Julie Evans
7 REASONS TO HIRE AN INTERIOR DESIGNER IN NEWCASTLE & THE HUNTER VALLEY
DIY or hire an expert? Here are 7 reasons why Hunter Valley and Newcastle residents should always hire a locally based interior designer.
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Your interior designer should be making it all about the Hunter Valley
Julie Evans is a residential and commercial interior designer servicing the Hunter Valley. The Hunter Valley is a beautiful New South Wales regional area, approximately three hours north of Sydney and sits within the state's second most populated region, capturing itself within it along with Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Port Stephens.
Interior design styles that are unique for you, your space and the Hunter Valley
Our approach is different to most. Just like you are unique, and so is your space - so too is our interior design approach and our interior design solutions. We don't roll out the same style for every job and we don't make our work about us. We don't have a shop full of stock that we need to sell so we push it all onto our customers whether it's right for them or not. We don't have a cookie cutter approach to our work where every outcome is the same.
My job is to bring together the potential of your space with its inherent residential or commercial function and combine with that your personal style preferences into a harmonious solution that makes your heart sing.
Home interior Hunter Valley
The beautiful country scenes that dominate the Hunter Valley drives classic country living and lifestyle, which is also reflected in home interiors and decor. Country interior design styling, along with other interior design styles like Hamptons, Coastal along with Contemporary and Modern are all timeless and executed well in keeping with the country lifestyle that personifies Hunter Valley design.
Top 5 classic interior design styles for the Hunter Valley
Some interior design styles lend themselves naturally to the Hunter Valley lifestyle, environment and building style.
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Hamptons. Learn more
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Contemporary. Learn more
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Transitional. Learn more
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Cottage. Learn more
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Modern. Learn more
How do you choose and know it's right? Here's my top tip: you have to love it. It has to make your heart sing. Here's how to make that happen. Check out my interior design services, look at my interior design process then reach out and get it touch so we can discuss.
Choosing the interior design style for your Hunter Valley home and knowing it's right
Hunter Valley kitchens and bathrooms
It's no wonder that kitchen design and bathroom design receive such focus and priority from Hunter Valley new home builders and renovators alike, There are no two areas of your home where function and aesthetics MUST be in harmonious synchronicity for your heart to sing in those spaces.
We deliver well thought out, planned and executed kitchen designs for Hunter Valley with all the drawings and documentation that your builder needs to make it happen. Take a look at my project portfolio.
We deliver well thought out, planned and executed bathroom designs for the Hunter Valley with all the drawings and documentation that your builder needs to make it happen. Take a look at my project portfolio.
Hunter Valley homewares
No matter where you are in the Hunter Valley, where do you source your homewares, art, furnishings and interior decor pieces?
Buy locally in Hunter Valley, beware the risks
You can buy local, but there can be risks. Do the stores carry stock that match your interior design style? Can you buy what you want, or only what they sell? Will you end up with what everyone else has in Port Stephens?
Want to lower your risk? Try my Let's Shop service where I ride-along with you on a shopping trip and you can buy with confidence with the support of a Professional.
Buy outside of Hunter Valley from my suppliers and bank the savings
The better option is to buy through my Furniture and Art Finder service. I have access to many incredible suppliers, many of whom only sell wholesale to trade and do not sell to retail, so you won’t find their products in any store. Your homewares won't be the same as everyone else in the Hunter Valley.
Your budget will go further, because I pass 100% of my trade discount to you, meaning your dollar goes further.
Hunter Valley interior decorator
When I work as an interior decorator, my job is to help you design and style the inside of your home, making your vision - not mine - a reality. I plan, choose, and oversee the decoration of a room, house or other building with as much leeway or latitude as you give me. On my own, or together with you I choose the colors, furniture, and accessories to make your home look great, as well as curtains and window treatments, flooring, and even lighting and plants.
Many people think that interior decorators just put things on the wall, pick out a new couch, fluff cushions or drape throw rugs. In fact interior decorating is more than just placing furniture in a room. When I'm in interior decorator mode, I'm creating a style for a space using color, texture, lighting and furniture placement. Being an interior designer, I also bring my vast knowledge of design principles and how to apply them to a space so that in the end, everything works harmoniously and cohesively and your vision is realised.
Hunter interior design and decorating
Great Hunter Valley design works like this
When we're working on Hunter interior decorator projects, we follow these steps:
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Review your needs and wants. As your decorator I want to know what you are looking for in terms of style and function. This is also where we cover budget and time frame.
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We come up with a design plan. We'll create an interior decorating style plan that meets your needs and fits within your budget. This may include sketches, photos, or a virtual tour of the finished space.
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Purchase materials and furnishings. We'll order everything needed for the project and coordinate delivery and installation. Or we won't because you want to, or it will be a bit of both. That's all up to you.
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Finalise the design and install furniture and accessories. We make sure everything is in place and looks perfect before calling it finished.
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From my blog: Hunter Valley
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Home renovator interior design and interior decorator services
The other category of project that Julie Evans Design sees as an interior designer in the Hunter Valley are the renovators who are extending parts of their home to accommodate a growing family. In these instances, Julie can help with the selection of fixtures and finishes as with a new build. She can also work with you to ensure a cohesive design look and feel across both the old and new parts of the home. This can be through paint colours, flooring and complementary furniture and decor selections. These types of projects are quite flexible for clients and Julie can be as involved as you need her to be.
New home interior design and interior decorator services
Julie Evans Design will work with you prior to commencing your new home build to choose all the materials and fixtures and finishes for your new home. Including items like flooring, paint colours, lighting, benchtops, cabinetry, tiles and even exterior finishes like bricks and pavers. This helps to streamline the process with your builder and ensure that decisions are not made on the fly. When your new home is complete, Julie can also assist with sourcing furniture and decor to compliment your new spaces, and if you buy through her with her suppliers, you'll receive 100% of the trade discount or wholesale pricing making your budget go that little bit further.
Hunter Valley interior designer & interior decorator
Julie Evans Design is a Newcastle based interior designer and interior decorator, servicing Newcastle, the Hunter Valley, Lake Macquarie and Port Stephens areas. At different times in her adult life she has lived and worked in each of those areas, or a stones throw from Lake Macquarie. Having lived and worked in each community, she knows the lifestyle, environment and style of each region intimately.
Interior design and interior decorating for the Hunter Valley
Homes in the Hunter Valley fall into two categories. Julie Evans Design has rich experience working with both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: How much does interior design cost?
Interior design costs can vary depending on the size and number of spaces you want to work on, the extent or scope of work to be conducted and the speed at which you wish the work to be done. As a rule, it’s best to allocate a percentage of overall project budget to interior design, to create the plan on which your execution will be based. Julie Evans Design is one of the few interior designers who passes on the full trade discount to her clients, so that her fees are frequently recouped – often at a multiple – by the savings her clients make allowing them to stretch or save their budget as they like.
Question: Why hire a Newcastle interior designer when I live in the Hunter Valley?
As you would know living in the Hunter Valley, Newcastle is just down the road. There are suburbs that are further away from each other in Sydney, so the distance isn't really a big deal. Julie Evans Design services a large area encompassing Newcastle, the Hunter Valley, Lake Macquarie and Port Stephens. In population terms, it's the second largest area in New South Wales. Being Newcastle based means Julie Evans Design gets to work on a broad variety of jobs across residential and commercial sectors, markets, styles, geographies - you name it. That variety keeps us fresh, broadens our supplier base and keeps us in tune with the very latest in building, interior architecture, design, decoration and style.
Question: Why hire an interior designer?
An interior designer is an expert on your side, working for you. They’re a professional, trained in their field with knowledge specific to their profession that others don’t have. An interior designer should save you money, or at least not cost your budget more. Their expertise extends to knowing where you can save with value options, to free up your budget to focus on areas or pieces that matter most. An interior designer will save you time through their project management skills, and because they work on projects like yours all day, every day. An interior designer knows how to bring the wow factor to your space if that’s what you’re looking for, and have resources and contacts to call on to bring your project to completion.
Question: How well does Julie Evans Design know the Hunter Valley?
I know the Hunter Valley really well. I've lived there. In my younger years I bought a house in Morpeth and worked within the Hunter Valley community. I know it like a local because I was a local. As an interior designer my job is to bring the function and design aesthetic of your space(s) together in harmony, to reflect your lifestyle and the very special and unique environment that the Hunter Valley is famous for.
Question: How do you make your money as an interior designer?
I charge a fee for service that's clear and presented upfront and totally transparent. From the very beginning of working with me you'll know my costs. You won't find surprises along the way and I don't make hidden commissions anywhere. I don’t have a homewares shop with stock that I’m trying to sell to you at a profit. I don’t make a commission from my suppliers and their prices aren't marked up to you when you buy from them. Your happiness, satisfaction and delight is my only goal.
Question: Can I work with you on interior design but buy my furnishings and decor items locally?
Yes of course you can. Buying locally makes sense - it keeps money in the economy, it keeps people employed and it supports local business. But here's the thing and I know this because I've lived in the Hunter Valley... choice and range aren't great and because of that, you can end up with the same pieces that everyone else has and is that what you really want? Also do you want to buy what you can get in the Hunter Valley or do you want to buy what you love? When you buy through me from my suppliers you can be pretty sure it will be unique to you, and I pass on 100% of the wholesale price or trade discount to you. That means I'm impartial - I don't make anything off what you buy, and you bank the savings. It's totally up to you.
Find out more about what Julie Evans Design offers and how they can help you by checking out their suite of interior design services or stop by their instagram or pinterest pages for more idea and inspiration. Talk to Julie about how she can transform your space(s) and help them reach their full potential.
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