How Trisha Ruiz transformed her family home, found her creative voice and built a growing online community along the way.

 “They were building my dream home using my designs and drawings, which is absolutely crazy to me!”

Trisha Ruiz didn’t enrol in Design School because she had a perfectly mapped-out plan to change careers.

She enrolled because she wanted to learn how to bring her vision to life.

At the time, Trisha was working as a heart transplant clinical nurse consultant, parenting a toddler and preparing to take on a full renovation of her family’s 1920s Victorian weatherboard cottage in Melbourne.

She knew exactly how she wanted her home to feel: rich with colour, personality, texture and pieces collected over time. What she didn’t yet know was how to translate that instinct into a clear concept, practical drawings and confident design decisions.

“I had a vision and knew how I wanted the space to feel, but I had no idea how to get there.” 

Today, Trisha is still worki...

Photography by Mindi Cooke

What an amazing couple of months we have had at Design School with such a talented group of guest speakers coming in to chat with our students.

Last month, our trainer Holly Miskimmin had the absolute pleasure of hosting Carlene Duffy for a conversation on colour, lighting and the lived-in art of interiors. Known for her layered and soulful approach, Carlene generously shared insights from her own projects and professional journey, offering our G31 learners (who were studying Module 8: Colour & Lighting), plus some of our recent grads, a masterclass in how to use colour and light with intention.

“It’s not colour people tire of - it’s high contrast!” 

Carlene opened with this gem, explaining that bold colour isn’t the problem, contrast is. When clients ask for “just neutrals”, she digs deeper. Neutrals can have depth and richness when layered tonally, with texture and materials doing the heavy lifting.

‘Commit, don’t dabble.’

Carlene’s advice: ...