This month on The Style Segment, we had the pleasure of interviewing the esteemed interior stylist and lifestyle presenter, Kerrie-Ann Jones. We’re excited to share that she’ll be joining us in our showroom this June as the distinguished guest speaker for our quarterly STYLE MINDS event, held exclusively for Huntley + Co trade clients.
Kerrie-Ann Jones is one of Australia’s most sought-after Stylists, renowned for her work with leading furniture and homewares brands, as well as her award-winning projects for interior designers and residential clients. With contributions to publications including Inside Out, Belle, House & Garden, and Marie Claire, it’s easy to see how Kerrie-Ann’s stunning work has earned her a cult following online. Let’s learn a little more about this talented powerhouse.
Amy: Tell us a bit about yourself…
Kerrie-Ann: I’m a freelance Interior Stylist with a background in editorial styling. I have an online interior styling school The Stylist Lab, and am co-host of the House of Style podcast. However, above all else, I’m a wife and mum to two children.
Amy: Where and how did your interiors journey begin?
Kerrie-Ann: Interior styling is my second career, I first started out in music publishing, working with TV shows to help select music for segments and commercials. However, I always had a passion for interiors. I renovated my first apartment in my early twenties on a shoestring budget and this sparked my interest into the world of interiors.
I started assisting magazine stylists on their shoots and studied interior decorating. I then started working as a freelance stylist for Real Living magazine. A few years later, I became the style editor, styling and producing cover shoots and features while building a great network in the industry.
Today I’m freelance and love the freedom to pick and choose the jobs I take on, who I work with and when I work. It’s now grown into a business so much bigger and more fulfilling than I ever imagined.
In addition to my styling work, I also have an online interior styling course where beginners can learn how to style their home, I co-host the House of Style podcast and I’m currently working on an exciting project styling homes across Europe and the US.
Later this year, I will be launching a gallery of vintage furniture and contemporary art. The art of styling has allowed me to extend my creativity in other dimensions.
Amy: What services do you offer as a professional stylist?
Kerri-Ann: For home owners I have two services. The first option is a one-hour online session where I can help solve their design dilemmas. These clients are usually at the start of a renovation and having trouble making decisions, so I give expert advice and guidance.Option two – Design and styling – I help with choosing materials and finishes, consult on the design, layout and also curate the furniture, art and décor selections.
For professionals – I style photoshoots for interior designers and architects. Once they have finished a project, often times the home owner doesn’t have the budget to fully furnish the home. So, I come in and curate the space so it aligns with their creative vision and showcases their design work in the best light.
I also style campaigns for lifestyle brands and partner with brands for social media alignments.
Amy: What does a typical day in the life of Kerrie-Ann Jones look like?
Kerrie-Ann: I’m an early riser, I’m usually awake around 5-5:30am. My kids will come into bed around 6am for a cuddle and then we all get up. Every day is different for the life of a freelancer! But it usually looks something like:
In the morning, I make the kids lunches, then do a workout in my gym, shower, get ready and drop them to school. I will schedule work calls and meetings in the morning and plan out my day. I also like to do my creative work in the morning when I feel my best, so I’ll be on my computer putting together a moodboard, sourcing or writing. I’ll have lunch, and in the afternoon, I’ll either do in-person consultations, meetings and visits to furniture showrooms and art galleries. Then home for 5pm to cook dinner and have family time. I might squeeze in an hour-long walk around my neighbourhood after dinner. My son Ari and I enjoy going for walks together. Then put the kids to bed and I’m in bed for 9pm. I’m a Nanna! I can’t think creatively in the evenings, so I don’t even try! I’d rather sleep!
Amy: How would you describe your own personal design style?
Kerrie-Ann: My style does not fit into a genre category, so I describe it as a mix of mid-century vintage and contemporary design. I use an artfully curated approach, with sculptural and organic shapes layered with texture and wrapped up in a warm, neutral palette.
Amy: What design/style trends are you loving right now?
Kerrie-Ann: Loving sculptural shaped furniture, décor and lighting. There is a more playful and creative approach to design right now and it’s only evolving and I’m all for it.
Bed covers – I like the simplicity of them and the less is more approach. You don’t need to overly decorate a bed for it to look beautiful.
Atmospheric art – canvas artworks painted with washes of a single colour or two colours blended to create a tranquil and atmospheric feeling. Some artists include Tanya Wales, Indivi Sutton, Gwen Hardie. They have a beautiful, calming feel about them, and they always look good in an interior.
Amy: When preparing an interiors scheme, where do you start?
Kerrie-Ann: I always start with a moodboard of inspirational images that best represent the look and feel I’m trying to create. This acts as my north star for any decisions and selections. From there, I’ll focus on the hero piece—it could be an artwork or key furniture piece—and start building the scheme around this, ensuring the palette will work with any other pieces introduced.
Amy: What is you most treasured styling piece in your home?
Kerrie-Ann: This is a tough question, it’s like asking who my favourite child is! I do love my artwork by Ines Longeveil in the living room.
Amy: How do you stay creatively inspired?
Kerrie-Ann: A change of scenery really helps me feel inspired. I travelled to Europe a few weeks ago, and I found the architecture and way of life in different countries fascinating. So many ideas were floating around in my mind. It really invigorates and inspires me to try different creative ideas I may not have thought of working from home.
I like to go for walks whether it is around my neighbourhood, along the beach to clear my mind. Spending time with friends, going to industry events where I can learn, I find is inspiring too. Anything that relaxes me I find helps free up my mind for ideas for flow through. I also just love flicking through beautiful interior design books that sit on my coffee table. There are hundreds of pages of inspiration right there that we often forget about.
Amy: What are your favourite pieces from the Huntley + Co range?
Kerrie-Ann: I love the shape of the Callie Occasional Chair. It’s classic yet sculptural, and the corduroy upholstery in Cinnamon, is a lovely texture too.
I also like the Cuba Coffee Table and matching side table. Their chunky shape beautifully anchors a living room setting.
For those wanting to follow along at home, Kerrie-Ann has recently launched her YouTube video series Styling Spaces, where she shares expert tips, tricks, inspiration and behind-the-scenes of her styling projects. You can learn how to style your dream home and feel inspired to take your home decorating and styling to the next level!
