Hi everyone and welcome to our blog!
I'm Juli, founder and director of Ortenburg Interior Design. For a while I've thought about finding a space where we can discuss our work, as well as share insights about the design world and our place within it - all in a reasonably lengthy format. After exhausting the list of options, it occurred to me to do something that no one else could possibly have thought of - to start a blog . We welcome everyone to join us on this journey, whether you're curious about design or just want to learn a bit more about us.
For as long as I can remember, I've had a passion for art and design. The allure of beautiful objects and exotic colours ensnared my senses, so much so that I couldn't resist putting things together, whether redecorating my parents' house as a child or coordinating outfits. This zeal developed as the years went by, and I began to pursue the visual arts more seriously. When my senior artwork made it into the NSW Art Express, I knew that this was the life I was meant to lead.
As any young person would be, I was overwhelmed by the opportunities that presented themselves. Fashion design seemed an exciting prospect, as did illustrating - I even landed a job offer at Walt Disney! But I was continually drawn to the built environment, and since I already had some experience in technical drawing, it became clear that interior design would be an interesting path to follow.
While I formally studied interior design, I gained hands-on experience as a merchandiser at various stores including the David Jones flagship store in Sydney, designing & assembling the large window displays. Working in this sphere did much to sharpen my acumen as a designer, with the added benefit of directly testing the market to see how consumers would respond. I also spent a year studying fine art, which proved an indispensable insight into the use of colour and its psychological effects.
At the tail end of my studies I began to take on private clients, and soon enough, word spread. One project morphed into the next and it wasn't long before I'd covered considerable ground - ranging from residences, to hotels, bars, offices, and car showrooms. These were the days before social media, and as I was so busy with word-of-mouth referrals, I never thought to advertise until now! As social media rapidly became part of the modern lifestyle, I eventually joined the bandwagon - and here I am blogging away!
With each project I gained a wealth of knowledge and resources to add to my arsenal, not to mention the opportunity to work throughout Australia and overseas alongside a wide variety of clients and talented professionals, from architects, engineers, landscape designers, builders, developers, and tradespeople - the list goes on. My vocation as an interior designer was confirmed and validated, and I continue to love every minute of what I do.
By the time my son could talk, it was apparent that he'd caught the design bug too. From his propensity for making bizarre contraptions to a compulsive need to draw, it seemed like I had an engineer or architect on my hands! His curiosity turned to serious interest during high school, and it was time I brought him into the office. There, he observed the inner workings of my design practice and started to contribute - learning CAD along the way. The next logical step was for him to study architecture, after which he joined me in business while also doing freelance work with an architect colleague of mine.
In addition to being an accomplished musician, cultural sponge, and polyglot, my son brings a lot to the table, and through his infatuation with history and art infuses a great deal of panache into our design work. He's also behind the many 3D renderings and graphics we produce. At leisure, he can be found sketching, at the piano/violin, reading, or working on his many pet projects.
After a bustling life based in Sydney, I decided to make the sea change and move to our summer home in Nelson Bay. As I'd been working from home throughout much of my career, I felt it was time time to do something I'd always dreamed of - to open up a studio and showroom where I can offer the public my design services, as well as the opportunity to see my hand-selected range of products, built up over two decades, all under one roof.
I look forward to sharing more details with you about my experiences as a designer, as well as behind-the-scenes insights into how our design practice operates. Over the course of the next few posts, I'll also be outlining and describing the many hats we wear at Ortenburg Interior Design, and how each one contributes to the final product.
Until next time.
X Juli