Wesley Nienaber, Maree Homer.
In an industry often swept up in what’s in and what’s out, stylist and designer Kate Nixon’s approach to interiors feels like a deep breath.
Her design philosophy isn’t shaped by fleeting aesthetics - it’s guided by intuition, emotion, and a belief that home should be a source of everyday joy.
“I love the movement towards no trends in interiors,” she says. “It’s about embracing what makes us different, not more the same. To make a house a home we should find what we love and make it our own.”
That ethos—layered, textured, and resolutely personal—sits at the heart of Kate's work and now takes shape in her newly opened design studio on Crown Street, Woolloomooloo. Set in a converted ground-floor restaurant, the space is both a functional workspace and a warm showcase of her studio’s spirit.
“We wanted it to be a tangible reflection of the warmth and generosity we strive to create in all of our interiors,” she says.
Filled with natural light and thoughtful finishes, the studio is a living portfolio of her team’s craftsmanship and collaboration. “The results are a celebrated sum of our parts,” she reflects.
“We are grateful for the enduring patience and genius of all our partners who make everything possible.”
This sense of layered evolution is something Nixon has long championed - both in her interiors and in her career.
With an early foundation in food and interior styling and writing, she spent 15 years as Houses and Interiors Editor at Australian House & Garden, alongside her store and studio. Her move into full-time design felt more like a deepening of what she already loved: creating homes that feel lived in and loved.
That love for layering translates into her design advice, which centres not on trends or big renovations, but thoughtful, lasting investments.
“Soft furnishings transform a space. A rug anchors a room, window treatments frame a view, and cushions create comfort.”
She champions a mix of architectural and decorative lighting for mood, art for personality, and fresh foliage for instant atmosphere. “A big, beautiful branch or bunch of blooms can hide all manner of mess and provide an instant lift.”
She suggests curating one’s surroundings through the lens of joy. “Look at the pieces you have gathered around you and decide if they bring you joy. Display them on open shelves, coffee tables, sideboards, and bedsides with stacks of books and photo frames of favourite memories.”
2025 is set to be one to remember for Kate and team if the recent launch of her bespoke furniture collection for BOYD Blue is anything to go by. Three years in the making, the collection offers seating, storage and occasional pieces in natural tones and woven textures, available through the brand’s online and Rushcutters Bay store. Just a stone’s throw away from the design studio, and offering a more accessible approach to interiors for those with shorter timeframes or more modest budgets. Think exclusive new accessories, custom soft furnishings, and styling services.
While she draws much inspiration from the scale of American interiors and icons such as Nancy Meyers, and the craftsmanship and patina of European design, Sydney remains her home and creative anchor.
“I loved it from the start - the food, the streets, the harbour and the ocean,” says the former Queenslander who moved to Sydney in 2006. “Twenty years on, I love it still.”
Her favourite local haunt? Alimentari in Paddington. A beloved Italian institution created by Laraine Russo. “I stopped by for cannelloni and cake on the way home from hospital with both my babies, and I’ve stolen many a quiet moment at Laraine’s kitchen bench amid busy days,” she says.
“It’s my favourite place to share with loved ones - a home away from home with beautiful food, coffee, music, magazines, interiors, and the kind of warm hospitality that, for me, captures the very essence of home.”
And perhaps that’s the real takeaway from Kate’s journey - not a guide to replicating a look, but an invitation to create something that feels truly your own.
Not on-trend. Just at home.
KATE NIXON Studio in Woolloomooloo welcomes enquiries and appointments for full-service interior design projects. Select accessories featured in this shoot are available from the KATE NIXON store in Rushcutters Bay - located at Shop 1, 50 Bayswater Rd, Rushcutters Bay. Shop online at www.katenixon.com.
