I graduated from the University Technology Sydney with a Degree in Architecture but after working in the field for a bit I found myself more drawn to interiors. In 2017, I started my own interior design company, Smac Studio (“Smac” is a portmanteau of my name Shona McElroy). Through wonderful luck, I found clients willing to invest in quality materials who give me a lot of creative freedom. Together we have created homes that have been nominated for several design prizes - including winning two Muse gold awards.

My father is an architect and my mum is an interior designer - it’s in my blood. Design was always part of the language of our home. Around the dinner table, on holidays together, even just driving to and from school we’d talk about the built environment and how it could be more functional and beautiful.

Smac Studio specialises in high-end residential projects. We create bespoke spaces for our clients’ unique personalities and lifestyles - elegant design with impact. As the principal, I oversee all elements from spatial planning to fixtures, fittings and equipment.

The marriage of form and function.

I find constant inspiration in Europe and The Americas, particularly Italy and Brazil. I have a great appreciation for all styles of interior design, but I do gravitate towards natural materials and textures. I think they’re timeless.

Well-designed homes facilitate relaxation, entertainment, work and play.

My style is ever-evolving and layered with detail. I’m always looking for elements I can thread through my designs to create a harmonious visual story as you move through the home. I want my projects to be detailed, luxurious, daring and playful.

I think Australian design is informed by the climate and a reverence for nature. Australian sunlight has a beautiful clarity to it and my clients always want me to bring more natural light into their homes. The landscape here also has beautiful bronze and sage-green tones, which I often incorporate into my designs.

The symbiotic relationship between people and bookstores is guided by spirit and connected by emotion, which is the focus of Ueno Bookhouse's design. After the original sloping building structure has been corrected, the layout of the space has been reorganized, and the action track and emotional appeal of people in the bookstore will be reorganized and presented.

It means a great deal for my work to be recognised by my peers in the interior design industry.

I entered two projects this year and both were awarded gold. These projects are a reflection of my personal aesthetic - I had clients who trusted me, were willing to invest in quality and gave me enormous creative freedom. A designer’s dream.

Bringing natural light into the homes and fitting everything the clients wanted into the small spaces (the internal width of both these homes is only 4.8m).

We are a young design practice, so I hope that winning these awards will bring us more clients who share and appreciate our aesthetic.

My favourite thing is the tangibility - interior design is one of the few professions were you can see your ideas literally form in front of your eyes. I also love spatial planning and finding beautiful patterns in natural stone.

I think Australian design tends to be quite bold and experimental, from the Sydney Opera House to modern skyscrapers covered in vertical gardens.

Post-pandemic I think people are more sensitive to the way their homes make them feel. We now appreciate clever design more and understand how it enhances our lives. I also think we’ll see more integrated landscaping and green space.

Submit something you’re proud of that reflects your aesthetic - the kind of work you want to do more of.

Get into the industry as soon as possible. Apply to smaller companies while you’re still studying, as you’re more likely to get exposure to the design process there. Being thrown in the deep end is the best way to learn.

If I weren’t an interior designer, I’d be an artist.

Interior designer Kelly Wearstler for her bold, playful use of colour and architect Zaha Hadid for her curvy building innovations.

Listening to the client and reflecting their wants in your designs in the single most important thing. It creates trust early on, which is integral to a successful project.

Be open-minded and never stop learning.