Build Beautiful

Linda Habak
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Build BeautifulWhere design meets depth Hosted by interior designer and property developer Linda Habak, Build Beautiful is a podcast about more than just aesthetics - it’s about the intention behind the spaces we shape and the stories we tell. Each episode features honest, insightful conversations with designers, developers, architects, artists, and creative thinkers who are reimagining the way we live, build, and create. This is a space for the ideas behind the work - the risks, the pivots, the process. The quiet decisions that shape extraordinary outcomes. Because beauty isn’t just what we see - it’s what we feel.And what we choose to build, together. Follow @buildbeautiful_podcast

  1. 1 day ago

    Silvana Azzi Heras | From Moulin Rouge to House of Heras: Design, Heritage & Creative Courage

    Send us your feedback, thoughts or comments! Silvana Azzi Heras is the founder of House of Heras, a Sydney-based textile and interior design studio known for its maximalist, emotionally rich patterns rooted in folklore, flora, and cultural memory. Born in Lebanon and raised in Australia from the age of two, Silvana was the youngest of five in a family of doctors, surgeons, engineers, and academics — the black sheep, as she calls herself, but the kind that glimmers in the light. Before founding her studio, she spent over a decade as head designer at Bazmark, the creative company of Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin, working across Moulin Rouge!, The Great Gatsby, Australia, La Bohème on Broadway, and The Get Down for Netflix — designing everything from film titles and posters to hotel rugs for the Faena in New York. This is a conversation about what it takes to follow your instincts when the world expects something safer from you. About how heritage shapes the motifs you create, how cinema teaches you to see, and what happens when you finally back yourself and build something entirely your own. In this episode, we explore: Growing up Lebanese-Australian: arriving in Sydney at age two, navigating identity, and returning to Beirut at 35 to understand her parents' resilienceBeing the 'black sheep' youngest of five — how family pressure shaped the long road to designStarting with a Bachelor of Welfare Studies, meeting her husband there, and going back to university as a mature-age student to study designThe phone call that changed everything: how a university lecturer put her name forward for Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin's studioLife inside Bazmark — researching Moulin Rouge! in Paris, drinking absinthe, walking the streets, and building a world from scratchThe Gatsby baby — her water breaking on the last day of filming The Great GatsbyGoing to Cannes twice and the Oscars twice, including helping Catherine Martin dress BeyonceDesigning over 200 rugs for the Faena Hotel New York, in collaboration with Peter MikicFounding House of Heras — filling a gap for maximalist, culturally rich design in a minimalist marketPre-visualisation as a design practice, the art of knowing when to stop, and why there are no shortcuts Why this conversation matters In a design world that often rewards restraint and minimalism, Silvana Azzi Heras is doing something rarer: making work that holds memory, carries culture, and takes emotional risks. Her story is also a reminder that the creative path is rarely linear — that detours, late starts, and unexpected phone calls are often the beginning of something extraordinary. About the guest Silvana Azzi Heras is the founder and creative director of House of Heras, a Sydney-based design studio specialising in textiles, rugs, wallpaper, and interior design. She spent over a decade as head designer at Bazmark, the production company of Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin, working across some of the most visually ambitious films and productions of the past two decades. Her textile collections are stocked internationally and she has designed for the Faena Hotel New York, Designer Rugs, Milton & King, and CB2 in the United States. House of Heras is expanding into commercial interior design, and a new Axminster rug collection is due for release later in 2026. RESOURCES MENTIONED House of Heras website: houseofheras.com Instagram: @houseofheras and @silvanaazziheras Designer Rugs: designerrugs.com.au Milton & King wallpaper: miltonandking.comCB2  (US): cb2.com Faena Hotel New York: faena.com/new-york Peter Mikic: mikicdesign.com To get in touch with Build Beautiful or to follow us head to our socials:   on Instagram on Facebook on LinkedIn If you'd like to be on the podcast, or want to collaborate with Build Beautiful feel free to contact us on buildbeautifulpodcast@gmail.com.

    41 min

  2. 20 May

    Helen Lynch & Karyn McRae | 30 Years of Interior Design, Friendship and Reinvention

    Send us your feedback, thoughts or comments! Helen Lynch and Karyn McRae, co-founders of McRae & Lynch Design, have been in business together for thirty years. They met on the first day of design school, started taking on projects while they were still studying, and have since built one of Sydney's most quietly enduring interior design practices, spanning residential, medical, hospitality, and even cruise ship interiors for Carnival. In this episode of Build Beautiful, Helen and Karyn share what three decades of partnership has taught them about resilience, reinvention, and charging your worth. It is a conversation about friendship as foundation, the unglamorous parts of building a creative business, and what it really means to design for the long game. In this episode, we explore: How a chance hand wave on the first day of design school became a thirty-year creative partnershipHelen's path from primary school teaching into interior design, and Karyn's beginnings in architectural drafting at Inscand DesignWhat makes a design partnership actually work, and why mutual respect, shared values and morning therapy sessions matter more than rigid role descriptionsDesigning cruise ships for Carnival across five years: dry dock, IMO certification, boiler suits, and being the only women on the shipWhy they had to rebuild the business from scratch after the cruise ship era ended, and what that humility taught themThe reinvention behind going back to study during COVID to become registered building designers, and why interior designers still fight for recognition in AustraliaThe two-year nudge from their business coach into podcasting, the imposter syndrome that nearly stopped them, and the moment they realised authenticity outperforms polishGoing on Aussie Build for Channel 9 Life, finding sponsors in six weeks, and what television taught them about being themselves on cameraCharging your worth: the spreadsheet that changed everything, the twenty percent contingency rule, and why a one hundred percent strike rate means you are underchargingWhat 'build beautiful' means when you have spent thirty years designing for other people's lives, and why the goal is shoulders dropping at the front door Why this conversation matters In an industry obsessed with overnight success and polished feeds, Helen and Karyn offer something quieter and rarer: a thirty-year case study in patience, partnership and reinvention. Their story matters now because the path they walked, slow growth, hard pivots, going back to study late, learning to charge what you are worth, is the one most creative business owners are actually on, even if no one talks about it. About the guests Helen Lynch and Karyn McRae are the co-founders of McRae & Lynch Design, a Sydney-based interior design and building design practice they have run together for thirty years. Their work spans high-end residential, medical and dental fit-outs, hospitality and clubs, and a five-year body of cruise ship interior work for Carnival. They are also the hosts of Two Gins in a Designer's Perspective, which won Best Design Podcast at the 2025 Australian Podcast Awards, and recently appeared as the design duo on Aussie Build for Channel 9 Life. Both are newly registered building designers, certified to work on Class 2 buildings, an accreditation few interior designers in Australia hold. RESOURCES MENTIONED McRae & Lynch Design: mcraelynchdesign.com.au Instagram: @mcraelynchdesign Two Gins in a Designer's Perspective podcast (Best Design Podcast, 2025) Aussie Build, Channel 9 LifeDesign Centre Enmore (formerly the Randwick design school referenced in the episode) Design Institute of Australia (DIA) To get in touch with Build Beautiful or to follow us head to our socials:   on Instagram on Facebook on LinkedIn If you'd like to be on the podcast, or want to collaborate with Build Beautiful feel free to contact us on buildbeautifulpodcast@gmail.com.

    1 hr

  3. 6 May

    Brooke Aitken | I Was Happy But Broke: 21 Years in Architecture & Interior Design

    Send us your feedback, thoughts or comments! Brooke Aitken is one of Sydney's most quietly powerful voices in residential design — a Registered Architect AND Interior Designer who has spent 21 years building Brooke Aitken Design into one of the few practices in the country with the rare ability to both build a home and furnish it. But somewhere in the middle of that journey, on a panel in front of an audience, she said something that stopped the room cold: “I was happy. But I was broke.” This is the conversation every creative who has ever wondered if their craft will ever pay off needs to hear — an unflinchingly honest reckoning with the gap between award-winning work and a sustainable business, and what it actually takes to close it. In this episode, we explore: Why Brooke walked away from a place in medical school to pursue architecture — and the moment she “cut my hair off, dyed it white blonde” and went all inInside the legendary DCM years: being project architect on the interiors of the Melbourne Museum at the very start of her careerFounding Brooke Aitken Design in 2004 with no business training, no marketing, and clients already waiting at the door“I was happy but broke” — what rock bottom actually looked like ten years in, while going through IVF, undiagnosed endometriosis, building her own home, and paying her staff before herselfThe Business of Design podcast moment that changed everything — and why Brooke now sits in a peer mastermind comparing real figures every six monthsDaniel Priestley’s “11 touchpoints” rule, and how Brooke rebuilt her entire marketing engine around it after a decade of hiding her work behind bad photography“Soft Modernism,” slow architecture, and why she’ll usually fight to save a 70s building rather than knock it downInside the studio: a sister, a “design alumni” WhatsApp group, design charrettes, and why “no one has just one problem”“Systems will set you free” — the Asana templates and operating system every creative business owner should stealChatGPT, Midjourney and how an architect known for craft is quietly experimenting with AIWhat she would tell her younger self — and why she still insists success “hasn’t happened yet”Why this conversation matters In a design industry that polishes every portfolio and hides every struggle, Brooke Aitken does something rare: she tells the truth. For any architect, designer or creative business owner who has ever wondered why beautiful work isn’t translating into a beautiful life, this is the conversation that names the gap — and shows what’s possible on the other side. About Brooke Brooke Aitken is the founder and Principal of Brooke Aitken Design, a Sydney-based studio she has led for over 20 years from her base in Ultimo. A registered architect and interior designer — one of the few in the country who delivers both — she is known for an aesthetic she calls “Soft Modernism”: contemporary, considered, deeply liveable spaces shaped by the brief, the building and the way people actually live. Her work spans heritage homes in Sydney’s east, sustainable rejuvenations of mid-century houses, and award-winning international projects in San Francisco and Palo Alto. She is also the founder of Rill + Stone, a homewares brand whose internationally awarded rug collection is made in collaboration with Tsar Carpets. To get in touch with Build Beautiful or to follow us head to our socials:   on Instagram on Facebook on LinkedIn If you'd like to be on the podcast, or want to collaborate with Build Beautiful feel free to contact us on buildbeautifulpodcast@gmail.com.

    1hr 1min

  4. 22 Apr

    Kym Elphinstone | How to Collect Art: A Curator's Guide to Living with Art

    Send us your feedback, thoughts or comments! Kym Elphinstone | How to Collect Art: A Curator's Guide to Living with Art Kym Elphinstone is the founder of Articulate, one of Australia's most respected contemporary art and culture agencies, and the author of Collecting and Living with Art. A lawyer turned curator, advisor and strategist, Kym has spent her career immersed in the art world — from the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia and New York's New Museum to building audiences for the Biennale of Sydney, the Venice Biennale, Sydney Contemporary, the NGV and private collectors across the country. In this episode of Build Beautiful, Kym reframes art not as luxury or decoration, but as language — a way of seeing, feeling and remembering. For anyone who has ever hesitated at the threshold of a gallery wondering where to start, this is a warm, expert invitation to walk in. In this episode, we explore: Kym's unlikely path from law in London to a life in contemporary artThe "baptism by fire" years at MCA Australia working on 12–15 exhibitions a yearFounding Articulate sixteen years ago — with the Biennale of Sydney as first clientWhy she wrote Collecting and Living with Art — and the foreword by John Kaldor"There are no wrong answers" — the biggest myth about how to start collectingWalking into a gallery for the first time — why gallerists genuinely want you thereFostering, not owning: collecting as a form of custodianship for future generationsThe King's College London study proving art physically changes us — heart rate, cortisol, inflammationUnderstanding the value of art — artist reputation, galleries, career milestones and the marketWhy emerging artists need collectors most, and how to spot a singular point of viewSydney Contemporary as "time travel for art" — 45 minutes to take the pulse of the sectorAdvice for designers and architects: commission artists early in the design process, not at the endHow to help clients see the value of a $50,000 artwork the way they see a $50,000 sofaKym's most cherished piece — an Oliver Wagner canvas made from house-paint dust Why this conversation matters In design and architecture, art is too often the final decorative layer — if it is considered at all. Kym Elphinstone offers a quietly radical counterpoint: art should be part of the conversation from the very beginning of a home, a career, a life. For designers, architects and anyone wondering how to begin collecting, this is an expert, unintimidating invitation into the art world — and a reminder that living with art changes how we feel inside our own spaces. About Kym Kym Elphinstone is the founder of Articulate, a Sydney-based agency specialising in contemporary art, culture and design. A lawyer who left London for the arts, Kym held senior roles at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia — including on secondment at New York's New Museum on the Bowery — before launching Articulate sixteen years ago. Articulate's clients span the Biennale of Sydney, the Australia Pavilion at the Venice Biennale (including the 2024 Gold-Lion-winning Archie Moore / kith and kin presentation), Sydney Contemporary, the NGV, Nonsingular in the Southern Highlands, and a growing roster of private collectors. Her book, Collecting and Living with Art, features 26 Australian collectors and opens with a foreword by John Kaldor. Watch / Listen ▶️  Watch the full episode on YouTube 🎧  Available on Spotify & Apple Podcasts If this episode resonated, please like, subscribe and share — it helps Build Beautiful continue to tell deeper stories from the world of design, architecture and creative life. To get in touch with Build Beautiful or to follow us head to our socials:   on Instagram on Facebook on LinkedIn If you'd like to be on the podcast, or want to collaborate with Build Beautiful feel free to contact us on buildbeautifulpodcast@gmail.com.

    44 min

  5. 8 Apr

    Alexandra Donohoe Church | The Layers Beneath: Psychology, Restraint & the Art of Decus Interiors

    Send us your feedback, thoughts or comments! Alexandra Donohoe Church is one of Australia's most sought-after interior designers — founder of Decus Interiors, a Sydney-based studio she has led for over 16 years that has become synonymous with a rare kind of beauty: restrained, layered, and deeply felt. Her work has graced the pages of Architectural Digest, Elle Decoration, Vogue Living, and Belle. But what sets Alexandra apart is not her portfolio — it's how she thinks. She grew up between Sydney and Seattle, came to design via landscape architecture, and built a business starting alone from her apartment in 2009. That she now leads a team of 10–12 on some of Australia's most exquisite residential projects is both a triumph of vision and a testament to something quieter: the courage to do less, not more. In this episode of Build Beautiful, we go beneath the surfaces Alexandra creates — into the psychology, discipline, and emotional intelligence that make her work unforgettable. This is a conversation about what it means to truly listen. To read a client's life, not just their brief. And to build a studio — and a creative self — that lasts. In this episode, we explore: Growing up between Sydney and Seattle — and how living across cultures shaped her eye for spaceThe unexpected path from landscape architecture to interior design — and why she never looked backHow she reads between the lines of a client brief: decoding desire, not just preferenceWhat clients think they want vs. what they truly need — and the art of delivering both with integrityCreating 'tension in a space' — why conversation between art, furnishings and architecture matters more than matchingThe psychology of restraint: why editing is her most powerful design toolRunning a studio for 16 years — what she's outgrown, what she's fiercely protected, and what's kept her goingThe emotional weight of creative leadership — and the discipline required to carry it with graceHer obsession with detail: the proportions, edges, and grooves most people will never consciously noticeWhat 'building beautiful' means to Alexandra — in work, and in life Why this conversation matters In a design world saturated with trend cycles and visual noise, Alexandra Donohoe Church offers something rare: a practice built on discernment, psychology, and restraint. Her philosophy — that great design is an extension of the client's inner world — is a reminder that the most enduring spaces are not designed to impress, but to hold. At a time when authenticity is more sought-after than spectacle, this conversation is a masterclass in what truly matters. About Alexandra Alexandra Donohoe Church is the founder of Decus Interiors, a Sydney-based interior design studio she established in 2009. Over 16 years, she has built a reputation for creating luxury residential interiors that balance refined beauty with the unexpected — resisting signature style in favour of deeply personalised spaces that feel like extensions of their inhabitants. Her work has been published in Architectural Digest, Elle Decoration, Design Anthology, Vogue Living, and Belle. She leads a team of 10–12 designers on high-end residential projects across Australia and internationally. Decus Interiors website: decus.com.au Instagram: @decusinteriors As featured in: Architectural Digest, Elle Decoration, Design Anthology, Vogue Living, Belle To get in touch with Build Beautiful or to follow us head to our socials:   on Instagram on Facebook on LinkedIn If you'd like to be on the podcast, or want to collaborate with Build Beautiful feel free to contact us on buildbeautifulpodcast@gmail.com.

    1hr 12min

  6. 25 Mar

    Darren Genner | Design Life Better: From Factory Floor to Award-Winning Interior Designer

    Send us your feedback, thoughts or comments! Darren Genner, co-founder of Studio Minosa, is one of Australia's most awarded interior designers — a man who began his career on a factory floor producing 34 kitchens a day, and built one of the country's most quietly powerful design studios over 24 years. Alongside his partner Simona, his studio is known for its signature approach to 3D visualisation, its "Design Life Better" philosophy, and an unwavering belief that great design starts with function — not finish. This is a conversation about what it means to build a creative life from the ground up. From sawdust and apprenticeship to bespoke interiors, award-winning process, and the resilience required to survive the GFC, a studio robbery, and the strange fog that followed Covid. It is also — in the most unexpected and moving way — a love story. In this episode, we explore: How a kitchen factory apprenticeship on a production line became the unlikely foundation of a world-class design philosophyThe mentor who told a young Darren: "A chef will never tell you the ingredients" — and why watching became his greatest toolMeeting Simona at a Poliform showroom — the chance connection over Italian kitchens that changed everythingStarting Studio Minosa with $400, a shared dinner idea, and a water-conscious Corian washbasin called the Puddle ScoopThe white box method: stripping all colour from 3D renders so clients can truly understand space, function and scale before choosing materialsWhy being an early adopter of 3D visualisation — long before SketchUp — gave Studio Minosa a 24-year competitive edgeThe bad client experience that forced them to rethink contracts, communication, and the courage to have hard conversationsHow the GFC, a studio robbery, and the post-Covid slump each tested — and ultimately forged — their resilienceThe "Design Life Better" tagline: not a catchphrase but a moral compass, developed with a Nike brand strategist in 2016Hiring for personality over skill, building a team that stays for 10+ years, and why fewer clients done better is now the goal Why this conversation matters In an industry that often chases aesthetics over substance, Darren Genner is a reminder that the most enduring design practices are built on craft, curiosity, and the courage to put process before polish. Twenty-four years in, Studio Minosa is proof that when you genuinely design life better — for your clients and for yourself — the work takes care of itself. If this episode resonated, please like, subscribe and share — it helps Build Beautiful continue to tell deeper stories from the world of design, architecture and creative life. To get in touch with Build Beautiful or to follow us head to our socials:   on Instagram on Facebook on LinkedIn If you'd like to be on the podcast, or want to collaborate with Build Beautiful feel free to contact us on buildbeautifulpodcast@gmail.com.

    1hr 1min

  7. 11 Mar

    Nasim Koerting: Refugee Roots to Merivale Design Director

    Send us your feedback, thoughts or comments! Refugee Roots to Merivale Design Director: Nasim Koerting on Creative Freedom In this episode of Build Beautiful, Refugee Roots to Merivale Design Director: Nasim Koerting on Creative Freedom, Nasim Koerting shares how her refugee background shaped her identity, leadership style, and creative direction at Merivale — Australia’s most iconic hospitality group. From migrant identity and self-worth to creative freedom, intuition in design, and leading large-scale hospitality projects, this is a deeply personal conversation about building atmosphere, soul, and meaning into public spaces. As Design Director at Merivale, Nasim works across some of Australia’s most recognised venues, helping shape spaces that are known not just for their style, but for their emotional impact. We explore what it means to design from intuition, how constraints can elevate creativity, and why the journey matters more than the outcome. If you are a designer, creative, migrant child, or anyone navigating identity and ambition, this conversation will resonate. In This Episode: 00:00 – Introduction: From Refugee Roots to Merivale 01:20 – Discovering interior architecture by accident 03:00 – Growing up as a migrant child in Australia 05:55 – Breaking cultural expectations in creative careers 09:50 – The pressure to prove yourself as a refugee’s child 11:03 – Publication, ambition, and the myth of “making it” 14:20 – Moving overseas: Israel, Spain, and London 16:38 – Creative direction in London and non-linear career paths 17:40 – The call from Merivale 18:13 – Leading design at scale across iconic hospitality venues 19:51 – Creative freedom vs brand and business constraints 21:00 – Sourcing vintage pieces in France 23:36 – When design mistakes become breakthroughs 25:42 – The collaborative Merivale design process 31:26 – Why Merivale built an in-house design team 32:21 – Living with your spaces and constantly evolving them 36:31 – Where creativity really happens 38:36 – Leadership, self-doubt, and managing large teams 41:12 – Burnout, boundaries, and reclaiming creative energy 45:45 – Advice to young designers from migrant backgrounds 53:25 – What “Build Beautiful” means to Nasim Connect with Nasim Koerting  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nasimkoerting/ Connect with Build Beautiful Instagram: @buildbeautiful_podcast Website: buildbeautifulpodcast.com Subscribe for more conversations about design, property, art, and the people behind the work. To get in touch with Build Beautiful or to follow us head to our socials:   on Instagram on Facebook on LinkedIn If you'd like to be on the podcast, or want to collaborate with Build Beautiful feel free to contact us on buildbeautifulpodcast@gmail.com.

    51 min

  8. 25 Feb

    Sophie Vander: From Online Art Store to One of Sydney’s Largest Gallery Spaces

    Send us your feedback, thoughts or comments! How does an online art gallery grow into one of Sydney’s largest contemporary gallery spaces? In this episode of Build Beautiful, Linda Habak sits down with Sophie Vander, founder of Curatorial & Co., to explore her journey from launching an online art gallery in 2015 to building one of the most visible and welcoming contemporary art galleries in Sydney. Located on William Street, Woolloomooloo, Curatorial & Co. is known for its floor-to-ceiling glass frontage, accessible approach to art, and commitment to supporting emerging Australian artists. But Sophie’s story is more than business growth — it’s about vision, motherhood, leadership, and redefining what a modern art gallery can be. We talk about pricing transparency in the art world, scaling a creative business, opening a gallery in March 2020 just as COVID hit, building an art consultancy arm, and expanding into international art fairs. This is a conversation about courage, accessibility, and building something meaningful — slowly, intentionally, and with heart. About Sophie Vander Sophie Vander is the founder of Curatorial & Co., a Sydney-based contemporary art gallery that began as an online art platform in 2015. Today, Curatorial & Co. operates one of Sydney’s largest gallery spaces and supports emerging and mid-career Australian artists through exhibitions, art consultancy, and international art fairs. Her work sits at the intersection of curation, entrepreneurship, and motherhood — building a business while raising four daughters and redefining accessibility in the art world. Connect with Sophie & Curatorial & Co. Website: https://curatorialandco.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/curatorialandco/ Location: 80 William Street, Woolloomooloo, Sydney Connect with Build Beautiful Instagram: @buildbeautiful_podcast Website: buildbeautifulpodcast.com If you’re interested in contemporary art, Sydney art galleries, emerging Australian artists, art consultancy, women in business, or creative entrepreneurship — this episode is for you. Subscribe for more conversations about design, property, art, and the people behind the work. Together — we build beautiful. To get in touch with Build Beautiful or to follow us head to our socials:   on Instagram on Facebook on LinkedIn If you'd like to be on the podcast, or want to collaborate with Build Beautiful feel free to contact us on buildbeautifulpodcast@gmail.com.

    1hr 6min
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About

Build BeautifulWhere design meets depth Hosted by interior designer and property developer Linda Habak, Build Beautiful is a podcast about more than just aesthetics - it’s about the intention behind the spaces we shape and the stories we tell. Each episode features honest, insightful conversations with designers, developers, architects, artists, and creative thinkers who are reimagining the way we live, build, and create. This is a space for the ideas behind the work - the risks, the pivots, the process. The quiet decisions that shape extraordinary outcomes. Because beauty isn’t just what we see - it’s what we feel.And what we choose to build, together. Follow @buildbeautiful_podcast

Information

  • Creator
    Linda Habak
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    22
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Build Beautiful
  • Show Website
    Build Beautiful

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