Creating beautiful and meaningful spaces is at the heart of every project for Emma Blomfield. The Sydney-based interior designer, stylist and best-selling author dives into every project with the same admirable passion, originality and impeccable eye for design.
We got the chance to speak with Emma about her design philosophy, how to find one’s unique style and just a few rug styling tips for all you Rug Culture readers.
1. Tell us about your design philosophy.
I'm all about making design accessible and affordable for all. It's rare that I refuse to work with a client due to their budget. I believe everyone has a right to a beautiful and meaningful home and try to keep that at the forefront of what we do day in day out with our client projects. I do enjoy pushing the boundaries in terms of colour and pattern so you'll see my portfolio features a lot of colour and pattern compared to many other designers. I enjoy working with colour, pattern and texture and finding a happy harmony between them all.
2. Do you have a favourite project or story behind a project?
I've worked with such a vast array of projects in the 10 years I've been in business from visiting remote sheep stations in outback Queensland to give decorating advice on their homestead to teeny tiny one bedder apartments in Sydney's inner city. I love the variety and get bored easily, I so love that I have clients come to me from all over the country with a new set of challenges for me. I can't choose a favourite (that'd be like choosing a favourite child!!) but some of the ones that stand out have actually been charity jobs I've worked on to help spruce up women's shelters, children's hospital rooms and also the work I do with the Royal Flying Doctors too. Seeing how much an environment can impact vulnerable people and being able to make that experience a little bit easier for them is one of the most rewarding parts of my job.
3. In today’s world with social media and ever-changing trends, it can be a challenge to be original. What’s your advice for someone trying to create their own unique design aesthetic?
It's hard to carve out a genuine following these days but the key is to show your personality without too much heavy editing. People want to know the person behind the brand so share what you feel comfortable sharing and see how your audience receives this. If they engage with what you're sharing then keep creating that kind of content. I don't share too much of my personal life on my Instagram feed but enough to show that there's a real person behind the brand that my audience might be able to relate to.
4. We’ve had the pleasure of seeing our rugs beautifully styled in many of your projects. What are a few tips for styling a rug like a pro?
I love how rugs instantly transform the room and help zone the space to create different areas within an open plan space. A few tips: always use a rug underlay, especially if laying a rug on floorboards. Place the front feet of your furniture on top of the rug at a minimum otherwise it looks like you've arranged your furniture around a postage stamp. And lately, if you're tossing up between sizes, use masking tape to map out where the rug will sit in your room, it'll help you visualise it a bit better.
5. What are some at-home rituals you started this lockdown that you'll hope to continue?
I'm hoping to not continue the bad habit of snacking every 5 minutes!! I have enjoyed being home more to cook lovely meals for dinner each night so I'm hoping by starting ordering my veggies to be delivered to the front door each Monday I'll be able to keep that habit up!!!
You can find Emma Blomfield on Instagram at @emma.blomfield or at https://www.emmablomfield.com