Meet three of Australia's brightest young star's in design

Coast to coast, a new crop of creatives is writing the next chapter of great Australian design. Meet three who are making waves.

Shona McElroy – Smac Studio

Shona McElroy is known as the queen of powder rooms. “We use curves, colourful marble and bronze tapware that clients love,” she says. “It’s a space that people can easily picture in their homes, and yes, always super colourful, which we are becoming known for.”

The 29-year-old daughter of prominent architect Andrew O’Connell and former interior designer Vera McElroy says she can’t recall a time when she didn’t think about design.

After studying architecture at the University of Technology Sydney and halfway through a master’s degree, she switched to interior design.

“It isn’t as rigid,” she says. “I love its creativity and getting to know my clients and their spaces.”

McElroy’s team of five works out of a bright, top-floor space in leafy Woollahra. Their day is split between high-end residential apartments and private homes.

Currently, they’re working on a “few juicy projects” in Sydney and the Southern Highlands.

While once designers relied on print media to promote their projects, the modern digital media landscape means the struggle to be seen by the right eyes is more challenging than ever.

McElroy has an in-house marketing specialist and says building a strong social media presence is essential in an industry that requires exposure to win jobs.

“We work in a visual field and the more people who see what we can do the more trust there is,” she says. “A good marketer is crucial. It’s not a natural thing to self-promote.”

McElroy says her First Blush and Mirror Image projects, the latter shortlisted for the 2022 Australian Interior Design Awards, were turning points for her business.

“Working with a designer makes your property more valuable,” she explains. “It’s a huge investment for people based on trust and showing them what we can do is everything, and I think we are achieving that.”

Anna Trefely – Esoteriko

Sydney interior designer Anna Trefely loves “making things”, saying:  “It can be a hindrance sitting at a desk drawing in 2D all day – you need to know what each line means and how it all comes together.”

The 38-year-old  studied interior architecture at the University of NSW and, in 2017, established Esoteriko – using the ancient Greek word for interior or within.

She and her team work on new builds and heritage renovations, and seek projects with “interesting angles”.

“We got into high-end beauty and wellness early on, which is a nice niche to be in,” Trefely says. “You can create beautiful spaces with conceptual ideas for a more personal approach because the client is also looking for something different.”

The beauty of design and architecture is that it necessitates collaboration, which Trefely says is pivotal to her practice.

“We work with incredible artisans, and I’ve been on the tools and sanded down timber so it’s the right shape,” she says. “We strive for beautifully balanced spaces and sometimes you need to show people exactly what you are after.”

Her award-winning project Shelter, a luxurious wellness centre in Double Bay, is equipped with saunas, ice baths, saunas, a gym and a juice bar.

Trefely expressed each space flawlessly using a range of native Australian woods brought to life with an abundance of natural light.

“Sustainably and natural materials are always our focus,” she says. “We don’t push it, but we build on sustainable ideas with clients that inform them so they can make their own decisions.”

Ara Salomone – State of Kin

Architect Ara Salomone never designs the same building twice. “Every project needs a legacy, so they’re all very personalised,” she says from State of Kin’s Perth office, where she helms a team of 10 alongside cousin and designer Alessandra French.

She opened her practice in 2016, and each of her staff was an established professional in interior design, construction or architecture.

“We are a one-stop shop,” she says. “We do the lot, from designing the home to putting the forks in the drawer. It’s a holistic vibe for the very best outcome.”

The team focuses on retail, hospitality, fit-outs, residential projects and group dwellings.

“We’re versatile without a specific typology,” Salomone says. “We push boundaries, though – a house feels like a home when it’s bold.”

She says “staying ahead of the curve”, especially with technology, is crucial. For example, clients are given virtual headsets and walked through their future homes.

Being based in Western Australia is challenging due to geography and accelerating material and construction costs, Salomone says, adding: “It makes you resourceful.”

Once, you couldn’t get your designs across the line in the state, she says, “but that’s changed – people here are bolder now and we’re at the forefront of that wave”.

Salamone says Brick House and Shutter House, both striking monolithic structures that embrace raw materiality and light, proved ground-breaking for the firm.

“Suddenly, we didn’t have to fight for our designs because clients knew they were going to get a great outcome,” she says.