Meet Danielle Brustman, the creative who traded set design for interior design

From sets to commercial venues and private residences, Danielle Brustman knows how to make a space shine.

We spoke with Danielle about backstage dramas, Milan Design Week, and how she styles her own personality-filled home.

How does your background as a set designer influence your work as an interior designer?

It’s had a powerful influence. I attempt to create narratives within spaces, as well as articulate focal points of visual spectacle within the domestic space.

I design interiors I hope are stimulating and nurturing environments for my clients. I also see interior design as an opportunity to express one’s unique story.  

Any backstage disasters as a set designer?

Many moons ago, when I was starting out in theatre, I painted the floor white for a Red Stitch theatre company production. I stayed late the night before the preview to give it a final coat of paint so the set would fully pop, but it was so cold that evening it didn’t dry entirely.

At the preview performance, to my dismay and horror, each step the actors took was accompanied by the nasty sound of a shoe peeling off sticky paint. By the end, the floor was covered in black footprints. It was a disaster. Lesson well learnt!

Does interior design tend to play it safe too often?

I think a lot of interior design, particularly here in Australia, does play it pretty safe and I do understand the reasons why people tend to be more conservative with design within their own homes, resale being one of them.

However, I think there is so much to be gained by imagining and designing interiors with a unique, playful and experimental approach.  I do see a gradual shift towards more bespoke interiors, and I hope this continues. 

Tell us about your Melbourne studio

It caters to clients with bespoke residential projects, as well as larger scale hospitality and retail projects. Along with designing interiors, I have recently designed and manufactured a run of limited edition furniture and lighting pieces.

 I also attended Milan Design Week, where I exhibited a coffee table with Local Milan, an Australian furniture and object design showcase.

Where do you find inspiration?

I find inspiration everywhere, and it can come in many forms. I seek inspiration for my work mostly through art, architecture, music, fashion and film; however, what I find most inspiring is people and the stories they tell.

What does your own home look like?

My home is a warm and imperfect collection of pieces and parts that expresses parts of my personality and story. It blends contemporary, antique and mid-century furniture with artwork, lighting and ceramics I have collected over the years. I have a five-year-old daughter, and at times the house seems more like a toy kingdom.