This month’s Style Files sees us chatting with the lovely Briana Forster of Briana Forster Design, or Bri as she prefers to be called.

Bri is a busy Mum, stylist and superwoman of business. Having previously owned and run a busy retail space, online shop and design studio, along with manufacturing a clothing range and sourcing homewares internationally, she simplified in 2019 to become a Freelance Interior Stylist. Her life is now filled with the 3 loves of her life – Family, Design and Travel.

Coming to you from the Sunshine Coast, if you’d like a dose of stunning interior inspiration, along with a sprinkling of sand and sunshine check out Bri’s insta @brianaforsterdesign

Here are the pearls of wisdom she had to share with us:

My style is:

Fresh, Colourful, Contemporary with just a hint of the industrial

I find inspiration:

Travel! And oh gosh I miss it so much in these crazy COVID times. Immersing myself in different cultures, getting into nature, wandering the streets of cities… with each adventure I would be exposed to so much inspiration for colour, textures and ways of living.

I use colour to:

Infuse personality in a space. Manipulation of colour saturation, intensity, the volume of colour that is used within a space has such an incredible effect on how a room is received and the intangible effect it has on how a space ‘feels’

Form or Function.  Why?:

Function first every time! I am such a practical person by nature however I’ve always cringed when I have heard clients say things like ‘ well when the children grow a little older we will fit the house out nicely’ What??!?!??! That’s 18 years or more of living without beauty in your home, your world, your sanctuary. I firmly believe that form and functionality can work in tandem when practicality and durability are key players in the decision making process. Also what use is form if it can’t be enjoyed? I want to create beautiful rooms where they have all the feels the ergonomics are in place to enjoy those spaces all day every day!  Function is definitely a founding factor within the spaces I create.

Styling advice I live by:

Invest well in key furniture pieces – Sofas, Beds, Dining Tables and Chairs. The old adage ‘Buy Well Buy Once’ is key. Ensure you purchase the best quality pieces you can afford when investing in those structural elements when furnishing a space.

Top home styling tips:

Start with a neutral base of fresh white, soft neutrals or light greys. Then build from there. Add colour and texture. Texture will give depth and dimension to your space, colour will give it personality and life! Don’t follow trends to the letter. If you like a trend, take elements of it and add it to the collage of your space. Your home is unique to you … the last thing you want is the cut copy effect from a furniture catalogue!

Top tips for buying the perfect rug:

Make sure it’s big enough! Nothing worse than a postcard stamp of a rug eek!

What is your go to Six Fourteen Rug?:

I don’t have a particular go to because each of my clients briefs are so unique. However, at the moment I am loving the entire Kakadu collection for its colour, ethnic inspiration  and super softness under foot – all four of these designs are simply divine!