I’m Tegan Joan, founder of interior design firm Studio Joan, and mum to two beautiful young boys, four and almost 2. I specialize in residential interior design and decoration and have always been interested in exploring how the interior environment can affect wellbeing - how elements come together to enhance the everyday. I work in both the residential space but I’m hoping to break more into the hospitality and retail space as my portfolio grows. My husband is an architect so over the years I have integrated his knowledge into my work, especially with spatial planning and the home’s overall function.

“I have always thought if your child comes home with a crazy artwork and they want to hang it on the fridge, will it look out of place? If the answer is yes, you have a house, if the answer is no, you have a home.”

This is always a tough one because I’m so immersed in it, it’s difficult to put it into words. The biggest thing for me is creating a space that makes you feel something. I’m drawn to applying color and texture to spaces, layering materials to create a story – that doesn’t necessarily mean it's eclectic, it can absolutely be tonal, but I never want a space to feel sterile and cold. I also love including some unique furniture pieces, whether sourced antiques or the clients’ own items to make the space unique to them and not just a cookie cutter home they found on Pinterest – I always ask, will this still feel relevant and beautiful in 5 years?

The brief was to freshen up the space and make it somewhere that Holly, the homeowner, could host parties and have friends around and be proud to show them her home. She wasn’t afraid of color and loves olive green. She already had lots of mid-century pieces so it was important that everything worked in an eclectic but clean way – we also didn’t want everything to feel ‘new’ and shiny, rather earthy and warm. Holly has this amazing rug that sits under her dining table, inherited from her grandmother. I fell in love with it straight away. She also has a great collection of art and objects from her travels. I knew the home could handle color, but it needed to be applied in a way that held space for her beautiful items.

Everyone always comments on the pink washroom, which is such a great pop of color and surprise – we took inspiration from the homeowners Plastic Fantastic art piece by Dina Broadhurst. However, I think my favorite space is the upstairs bathroom. I love the green handmade tiles with the carrara marble and we re-worked the space to house a larger bathroom and cupboard laundry. It was a real win.

Gosh there are so many! Lately I’ve been inspired by heritage renovations that pay respect to the building's history and the juxtaposition of old vs new. I’m also particularly obsessed with 17th Century European design. Baroque Architecture is so beautiful and all-consuming (maybe I’ve been watching too much Bridgeton). As I’m a bit of a romantic at heart, a 19th Century Parisian or Swedish country house with high ceilings and old timber floors, yes please!

A space that is layered with items you have collected over the years. A place you can come home to and not worry about if your shoes are on or off, or if you put that mug of coffee down without a coaster. A home should be a place where you can truly relax and take your mind off the world. I have always thought if your child comes home with a crazy artwork and they want to hang it on the fridge, will it look out of place? If the answer is yes, you have a house, if the answer is no, you have a home.

I think luxury is something that we can harness in our everyday lives and that can help us stay grounded and humble. Waking up everyday with a freshly brewed cup of coffee is a luxury, the opportunity to gather around a table and share a meal with loved ones is a luxury, jumping into a cozy bed at nice with fresh linen sheets is a luxury – luxury is all around us, we have to choose to see and be appreciative of it.

I start most days at 5am before the family gets up with an hour walk or Pilates session. I love being up before the sun, there is something about the stillness of the morning that’s invigorating.

When I get home, I brew coffee to sip on while I make breakfast for the boys. The rest is more of a routine than a ritual but I do love making and styling the bed each morning, something about a clean bedroom makes everything feel ok. We get really beautiful sunlight in our room in the mornings, especially in winter, so it’s quite relaxing.

Call us oldies at 30, but each night after the kids go to bed, Chris, my husband and I sit with a cuppa and usually some choccie and talk about the day, work and life - it’s a really nice way to reconnect and wind down before bed.

Interior Design Studio Joan

Photography Lou Wellington | Styling Rikke Harker

Courtyard Design Bondi Landscapes