Design School - Online - Group 27, 2024
Trainer: Melissa Bailey

From fashion wholesale to interior decoration, Catherine Nicolaidis has channelled her creative instincts into a business that feels both personal and purposeful. After 15 years in the fashion industry, she made the leap to study at Design School, where she developed the knowledge, skills and confidence to launch her own interior decoration business SIENNE, with a focus on virtual design. With a passion for colour, creating highly personalised spaces and a strong client-first approach, Catherine continues to carve out her place in the industry while staying true to her unique design style. We caught up with Catherine to reflect on her time at Design School and the exciting journey that’s continuing to evolve post Graduation. 

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What’s your current role and how did you carve your path into the industry? I'm an Interior Decorator, running my own design business Sienne, which focuses on vi...

Design School - Online - Group 26, 2024
Trainer: Mel Rettore

From stay-at-home mum to shop owner and emerging interior decorator, Alicia Fennell’s journey is one of rediscovering purpose, following a creative spark, and building a business that feels deeply personal. Now the face behind Birre Home a beautiful homewares and gift store in the heart of Birregurra, Alicia has created a space that reflects her love of colour, texture, and joy-filled design. We caught up with Alicia to hear more about her time at Design School, how she found her confidence, and the exciting path she’s paving post-graduation.

 What's your current role in the industry? 

I'm the owner of Birre Home, a homewares and gift shop in Birregurra, Victoria.

What kind of projects do you specialise in, and what makes your work stand out?

At the moment, I’m focused on the retail side of the business, but in the future, once all my kids are at school, I definitely want to start decorating residential projects. I try...

We love seeing what our graduates get up to when they are out working in the industry... the beautiful work from Zhana Garkinis caught our eye, and we just had to catch up with her to find out what she had been up to since studying with us! 

When did you study with us? Design School Group 3 (a while ago - we are now up to Group 30!)

What is your occupation now? Interior Designer & Decorator

What kind of projects do you work on? Residential Interior Design & Decoration, New Homes & Renovations  

How would you describe your personal design style?  

I’m very drawn to Modern American Homes, because they feel sophisticated in their design but are so wonderfully comfortable to live in. I love to design modern contemporary homes too. 

What did you do before this / what initially attracted you to study at our Design School?

I worked in the corporate business sector previously. I was attracted to study at Design School after attending an information session. I instantly fell in love with...