Louise Olsen & Stephen Ormandy
Designer/Creative Director & Artist, Sydney
If you’re lucky, once in a lifetime you might come across a couple who are as equally talented, down to earth and naturally creative as each another. Well it seems luck was on my side when this amazing couple- Creative Directors of Dinosaur Designs Louise Olsen & Stephen Ormandy partners in life & business invited my crew and I into their beautiful home to photograph them surrounded by the special things that inspire and delight them.
As an interior designer it always makes my heart sing when I visit a home which has been beautiful curated and reflects the creativity & personality of its occupants. Louise & Stephen’s Bronte abode is light & color filled with a calm airiness and artistic sophistication. I have been a huge fan of their brand from a very young age and I have also specified their amazing Dinosaur Design Rugs for multiple hospitality projects I have designed, so to finally meet Louise & Stephen in person and see their gorgeous home was a huge honor.
Being given a guided tour by Louise and Stephen through their artistically curated home was like taking a journey through a beautiful treasure box filled with pieces from all over the world- India, Japan, New York and the Pacific Islands. At every turn there was a vignette of such surprising & unique composition that I caught myself smiling from ear to ear! It started with Stephen’s boldly colored geometric sculptures & paintings, and Louise’s whimsical tear-drop mobile which delicately dances in the light of the stairwell. Juxtaposed amongst their own designs are artworks by famous artists such as Fred Williams & Louise Tuckwell, and of course Louise’s own parents (and much loved Australian Artists) John Olsen and Valerie Strong-Olsen.
We collect things that inspire us and love the relationship between different objects. We like incorporating our own designs with the works of other artists, it creates a story and is a way of visually documenting memories – Louise Olsen
Louise and Stephen also have a beautiful collection of Aboriginal artworks complete with a bark painting by the notable Aboriginal Elder & Artist – Yirawala. The detailed composition of these native artworks sit beautifully upon the fresh white walls of their home. Many of the artworks through the home are by friends and family of Louise & Stephen’s and you can tell by the way they speak about them that each piece has a special place in their hearts.
Both my parents were artists. I feel very close to their paintings as I have wonderful memories of watching them paint. – Louise Olsen
We design pieces that we believe in aesthetically, if we wouldn’t have a piece we’ve designed in our home we don’t put it in the store – Louise Olsen
A fantastic collection of Dinosaur Design vases and plates are featured throughout Louise & Stephen’s home, artfully placed amongst an eclectic mix of objects which they’ve gathered in their travels- some antiques, and others by design gurus such as Jonathan Adler, Moooi, Georg Jensen and Patricia Urquiola.
It comes as no surprise that Louise has an incredible collection of Dinosaur Design Bangles & Necklaces! They also make great decorative totems when stacked up together, like how Louise displays them.
Our home is very simple, white with clean lines that allows us to display our collection – Stephen Ormandy
A personal note to Stephen & Louise- being welcomed into your beautiful home and being able to share the photos with the readers of Mavens of Design is a great privilege and an experience I’ll never forget, thank you!
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Martyn Lawrence Bullard
Interior Designer, LA
Louise Olsen & Stephen Ormandy
Designer/Creative Director & Artist, Sydney
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10 THINGS I CANT LIVE WITHOUT The star of Bravo’s Million Dollar Decorators, and design maven takes time out from decorating the homes of celebrities to tell us about the 10 things he can’t live without! Head to our website to read more! ☝🏼 -
TIP TWO: THINK LIGHT, WHITE AND BRIGHT. Give all internal walls and ceilings a fresh coat of white paint (my favorite is Benjamin Moore’s Decorator’s White). This will give buyers the sense of the home being a clean, blank space where they can build their new life. Everything will feel cleaner, brighter and bigger. Change the lampshades to white, update old light fixtures, and replace all lights with new increased-wattage bulbs. Focus on making your house bright and cheery. To get more tips click the link in our bio! -
TIP ONE: MAXIMIZE VIEWS AND LIGHT It is well known that potential buyers are attracted to properties with good light. No one wants to buy a home that feels dark and dingy. Open all shutters and wash all windows within an inch of their lives. Take down dated drapes and blinds to let light in and show off the scenery outside. I’ve learned that window coverings are actually quite a personal choice, so buyers are likely to change whatever you have there anyway.. Check out the full story online! -
HOW TO PREP YOUR HOUSE FOR SALE If you’ve ever prepped a house to put on the market, you know it’s no easy task. We want potential buyers to fully appreciate the beauty, size, capacity and function of our home so that we can attract top dollar. Yet it’s common to have an emotional attachment to our house and its contents, and as a result we sometimes fail to get things into a condition that pleases the majority. This can be a costly mistake. Our aim is to make prospective buyers feel at home the minute they set foot in the door. Link in bio for more tips to attract the highest bidder ☝🏼 -
INJECT A LITTLE FRENCH SOPHISTICATION INTO YOUR OWN ABODE TIP 2: If your house already contains some French architectural details—for example, decorative ceiling mouldings, architectural wall panels or French doors—begin by restoring them to their original state and sprucing them up with a fresh, white coat of paint. Expose and restore any rustic beams or French oak flooring. Aim to get as natural a finish as possible, so avoid glossy lacquer finishes. If you don’t already have any French details in your home, look into introducing some such as a limestone fireplace, French oak parquetry flooring or decorative ceiling mouldings. These traditional French elements tend to be highly ornate and detailed, so aim to finish everything in a clean and simple manner. As we move through these steps you’ll notice it’s all about contrasting the traditional with the contemporary. -
THE INTERIOR SECRETS OF THE FRENCH, DIVULGED TIP 1: Quintessential French-inspired interior design always marries well with large-scale black and white portrait photography. This is because the French interior palette plays with sophisticated, matte textures rather than with color. The tonal shadows found in black-and-white portrait photography are the perfect contrast to the layered textural finishes of a typical French interior. It just works. -
HOW THE FRENCH DO IT SO WELL The French certainly are the envy of the rest of the world when it comes to their je ne sais quoi (rough translation: “a certain something”). Some describe it as effortless class—an intangible quality—and it doesn’t stop at their sense of fashion. Time after time, I’ve found myself drooling over classically chic French interior designs. Link in bio for my top tips for styling your home with a little French flair! -
MLB’s PERSONAL TREASURE CHEST We are so excited to be currently featuring the private home of world-renowned interior designer Martin Lawrence Bullard on our blog right now. Feast your eyes on a world of pattern, color and texture combined into a stunning eclectic sanctuary. “Linen has long been my fabric of choice but more and more I’m drawn to velvets, especially when used to upholster furniture pieces with brass studs.” Says Bullard. What a wonderful adventure it was to peek inside the door of Martyn Lawrence Bullard’s exquisite home. Anyone who has met him will agree that he is a true gentleman with charm, charisma and definite stage presence. Link in profile to click through to the story!
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