits.

Material discoveries.

Lessons learned.

A walk with her dog Murphy.

A quiet behind-the-scenes reflection.

Not every post is a big reveal — and that’s the point.

Showing up regularly has allowed Kate to:

•  Build trust with her audience
•  Stay visible to potential clients
•  Document her evolving portfolio in real time
•  Grow confidence in sharing her perspective
•  Turn everyday studio life into meaningful storytelling

Rather than waiting for a “perfect” project or perfect confidence, she began sharing the process -and continued.

Momentum builds opportunity

Since graduating from Design School, Kate has worked across residential renovations, commercial spaces, and creative refresh projects, steadily shaping a studio defined by confident colour, thoughtful materiality, and real-life functionality.

Photography by Raffaela Sofia

Most recently, she collaborated with  Sarita Holland & Bloom Built co on a beautifully considered bathroom renovation that demonstrates growing confidence in spatial planning, layered materials, and refined detailing. The project resonated widely, not because it was loud, but because it was beautifully resolved.

Her trajectory is a reminder that creative careers don’t expand from one big break. They grow from hundreds of small, consistent actions: posting, sharing, refining, connecting, learning and continuing even when progress feels quiet.

 Hair Union- Ascot Vale- Photography by Jelena Close @ByHer

A decorator with personality & perspective

Kate often describes interiors as her third career. After years in the corporate world and a decade running her own copywriting business, she entered design with strong communication skills, commercial awareness, and an ability to build genuine client relationships.

That professional foundation is visible in her growing studio, not just in the aesthetics, but in how she manages projects and communicates ideas with clarity.

During her time at Design School, Kate was encouraged by her trainers to begin before everything felt “ready.” That shift from waiting for permission to taking action, became a defining turning point. She launched Stylosaurus Studio while still studying, building momentum alongside her training rather than postponing it.

DS Archives- Kate's Project Work 

The details that shape her design voice

Beyond her project work, Kate’s creative personality shows up in the small details that shape her design perspective:

• Current colour obsession: Moody blues and greens

• Design vibe in three words: Confident, considered, playful

• Favourite design tool: SketchUp

• Biggest design pet peeve: Homes that feel over-styled and under-lived

• Favourite materials right now: Stone and tactile hard materials

• Best advice she lives by:

    “Stop waiting for permission — just do it.”   

Her work resonates because it balances creative confidence with real-world practicality, spaces that feel intentional, but genuinely lived in.

Advice from Kate

“You don’t need perfect timing, perfect branding, or perfect confidence to begin — you just need to start, and keep showing up.”

 

Whether it’s a project reveal, a work-in-progress snapshot, or a simple daily walk that reminds your audience there’s a real person behind the studio, consistency builds recognition, trust, and opportunity over time. 

Photography by Dijana Risteka

Follow Kate’s journey

You can follow Kate’s evolving studio, daily process, and project work at @stylosaurus where she continues to share the honest rhythm of building a design business — one post, one project, and sometimes one walk with Murphy at a time.

If you’re at the beginning of your own design journey — or ready to deepen your professional structure — Design School offers multiple pathways to step forward.

Whether that means enrolling in our accredited interior decoration training, joining Design School Studio for industry immersion experiences, or registering your interest for upcoming masterclasses, there is a way to begin.

Because creatives careers aren’t built by waiting.

They’re built by showing up.

Explore your next step with Design School via the link in our bio.

#GradsDoingGreatThings

 ^{Photography by Tania Lee}