46. Why Furniture Hire Matters More Than You Think | Huntley + Co

When people think about preparing a home for sale, they usually picture the finished styling. What they don't see is everything happening behind the scenes to make that transformation possible.In this episode of Behind the Design, I sit down with Amy Smith, founder of Huntley + Co, a Sydney-based furniture hire business created specifically to support property stylists, interior designers and creative professionals.After spending more than a decade as a senior stylist, Amy recognised a growing gap in the industry. Independent stylists needed access to beautiful furniture, reliable logistics and an easier way to hire pieces without managing their own warehouse. That insight became Huntley + Co.We talk about the evolution of the property styling industry, what it takes to build a business that supports other creatives, and why furniture hire has become such an important part of preparing homes for sale.Whether you're a property stylist, interior designer, supplier or creative business owner, this conversation offers an honest look at what happens behind one of the industry's most essential businesses.In this episode we cover:·  Why Amy founded Huntley + Co after 13 years in property styling·  The difference between furniture hire and property styling·  How Huntley + Co supports independent stylists and designers·  Building a business around solving industry pain points·  Designing a furniture collection that balances timeless pieces with current trends·  The role technology plays in simplifying furniture hire·  Growing through uncertainty during COVID·  Supporting creatives beyond furniture through the Style Minds community·  Building long-term client relationships through reliability and trust·  What success looks like after building a thriving creative businessIf you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe to Behind the Design for more conversations with the people shaping Australia's design industry.Follow Amy Smith and Huntley + Cohttps://huntleyandco.com.au/about-us/ https://www.instagram.com/huntley_and_co/https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090875392637 Follow Unfolded:https://www.unfolded.com.au/https://www.instagram.com/unfolded_ —------Chapters00:59 - Behind the Design with Amy Smith02:47 - The Evolution of Property Styling05:33 - Finding a Gap in the Property Styling Industry08:03 - The Reality of Starting a Creative Business11:07 - What a Furniture Hire Company Really Does15:00 - How Technology Is Changing Property Styling17:16 - Choosing Furniture That Appeals to Buyers20:42 - Design Trends vs Timeless Interiors22:47 - Building a Community Around Your Business25:36 - Using Social Media to Grow a Design Business29:07 - Why Trust Matters More Than Talent32:43 - The Biggest Challenge of Growing Huntley & Co35:04 - Redefining Success as a Business Owner36:50 - Quickfire Questions with Amy SmithKeywordsfurniture hirefurniture hire Australiafurniture hire SydneyHuntley + CoAmy Smith Huntley + Coproperty stylingproperty stylisthome staging Australiahome staging furnitureinterior styling businessinterior designers Australiaproperty styling businessfurniture rental for stylistsstyling homes for saleinterior design podcastBehind the Design PodcastCamilla Engelhome presentationstyling industrydesign business