Sitting Down with one of Melbourne's Foremost Designers Adelaide Bragg

For Melbourne-based interior designer Adelaide Bragg, becoming an interior designer wasn’t necessarily the plan. Instead, Adelaide intended to become a florist, and following school, she started working at the Double Bay Laura Ashley store to pay for her love of flowers.

It wasn’t long before she began cultivating a love for interior design, particularly after working with a well-known Sydney designer. Since that time, Adelaide opened her own firm, Adelaide Bragg & Associates (AB&A), and she relocated to Melbourne, although she works with clients throughout Australia. Together with Angela Marshall, Adelaide takes on a wide variety of projects including residential and commercial and brings to each her love of texture, fabric, colour and natural inspiration. She is also planning on launching a range of beautifu ceramic lamps in July.

1. When did you first decide to become an interior designer and how did you get started with your design business?

I didn't really decide to become an interior designer, I sort of fell into it!  After leaving school I wanted to be a florist and worked for Laura Ashley in their Double Bay store to pay for my flowers. Eventually the flowers fell away and the interior's took over. This was during the late 80's and Laura Ashley was one of the first interior companies to open in Australia and they did incredibly well.

After leaving Laura Ashley I then joined Colefax and Fowler in their beautiful Queen Street, Woollahra store. I was the personal assistant to a wonderfully generous and very clever woman called Martine Burns who ran Colefax in Australia. She imparted much of her knowledge and I can thank her for all she taught me.

She also wished me great success when I left and started a business called Barham and Bragg in Sydney with my cousin Gretel Packer at the age of 23. Looking back I do think we were brave, we were young and had nothing to lose!

2. What is the most challenging part of your job?

I find the most challenging part of the job is meeting the clients expectations when the budget has limitations.

3. Is there an interior design style you favour and do you have a signature style yourself?

 

 

 

5. What are your design inspirations?

My true loves are fabric and colour, wherever I can find them! 

 

 

6. What do you think is the essential piece of furniture we should all have in our bedroom?

 

Bedside lamps, not only do they need to look beautiful and to dress a bedside table but add height and most importantly provide good light too.

All bedrooms need a chair, mostly to throw clothes on.....

I have found lamps very hard to source in Australia and I am launching a range of coloured ceramic lamps in July under the name Bragg & Co.

 

 

7. What key element do we all need for a chic living room?

 

I think comfort is incredibly important, a feather and down filled sofa which you can sink into, ottomans to rest your feet on, small tables to balance a cup of tea or a drink , beautiful lamps both table and standard to add colour and a change of texture and a little shine.

 

I love a good 'tablescape' on a coffee table or ottoman, made up with trays, coffee table books and small accessories . Sisal rugs on the floor. I like rooms to have highs and lows so everything is not sitting on one level, this can be achieved by adding bookcases, different height chairs and standard lamps. I believe this all makes the layers, adds the interest and tells a story about the people living in the house. 

 

While Adelaide continues growing her business and bringing her love of unique design elements together including classic English sophistication and the clean lines of the American aesthetic, she’ll also enjoy time with her family including three sons, her love of tea, and her hobby of baking. Adelaide plans to keep taking on challenging projects including everything from floor plans to colour consulting and lighting. 

 

Let's Get Personal .....

 

1. What are you passionate about besides your work?

 

The four men in my life..... Also a dog called Flossy and a galah called Holly.

The love of family.

 

2. What is your most treasured belonging?

 

Photos of the boys as babies.

 

3. What's one thing people may not know about you?

My other happy place is in a kitchen cooking for 20 people. I also bake a lot of cakes.

 

4. In 10 years I'd like to be ....

Doing exactly what I'm doing now. 

 

5. What can't you live without?

Tea!

 

 

Website: http://adelaidebragg.com.au