Her Design, Her Story

Jillian Dinkel is the founder and creative director of Jillian Dinkel Designs. Originally from America, Jillian spent almost two decades in fashion, including as an editor at Vogue in New York, before making the brave decision to retrain in interior design. Today, she is renowned for her work with period and heritage homes, particularly Sydney’s beautiful terraces, where she masterfully balances old and new -preserving the details, character and imperfections that give a home its soul, while making it feel relevant to contemporary life. Jillian is drawn to history and storytelling; she uncovers a buildings history and creates the next chapter. In this episode, Jillian touches on fashion, interiors, heritage, creativity and the journey between them -and the art of creating a home that feels both timeless and entirely personal.

Sacha is the founder and creative director of Southern Highlands-based interior design studio Opal & Oak. Sacha’s journey into interiors is a fascinating one. With a background spanning fashion, graphic design and creative leadership at Canva, she brings a wonderfully multidisciplinary perspective to her work — combining visual storytelling with structure, emotion with practicality, and beauty with purpose.

Keti Lytras is the Head of Creative at GlobeWest, overseeing her talented Design team. Throughout her time at the business, her role has always had many facets, including trend forecasting, product design, styling, and creative direction of GlobeWest’s range and lifestyle photography. Bought to you by @royaloakfloors_australia

Kelly Thompson is an illustrator, designer, stylist, creative director, speaker and all-round creative powerhouse based in Melbourne. Kelly’s career is a wonderful lesson in following curiosity and trusting where it leads. From fashion photography to illustration, interiors, styling and creative direction, her distinctive eye has shaped an incredibly diverse body of work. We discuss her unconventional creative journey, the experiences that have shaped her, and the importance of following your intuition. Bought to you by @royaloakfloors

Brought to you by @royaloakfloors  Brooke Holm is an Australian-American interdisciplinary artist and photographer based in Brooklyn, New York. Working across lens-based media, sound, sculpture and installation, her practice explores the elemental forces shaping our planet and the complex relationship between humans and the natural world. Her evocative work spans remote landscapes, architecture and the intimate details of the Earth. LINKTREE: https://shorturl.at/TUQBX

She wanted to study architecture. The careers advisor said her maths wasn't strong enough. So Sarah went and built an entire career in design anyway, just via the scenic route: advertising, David Jones, hand-drafted joinery, high-end Sydney residential, a boutique studio in regional Beechworth, and now a fully handmade, Instagram-only textile business she runs from 22 acres. In this episode, Sarah traces the sliding-door moments that took her from a country town in NSW to designing Westfield retail interiors, to closing her own store to care for sick family members, to rebuilding from scratch with nothing but leftover fabric and a login she barely understood. She talks candidly about the 80/20 rule of showing up online, why she still hand-drafts everything, designing by season, and the surprising reason her answer to "if your brand was a celebrity"

Brought to you by Royal Oak FloorsJessica Bettenay is the founder and creative force behind By R.A., an innovative interior design and renovation studio redefining the way people build and transform their homes.With a passion for creating thoughtful, highly personal spaces, Jessica combines creativity with practical expertise to make the renovation journey more accessible, collaborative, and enjoyable. In this episode, she shares her entrepreneurial journey, her approach to design, and the lessons she's learned while building a purpose-driven brand.

Kerrie-Ann Jones is one of Australia's leading interior stylists and designers, based in Sydney. A former style Editor at Real Living magazine, she's since built a career styling editorial shoots, campaigns and residential projects for some of the industry's top designers.  Her signature approach blends vintage and contemporary pieces with sculptural forms, layering texture and colour, creating spaces that feel curated yet deeply personal.  We discuss Kerrie-Ann’s incredible career, as well as her recent pivot towards interior design, publishing a book and the evolution of her online gallery.  Visit Royal Oak Flooring at: https://royaloakfloors.com.au LINKTREE: https://shorturl.at/TUQBX

In this episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Manuela Millan, the Design Manager at Fortis and the founder of Meanwhile in Melbourne, a platform championing local design talent. With incredible experience working across several notable design studios, Manuela has built a career turning real client needs into considered, liveable spaces.  We chat about her pathway to Australia and into design, the lessons learned along the way, and how Meanwhile in Melbourne grew from a personal project into a thriving creative community. Visit Royal Oak Flooring at: https://royaloakfloors.com.au LINKTREE: https://shorturl.at/TUQBX